Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
by Arxane
Summary: Yes, your eyes do not deceive you. This is an update. Link and Ruto continue to explore the Water Temple, while a fight breaks out in the Kakariko Vilalge cemetary.
1. Dreams : The Boy without a Fairy

**Prologue: Dreams**

_The empty, grassy plains that stretched out as far as the eye could see felt expressionless and emotionless, as if they were the soul of a demon waiting for its prey to realize its existence before it gave the final blow. Barren skies loomed overhead, bringing with it feelings of solicitude and awakening. The air tasted thick, stale, and distant, as though warning that it did and didn't exist on this plane of reality._

_He didn't know how he got there, or why he was even there. In fact, he couldn't recall anything he had experienced during his entire lifetime, like all his memories had been erased from his mind. But at the same time, he didn't really care about this. He didn't have the ability to care at the moment._

_Only to fear, to be afraid, to wonder…_

_Mists gathered around him like hundreds of tendrils from some unknown beast. They encircled around him, but apparently dared not touch him. He remained fixed in his position, his mind adrift for answers that his blank memories couldn't provide._

_After a brief eternity, one lone tentacle of haze sailed in his direction, waving over his left shoulder like a cloud of unknown tidings. It then began to gather itself into one entity, slowly gaining substance yet no dimensions. Finally, when the last trace of mist was gone, a physical being remained in its place._

_A fairy._

_His didn't, however, question the sudden presence of this fairy. Instead, he watched the remainder of the mist begin to mimic the solitary tendril by slowly enveloping each other. The transformation was slower than the first metamorphosis…or was it? Time seemed to have no meaning in this world…_

_The final transformation yielded something remarkable yet strangely not unexpected. The countenance of a magnificent castle stood before him, residing with a silent majesty in a forsaken domain. It stretched for unfathomable distances left and right and towered in the bleak sky like a gentle behemoth._

_The mouth to this giant was a raised drawbridge. But wait! The drawbridge was lowering. He braced himself, ready for anything that might emerge from within. He failed to notice that the groaning and creaking of the drawbridge was the first substantial sound he had heard since he had…"arrived."_

_But it wasn't the last. The barren sky had sudden transformed into a gloomy display of thunderclouds, and bolts of lightning began illuminating the sky, bringing with it rumbling echoes. But these thunderclaps seemed small in comparison when the drawbridge finally landed with a thud upon the ground._

_No sooner had it landed than something white began to emerge from within the castle. He remained motionless where he was, strangely unafraid of whatever it was. When it finally was in closer perspective, he realized what it was. It was a horse, and he didn't have time – if Time did exist here – to examine it closer before it galloped past him and into a murky, dark horizon._

_But he did manage to see something else before it disappeared. Upon the horse's back were two riders, one smaller than the other was. He didn't get a good look at the bigger rider, but he did manage to see a vague representation of the other. It was a young girl, whose face was frozen in dread and seemed to be trying to tell him something as she passed him._

_Funny, he thought he knew her from somewhere._

_As the white horse and its riders finally retreated to wherever they had gone, the scene entranced him for some reason. What had just happened? Why did it happen? Was it important? Did it mean something? _

_Just then, without a sound to coax him, he turned around and found himself staring at the most frightening thing he had seen so far. An enormous black horse stood before him, its size unusual, its power undeniable, its eyes radiating a deep and demonic red. _

_But it was on the back of this horse that sat the true factor of horror. He clearly saw the rider, but he couldn't find the words to describe the rider at all. Even so, one word seemed to stand out immediately: evil._

_The rider's horse reared suddenly, but the rider didn't falter in the least. Instead, the rider lifted a hand in the air, directly towards him._

_It was there and then that he fully appreciated and experienced the pathos of fear…_

_She tried in vain to stop it, but it was no use._

_She stood in the middle of the land she loved dearly. How she knew that she couldn't tell. The feeling may have been symbolic, but her mind didn't wish to ponder this thought at the moment. Instead, it wanted to take in the beauty that the land possessed, to hold it, and experience it…_

_But her desire couldn't be fulfilled. The land she loved was being devoured; being consumed spiritually by a force she couldn't comprehend or believe. She couldn't even witness the force behind the destruction, but instead was forced to observe it in the form of a powerful and terrifying storm cloud._

_The storm cloud rolled across the land, swallowing everything in its enormous shadow. The more it consumed, the more powerful it seemed to grow. The multiple billows that created this beast seemed to rumble and twitch with laugher, as if chortling at the devastation it forged within and in its wake._

_She tried with all her might to restrain or even hinder this monster's progression, but nothing in her power could bring a halt to the behemoth's path. The more she tried, the more it seemed to snicker back at her with its inhuman and cruel language._

_Hopelessness and despair seemed inevitable, but she wasn't prepared for what followed next. The storm drifted across to the forests, the boundaries of her land filled with magic and mystery that only they could hold. The shadow prowled closer and closer towards it, threatening to engulf it within its noxious touch._

_Suddenly, to her surprise, something emerged from within the forest. That something was a magnificent beam of light. Whether it was sunlight or magic she couldn't tell, but the ray's presence was nevertheless breathtaking._

_The ray soared several feet beyond the forest's edge before amazingly curving in the direction of the storm cloud. The beam headed straight for a section of the tempest that pounded rhythmically, as if it were the ghost-like heart of the entity. The beam seemed to gather strength as it shot straight at this "heart," in such a way that suggested the ray had a life of its own._

_With a loud crash, the beam burst upon the "heart," creating a radiating sound that she could hear clearly. The cloud began to shiver violently, as if it didn't appreciate this intrusion. She didn't know how, but all focus of the cloud seemed to be diverted towards the beam. _

_What happened next became what could only be described as a colossal battle between two gods representing the other one's antithesis._

_The two entities struggled with each other for what seemed like eternity. The beam pushed harder and grew brighter as the cloud tried desperately to push it away with its gathering haze. But in the end, the ray managed one final burst that shot directly through the storm cloud's "heart." A final rumble that felt like a cry of defeat echoed across the land as the cloud began to break up, releasing all that it had held within its terrifying grasp._

_The beam of light, however, didn't stop radiating after it had won its glorious battle. Instead, it curved back towards the land and struck the ground with a deafening yet somehow gentle crash. The light then seemed to gather into one form, creating an entirely new entity. She watched silently, wondering what was going to result._

_When the light had completed its radiant transformation, what stood in its stead was a person. The person – most likely a young man – wasn't recognizable, yet she felt she had seen him somewhere before. The person stood motionless for a moment before looking up towards her. Although she couldn't see his face, she felt that he was smiling._

_Then he lifted his hands, and a bright green orb of light radiated from his right one. Moments later, a second, dimmer light orb illuminated from his left, this time being a faint pink. But on closer inspection, she discovered the pink orb to in fact be a fairy. _

_She wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words. She looked up at the sky again and then back at the man with the two lights. Who was he? What did he just do? And what does this all mean?_

_She didn't have the chance to answer before everything before her started to twist and grow hazy…_

**Chapter 1: The Boy without a Fairy**

As the Eye of Din slowly rose above the distant horizon, it touched the lands with its gentle rays, issuing its well-known herald that daylight had finally broke and would remain until it departed yet again. Warmth slowly emerged where there once was cold and brightness where there was once darkness. All life adjusted accordingly to the regular rhythm.

In short, another day was about to begin.

The ones who experienced this transition better than anyone in the neighboring lands were the denizens of Hylia, the Hylians. As they slowly awoke to assume their daily chores and tasks, the realm of Hylia slowly awoke with them. Hylia was indeed the most industrious within the surrounding realms, and was also the most revered.

Hylia moreover had a diverse landscape that surrounded its borders. To the north stood Death Mountain, an active volcano that breathed the living handiwork of the Three Goddesses. To the west lay the Haunted Wasteland, a vast desert known as the graveyard of the world. South possessed Lake Hylia, an enormous lake, the supposed home of a mystical race of nymphs. And in the east existed the Lost Woods, woodland famous for its forbidden beauty as well as its deadliness.

The Lost Woods, furthermore, is the centerpiece of many a tale surrounding its pestilent forbiddance. Many travelers have dared to pass beyond its enticing borders; none have returned. No one knows the true reason for these disappearances, but a few stories attempt to shed some light. Some say that travelers are killed and devoured by terrible beasts that jealously guard their domains. Others suggest that the forest's beauty is so captivating that voyagers forget all their worldly concerns and eventually shrivel away from hunger.

One tale that doesn't concern itself with these mysteries, however, stands out from the others. This story concerns the existence of a village somewhere within the heart of the Lost Woods, a village isolated from the rest of the world. While this tale in itself isn't extraordinary, it possesses one element that makes it incredible: the inhabitants of the village are children!

No matter what version is told, no matter what book it is read from, the tale always maintains the fact that children and only children dwell within this village in the Lost Woods. Other factors of the story, however, differ tremendously, such as a colossal giant with all the powers of the Three Goddesses. But most – if not all – Hylians believe this story to be nothing more than that, with no shred of truth, and give no further thought to it.

But there _is_ some shred of truth within every tale, no matter how twisted it may be, and the tale of the village is no exception.

Deep within the Lost Woods, far beyond the outskirts, lies a section known to a select few as the Kokiri Forest. The select few who know of its being are the dwellers of this small "forest," the Kokiri. And, just like in the tale, they are all children who live in a single village called Kokiri Village.

But these children by no means act like children – for the most part, at least. They work and make and living just like everyone outside the Lost Woods. They socialize, fall in and out of love, and hold annual events celebrating different occasions. They even have a patron deity, the Great Deku Tree – the colossal guardian mentioned in the tale.

The Deku Tree, while not a giant, was a giant tree, so large that he demanded his own clearing almost the size of the village. And while he didn't possess the powers of the Three Goddesses, he did have power of the forests. He was believed to create everything within the woodlands: the trees, the animals, the fairies, and even the Kokiri themselves.

But because the Kokiri were the most unpredictable and detached of his creations, the Deku Tree created a system of where each Kokiri will have a fairy as a guardian and as a direct link to him. Fairies were the most magical of his creations and therefore were the best creature to use as links. Over time, this bond had become so established that Kokiri were hardly ever thought of without a fairy to watch over them.

There was one boy, however, that did not have a fairy…

_SCREEEECH_…

The loud and shrill sound echoed throughout the room and even seemed to reverberate outside into the meadow-like gardens of Kokiri Village. A frown growing on his face, Link withdrew the ocarina from his lips and sighed as he dropped his eyes to look away from Saria. He expected to hear a similar sigh of disappointment from her, but didn't. This only discouraged him further.

Saria, who was sitting directly across from him, bit her lip for a moment before saying, "I know you're only a beginner, Link, but even a beginner should be able to play the C-scale by now. You've been playing for, what, a month?"

"More or less," Link answered, dropping his eyes further. Saria's tone hadn't been one or scorn or anger, but the message itself lingered in his mind. "I'm sorry, Saria, but I just don't think I can play the ocarina. I appreciate you trying to teach me, but it's just not working."

He then took the ocarina in his hand and outstretched it to Saria so she could take it back.

This time Saria sighed, and it was of disappointment. Link was somewhat surprised by her timing. He was even more surprised when Saria moved closer to Link, wrapped both her hands around Link's hand and the ocarina, and pushed it back in his direction. This action forced Link to look up.

He found Saria's eyes staring back at him, and Link froze. Saria had always been his best friend, and she was also one of the smartest and comeliest people he knew. Anyone could tell that her favorite color was green by the fact that she wore green everything; she had even dyed her hair with forest juices to make it green. But her real beauty lay in her personality, which was kind and warmhearted.

Link somehow always saw this beauty in her bright green eyes, and it somehow always made him restrain whatever he was doing.

"Link," Saria said with her gentle voice. "Please don't let me hear you say that again. I don't want you to give up something just because it's difficult or because you can't do it right away. I know you can do this. You just have to find it in yourself to bring it out into the open." Her eyes seemed to widen with plead. "Trust me, Link. You can do this. Trust me."

She then let go of the ocarina and Link's hand and sat back in her chair. Link, amazed at Saria's determination, looked down at he ocarina. Was Saria right? Could he _really_ play it? The ocarina was a difficult instrument, not only because of its structure but also because the skill to play it differed from ocarina to ocarina. A master of one ocarina may have difficulty with simple scales on another. Each ocarina was unique and usually required a unique player.

"Do you really think so?" Link asked, looking back up.

"Yes," Saria answered. The two then remained quiet for about a minute before Saria continued, "Link, do you want to hear a secret about the ocarina?"

"Sure," Link replied, not knowing what quite to expect.

Saria leaned closer again – although not as close as last time – and said, "The ocarina is alive."

Link wasn't too surprised, but he wasn't completely listless either. "Alive? What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said," Saria uttered, "alive. This may sound crazy, but I believe all ocarinas posses a life of their own. This life isn't like the life the Great Deku Tree gave his creations, but a rare life that can be tapped by a player. If a player learns to feel out the life within an ocarina, he could become one with the instrument and play it without worry or trouble."

Link's face stretched into a curious and puzzled expression. He wanted to say that the idea really _was _crazy, but he took another look at the ocarina. He stared at it hard, trying to picture what Saria had told him. Could an instrument really be alive? His best friend said so, so there could be some truth to it…

…but then again, Saria claimed to have seen Skullkids in the Lost Woods, so…

"Link," Saria exclaimed suddenly, interrupting Link's thought, "the lesson's over for today. Just practice that scale as best you can. And if you want to, try to think about what I said about it being alive."

"Okay, Saria," Link said as he put the ocarina in a pouch around his belt. "I'm going home to take a quick snooze. You want to go pick some berries later?"

"Sure thing," Saria said with a smile. "I'll see you then."

Link smiled back as he stood up, gave a last good-bye, and walked out of the room, which also happened to be Saria's house. While Link walked into the sunlight and out of view, Saria continued to watch him.

As she did, Katl, her fairy, fluttered closer to her ear and said, "What was the idea of convincing him that he could play that thing? Even _I_ could play the ocarina better, and I'm a fairy!"

Saria glared at Katl as she remarked, "He _can_ and _will _play the ocarina, Katl, and don't you forget it!"

"Okay, okay, no need to get so hostile. But why move in on him and give him that speech and all?"

"It was something I had to do," Saria answered, looking back in Link's direction. "I don't know why, but I just had to say that. Maybe it's because he's different."

"Of course he's different. He doesn't have a fairy…"

"No, not like that. There's something else about him, something else…"

Link made his way quietly and quickly though Kokiri village to his house. He didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment. All he wanted to do was get some rest before he spent the rest of the afternoon with Saria.

He also moved quickly because he didn't want to come across Mido, the self-proclaimed chief of the Kokiri. Despite the fact that the other Kokiri had accepted Link, Mido still refused to do so. He was probably the most childish of the Kokiri and was certainly the most egotistical. He loved to brag about his strength, his bravery and all his other superior traits to the others, and he had decided to affirm his boasting by bullying everyone. Link was undoubtedly his favorite target.

When Link reached his house, he quickly scaled the ladder that led to his house. While most Kokiri homes were the bases of hollowed-out trees, Link's house had been hollowed out higher up. Mido had played a crucial role in this decision, because for all his bragging, Mido was afraid of heights.

After scaling the ladder and stepping on the balcony of his house, Link walked into his one-room home and smiled when he found his bed. He removed his boots and his cap and placed them on a dead tree stump he used as a table. He then lay down on the piece of softwood he used as a bed and began to curl up…

…when he realized he still had the ocarina in his pouch. He took the instrument out of the pouch and looked at it again, trying to decide whether Saria's words were true. However, he discovered he was too tired to think at the moment, so he placed the ocarina on his table and returned to his bed.

He was asleep within a few minutes…


	2. Timber and Steel

**Chapter 2: Timber and Steel**

_The man on the horse, his eyes not as red but just as evil as the beast's, raised a hand towards Link seemingly without even seeing him. The raising of the hand didn't seem to serve any purpose, but Link knew that it did…and he was about to find out!_

_Link's face froze with horror as he waited for something, anything, to end his life. He couldn't move and he couldn't run; fear had taken control of his entire body. He stood like a cornered hare realizing and awaiting its inevitable death…_

_Just then, the fairy hovering over his right shoulder did something he for some reason didn't expect. It spoke. "Run, Link! Run! Get away! Come on! Come on! Go! Come on! Come on…!"_

"…Come on!"

The impact of Link's face on the floor wasn't too painful, but it was enough to hurt Link's pride. He groaned as he strained to lift himself from the floor, although the task proved to be quite a challenge because his legs somehow had managed to remain in his bed. But despite his struggle to get up, his didn't forget the reason he had fallout out of his bed.

"Who's there?" he weakly called out to answer the strange voice. He looked around as he placed himself back on his bed, but couldn't see anyone. "Where are you?"

"Up here!" the voice declared from above.

Link massaged his stiff neck momentarily before glancing up. He was surprised to find a fairy burning a pink light flitting not too far above his head. Of course, he had seen many fairies before, including the free ones in the Lost Woods and the guardian ones of the other Kokiri. He had even talked to some free fairies several times. So he normally wouldn't be too surprised to find a fairy flying in his house, speaking to him.

But there was one thing about this fairy that _did_ surprise Link a great deal. Although vaguely, the fairy looked like the one from his dream...

"Who are you?" Link uttered, unable to say anything else.

"Well, that's rude," the fairy squeaked, its glow growing brighter, a sign of intense emotion for fairies. "I don't give my name to rude Kokiri unless they apologize."

Realizing that the fairy was obviously not in the mood for politeness, Link decided not to anger the fairy any further. Giving a delicate smile upon his lips, he scratched the back of his head and said, "You're right, I'm sorry. I guess I was just a little…surprised at you. I didn't mean to be rude."

The fairy's glow remained bright for a moment before it dimmed a little and the fairy said, "Apology accepted. Now that that's cleared up, my name's Navi. You're Link, right?"

Link's eyes widened. "Yes. How did you know that?"

The fairy seemed to smile. "Every fairy in the forest knows about the boy without a fairy, wondering why the Great Deku Tree didn't give you one."

Link blushed, dropping his eyes to the ground. He didn't realize that every fairy in the forest knew about his "handicap", as Mido liked to call it, of not having a fairy. If all the fairies knew about it, why didn't one offer itself as his guardian? It would've probably saved him a great deal of discomfort…

"…as your fairy. Hey, are you listening? What's wrong?"

Navi's voice brought him back to his senses, and he looked up again at the fay. "I'm sorry. I didn't catch everything you said."

Navi's glow intensified again. "Well, if I must, I'll repeat myself. The Great Deku Tree wanted me to come here and tell you he has summoned you for a private audience with him. He has also assigned me as your fairy. Are you happy now?"

Despite Navi's apparent agitation, Link couldn't help but silently gasp. "Did you say what I think you said?" he managed.

"And what's that?"

"That you're to be my fairy?"

"Yes, that's what I said," Navi replied, her wings beginning to flutter rapidly. "But if you continue to act so rudely, I'll have to reconsider…"

"No, no, I'm sorry," Link uttered as he stood up, keeping his eyes on Navi. "It's just that…well, I've always wanted a fairy because…I've been…well, picked on because I…didn't have one. I'm not usually like this, but…well, I just…"

In spite of Link's stuttering, Navi's glow dulled slightly and her voice softened. "I understand. I'm sure it hasn't been very pleasant to be without a fairy. But I'll help you overcome that. Unfortunately, we'll have to bond later. The Great Deku Tree has summoned you, and I don't want to keep him waiting."

Link nodded. "Okay. Let me just get my things."

As Navi waited, Link strode to the table to retrieve his things. As he put his boots on and placed his long cap comfortably over his head, he eyed his new fairy and guardian several times. He noticed that she had strengthened her glow yet again. But Link didn't think this was a glow of annoyance or impatience. This looked like a different glow, like one of worry and anxiety. Navi was obviously concerned for something, like…the Great Deku Tree…?

Something told Link to hurry up…

The Eye of Din greeted him warmly as he stepped out onto his balcony, scurried down the ladder, and headed down the path towards the Deku Tree's meadow. As he passed by several of his friends, he managed to overhear some remarks about him. He knew it was because Navi was hovering over his shoulder…because he now had his own guardian fairy just like they did.

As he continued down the path through the village, he was about to ask Navi a question when he heard a familiar voice behind him. "Link! Hey, wait up!"

Blushing for some inexplicable reason, Link turned around to face Saria, who was running straight towards him. When she stopped a few feet shy of Link, she looked panted for only a minute before starting to speak. She didn't even give Link a chance to say hello.

"I heard from Lilia that you've got your own fairy. Is this true…?"

It was then that she saw Navi, who had fluttered innocently in front of Link's face. Saria fell silent immediately, but her face did all the talking. Her eyes lit up, her smile widened, and her cheeks changed color. Her right hand reached for her own cheek in an odd, feminine gesture.

"So it's true," Saria said after a minute of silence of staring at Navi. "You _do_ have a fairy. Link, I'm so happy for you. Now you're a true Kokiri, no matter what anyone says."

Although the remark would've ordinarily hurt him, Link wasn't offended by it at all. In fact, the thought made him smile. He really _was_ a true Kokiri now, and not even Mido can say otherwise. He locked eyes with the ground to hide his deepening blush.

"Thanks…" he started when Navi interrupted, her glow quite bright now.

"I'm sorry to interrupt this happy moment, but we need to get going, Link. We can't keep the Great Deku Tree waiting."

"You've been summoned by the Great Deku Tree?" Saria asked. "That's incredible! It's such an honor to be summoned, Link. Your fairy's right. You shouldn't keep the Great Deku Tree waiting."

"But what about our plans?" Link asked, suddenly recollecting their idea for the afternoon. 

"They can be rescheduled," Saria answered. "You'd better get going. When you're finished, please come to my house afterwards so you can tell me all about it, okay?"

"Sure thing," Link replied. He then turned to Navi and said, "Come on, Navi, let's go."

"About time," Navi declared before Link suddenly continued down the path, forcing her to rush to catch up.

The Deku Tree dwelled within an area of the Lost Woods surrounded by towering and rocky hills, a large meadow cut off from the rest of the forest. Ironically, the meadow was the highest point in the forest, thus metaphorically making the hills the walls to a stronghold protecting the Lost Wood's monarch and greatest treasure, the Deku Tree. The only entrance to the meadow was a snake-like passage carved out by Kokiri of ages past, and it was treated like a sacred gateway.

Only invited Kokiri ever stepped between its walls.

The field lay not too far from the outskirts of Kokiri Village, so Link and Navi didn't have to go too far to get to it. As Link approached it, he began to feel nervous all over. To his knowledge, the only Kokiri who had entered the Deku Tree's meadow in his lifetime was Saria. Now he would also enter it, and live to actually witness the creator of the forests.

But as he approached open passageway, Link was suddenly struck hard by something to his right. He went sprawling to the ground without even seeing what had hit him. When he managed to get up and turn to see, he wished he hadn't. There, standing in his haughty and imperialistic manner, was Mido. 

Anyone who lay eyes on Mido would immediately wonder why he was the alleged chief of the Kokiri. He wasn't the tallest Kokiri, or even the strongest; in fact, he possessed no special traits except for a short and heated temper. But any Kokiri can say that the reason Mido was the chief was because he managed to manipulate others into convincing them he was superior in everything and anything.

But any Kokiri can also say that one person and one person alone can stand up to Mido: Saria. It wasn't unknown throughout the Village that Mido had an enormous crush on Saria, and that he tried in every way to impress her, including showing off his "strength" through bullying. Of course, Saria shrugged off his boasts, and this only made Mido bully everyone more to release his frustration.

Link wished that Saria were here now, because he didn't feel like standing up to Mido. But he knew he had to if he were going to see the Great Deku Tree. Standing up, Link tried to look brave as he uttered, "What is it, Mido?"

"_You're_ it, Mr. No Fairy," Mido mocked, the freckles on his face seemingly twitching with each movement of his mouth. "What do you think you're doing, visiting the Great Deku Tree? You're not even a Kokiri, so…"

"Get out of the way, Mido!" Navi suddenly burst out, her light now so bright that it was practically white.

Mido sneered at the small fay. "And who might you be?"

"She's my fairy, Mido," Link answered, anticipating any reaction from the bully. He expected Mido not to believe him and laugh as hard as he could. Instead, Mido's eyes widened with surprise and his movements grew rigid.

"Are you serious?" Mido asked.

"Yes," Navi chirped in a hot tone, "and he's been summoned by the Great Deku Tree himself, so you'd better get out of our way before you keep the Great Deku Tree waiting for too long."

That piece of news didn't necessarily surprise Mido. Instead, it made him furious. "What? You? Summoned? By the Great Deku Tree? Impossible! I don't believe it!"

"Believe it!" Link cried. "Fairies don't lie, so you can't ignore it. Now get out of our way, Mido."

Mido's face grew red with anger, so red that it nearly hid his freckles and blended with his short red hair. Just then, a new voice was heard. It was Dakt, Mido's fairy, who was known to be almost as much of a rascal as Mido. 

"But you can't get in now," Dakt twittered, his purple light shimmering. 

"And why not?" Navi asked.

"You need a sword and shield, of course," Dakt answered with a laugh. "After all, you've been summoned by the Great Deku Tree, and you'll need to be prepared for any emergency. So you can't go in unless you have a sword and shield!"

Mido's anger suddenly seemed to dissipate as he smiled at Dakt's words. "Yes, you're right. He _does_ need a sword and shield. Okay, Mr. No Fairy, those are the words of your chief. You shall not pass unless you have a sword and shield."

Link nearly cried. Even with Navi as his guardian, Mido still called him Mr. No Fairy. And now, on top of it all, Mido wouldn't even let them pass unless they completed a set of stupid qualifications! He wanted to say something to protest, but Navi beat him to it.

"How dare you!" she cried, flying right in front of Mido's face. "How dare you try to keep the Great Deku Tree waiting! Let us past now or…"

Suddenly, without warning, Mido reached out and grabbed Navi in his hand. He then threw the poor fairy with all his might in the opposite direction of the meadow. Link, surprised at this turn of events, ran after Navi, leaving Mido and Dakt to laugh in his wake.

He found Navi lying in a small growth of yellow flowers, he pink light very dim. "Navi, are you okay?"

"Yes, thank you," the fay answered as she tried to fly again, although here wings were somewhat bent by Mido's grip. But this didn't drop her voice in the least. "Come on, let's go get that bully! I'm going to show him a thing or two about respect…"

"No, wait!" Link said as he looked back to still see the two laughing. "I've got a better idea. Follow me." He then headed back into the village.

"Hey, where are we going?" Navi asked as she tried desperately to follow Link.

"He really did that?" Saria asked Link when he reached the part about Mido throwing Navi. Link could only nod in response. 

"Luckily, Navi wasn't hurt," Link continued, "but that doesn't help us. Saria, I need you to help me get past Mido. He'll listen to you, I know. Please?"

Saria stared at him for seemingly a long while before she cracked a devious smile. "Let's do something better," she said as she stood up. "Let's give Mido what he asked for: a sword and a shield."

"What? Are you serious?" Link asked. Swords and shields were practically unknown in the Kokiri Village except by a few Kokiri who had happened to hear or read stories by the Outsiders of the Lost Woods. Shields were rare, having been seen only several times in a Kokiri's generation. But swords were even rarer, having been seen only several times in the Kokiri's existence! 

"Are you serious?" Link repeated as Saria walked across the room. "Where are we going to get a sword and shield?"

Saria remained quiet as she reached a small chest hidden underneath some clothing at the far end of the room. She dusted it off before opening it and reaching inside. When she pulled out something in her hand, she displayed it to Link and uttered, "Right here."

Link couldn't believe what he was seeing. There, in Saria's hand, was a magnificent sword! The blade extended roughly the size of a Kokiri's arm, and it glistened with a brilliant radiance in the faint sunlight. The hilt was brown and dull yet surprisingly fresh-looking and centered right in the middle of it was a beautiful red jewel that seemed to wink back at him. 

"I found this in the woods several years ago," Saria explained as she walked up to Link, "beside some remains of an Outsider. It didn't look like a sword for him because it was too small for his hand to be a sword, but for us Kokiri it makes a perfect sword. I kept it hidden because I didn't want to attract attention because of it. Here, you can use it."

She then gave the weapon to Link, who accepted it hesitantly. But he didn't have time to thank her before Saria walked to another part of the room and reached for…a shield hanging on a wall? All the times he was at her house and he had never noticed it! Unlike the sword, it was made of wood instead of steel. As Saria brought it closer to Link, he noticed that it looked like it was made from old Deku bark, bark straight from the Deku Tree, meaning it was very durable.

One thing Link noticed about the shield was the strange pattern carved on it. It was obviously carelessly carved into the bark, for Link couldn't find any discernable significance for the symbol's meaning. Some of the mark's scratches barely grazed the surface, while others were deep enough to expose the dried red sap underneath the bark.

As Saria gave the shield to Link, who couldn't find anything to say, she explained, "Behold the work of Mido." She then sighed. "He tried to impress me by carving a shield from a piece of Deku bark, but as you can see he didn't do a very good job. Even so, Deku bark is durable so it'll do as a shield."

Link looked at the two new items in his grasp for a moment longer before looking up at Saria and asked, "Why are you doing this, Saria? Why are you giving me these items…particularly this sword? Couldn't you just come with me to Mido and…"

"Don't you see?" Saria interrupted. "Mido is only denying you access to the Great Deku Tree because he wants to make your life miserable. He knows that you were coming to me to make him stop, and that would've been a silent victory for him. But if you show him these, _you'll_ be the victorious one."

Link thought about the idea. It did sound enticing. Mido would, after all, have to accept these things in response to his challenge. With a devious smirk, Link said, "Okay, I'll do it."

"Great," Saria uttered in response.

Along with the sword, Saria also gave Link the leather scabbard that had been found with it. Saria explained the scabbard was found strapped across the dead Outsider's waist, but for Link it was big enough to wrap around his shoulder, just like a real sword's sheath. The shield also fitted nicely across his back, as if it had been made specifically for him.

When he was finally fully equipped, Link said to Saria, "Thank you, Saria, for everything you've done."

As he spoke, he noticed Saria faintly blushing in her cheeks. He found this odd, because there was no obvious reason to blush…was there?

"Come on, Link," Navi suddenly declared. "Let's get going. I don't want to keep the Great Deku Tree waiting any longer."

"Right," Link responded. He then said goodbye to Saria and left her house, with Navi trailing not too far behind.

As she watched him go, Saria's face suddenly put on a morose expression. Katl, who had remained quiet the entire time, noticed this and said, "What's wrong, Saria? Is something the matter?"

"I don't know," Saria answered. "But I have the strange feeling that…I'm not going to see him again…for a long, long time."

"And what makes you say that?" Katl inquired.

Saria remained quiet for a long time before she finally answered, "Destiny…"


	3. A Hollow Soul

****

Chapter 3: A Hollow Soul

Mido was obviously not happy when Link returned with the two items he requested. Of course, his first reaction was surprise, surprise to see not only the shield he gave Saria but also a sword, the item Link would've most likely never found. Even Dakt couldn't say anything to counter this unexpected turn of events in Link's favor.

But when the surprise wore off, Mido's displeasure of Link surfaced. He dug his hands into his hips and tightened his face into a jealous and loathing expression. His right foot cringed and began tapping furiously on the soft ground. But for all his angry gestures, he couldn't find the right words to say.

Link, however, didn't need any words. "Okay, Mido. I've got your sword and shield. Now let me past so I can stand before the Great Deku Tree."

__

"Beaten my Mr. No Fairy!" Mido thought angrily. _"How humiliating!"_

"Very well," he forced himself to say. He then moved from his position of blocking the entrance to the Deku Tree's meadow and stood to the side. "But remember this. You having a fairy doesn't change a thing. You will never be a true Kokiri."

The statement surprisingly didn't hurt Link, probably because he was relishing his first and only victory over Mido's egotism. Smiling to himself, Link placed the sword back in its sheath and the shield on his back before he headed into the snakelike passage. As he did, he managed to overhear Mido muttering.

"Why did Saria do that? Why does she like him better than me? It's just not fair…"

The winding passage to the Deku Tree's meadow was actually quite short, but to Link it felt like walking for an eternity. As Navi hovered gently over his shoulder, he pondered to himself what meeting the Great Deku Tree would be like. What would he say? What would he do? Why did he summon Link?

One thing Link did notice through the small trek through the tunnel was that Navi constantly shifted uneasily, as if something were troubling her greatly…

The passage didn't stop abruptly, but instead gradually widened in a slow yet majestic way. Link's pace slowly down as he left the tunnel, for he didn't want to give a rude appearance to the Great Deku Tree. But when stepped over a small grassy rise, he realized his entrance wouldn't have mattered in the least.

The Deku Tree was undoubtedly the largest tree in the forest. At Link's best estimate, the base of the imperial deity spread across an area equal to almost half of the Kokiri Village. The surrounding rocky hills were dwarfed completely by the Deku Tree's height, reaching over three to four times the size of the tallest tree Link had seen in the Lost Woods. Above, the Deku Tree's branches stretched out well beyond the base, casting a shadow that covered all of the meadow save for a single thin ring of sunlight.

To Link, standing in the presence of the Great Deku Tree was an honor he felt he didn't deserve.

Link turned in Navi's direction to ask a question about what to do, but discovered that the fairy had vanished. He looked around in every direction, hoping to catch sight of the pink fay, but Navi was gone. 

"Navi?" Link called. No response. "Navi?" he repeated louder. Still no response.

__

"What's going on?" Link thought as he continued to look around. He probably would've yelled out for Navi a third time if he hadn't glanced down at the ground. When he glimpsed the borderline of shade and shadow in the meadow, he noticed something unusual in the grass. Curious, Link stepped forward and bent down to examine it closely.

It was a print, a faded yet visible print in the most grass and soil. But it wasn't the print of a Kokiri or even a forest animal.

It was the print of a horse.

Although only for a few times, Link had seen horses before. Horses sometimes wandered into the Lost Woods along the forest's border, only to leave because of some inbred instinct. No one knew where the horses came from, but Saria believed that they were trained animals of Outsiders that escaped when their masters submitted to the power of the Lost Woods. Kokiri didn't use animals in ways such as this; they believed animals should live and not be controlled by them.

But now here was a relatively fresh horse print embedded in the Deku Tree's meadow. Either a horse had somehow miraculously wandered into during the night, or – Link shuddered at this thought – someone had ridden into the meadow on a horse.

Link's dream suddenly began to reemerge in his thoughts…

"Link!" cried Navi's voice. 

Link suddenly returned to reality and stood up, looking around frantically for Navi. He caught sight of the fairy returning from the direction of the Deku Tree.

"Where did you go?" Link asked.

"I went to inform the Great Deku Tree of your arrival," Navi replied as she returned to his shoulder. "Now pay attention, for he's about to speak."

"Speak…?" Link began when he was interrupted by a powerful voice. It wasn't necessarily loud, but it was strong and almighty. For some reason, Link couldn't tell whether the voice came from outside or inside his head…

—GREETINGS, O LINK. I AM THE DEKU TREE. WILST THOU LISTEN TO MY WORDS? —

Link was in awe at the fact that the Deku Tree was speaking to him, but he was also puzzled by the question. Why would the Great Deku Tree ask for permission to speak? Was it some sort of test or something to see if he was worthy?

"Yes, Great Deku Tree. I will listen." Link yelled as loud as he could, hoping he had said the right words. Moments later, the booming voice started again.

—THEN LISTEN WELL. YOUR SLEEP THESE PAST MOONS HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH VISIONS THAT THEE CANNOT CONCEIVE. A CLIMATE OF DARKNESS HAS DESCENDED UPON THE LAND, AND THOSE SENTITIVE TO ITS VILE TOUCH CAN FEEL IT. YOU HAVE FELT IT, O LINK, AS HAVE I—

Link's face tightened with puzzlement. What was the Deku Tree talking about? Climate of darkness? Those sensitive to its touch? What was that supposed to mean? And how could he feel it when he didn't even know what it was?

He didn't have a chance to ask when the Deku Tree continued.

—THE REASON I HAVE SUMMONED THEE IS BECAUSE THE TIME HAS COME FOR THEE TO AWAKEN TO THY DESTINY. WILST THOU ACCEPT THE FUTURE THAT LIES BEFORE THEE? IST THOU PREPARED TO WALK THY CHOSEN PATH? —

Link hesitated in answering. He didn't know what the Great Deku Tree was talking about. Destiny? Path of Fate? How did all of this apply to him? But Link didn't want to deny any of the Deku Tree's words, and he managed the courage to cry out, "I am, Great Deku Tree."

Link managed a quick glance at Navi. The fairy was glowing brightly now, in the same light he distinguished as a taut and apprehensive one. Did Navi know what was going on?

—THEN I HAVE FOR THEE A TASK TO COMPLETE. I HAVE BEEN CURSED, AND I NEEDEST THOU TO LIFT THE CURSE BESTOWED UPON ME—

Link's gasp removed nearly every drop of breath from his lungs. The Great Deku Tree cursed? How was the possible…? The horse prints…? Link didn't know what to say. Could he really lift a curse? Was the curse he was supposed to lift? Why did the Great Deku Tree want _him_, of all people, to lift it?

He had so many questions he wanted to ask, but something inside of him told him that there wasn't time. Who knows what would happen if you don't accept now, it said. What would become of the Great Deku Tree? You cannot refuse. You must accept.

His body shivering all over, Link took a small step forward and called out shakily, "What must I do, Great Deku Tree?"

—ENTER MY HEART, O LINK, AND LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE CURSE THERE—

The meadow then fell silent. Link didn't know why, but he felt he shouldn't say anything else. Maybe he should allow the Great Deku Tree to fend off the curse as best he could until it was lifted. Maybe…it was for a far more grim reason.

Death…

Link remained motionless for a moment before he turned again to Navi. The fairy was fluttering excitedly now, her light flickering rapidly. "Well, Navi?" he said. "What should we do?"

Navi calmed down a little before replying, "I don't know. I really don't know. How was I supposed to know he was cursed? I knew something was wrong…I knew when he said it…he said a 'climate of darkness' and…I didn't know…how could I…?"

"Navi, please calm down," Link said. The fairy tried following his instructions as best as she could, but Link could tell it wasn't easy for her. "Okay, then. Now, let's think this over. The Great Deku Tree wants us to enter his heart, and a tree's heart is usually its roots. Let's go down there and see if we can find anything.

Navi quietly agreed. With a deep breath, Link approached the Deku Tree's baseline, looking for anything in the protruding roots that may give a hint as to what he was supposed to do. He expected to see something horrific before he even reached them, but he saw nothing unusual when he did reach them.

"It's going to take a while to circle the Great Deku Tree," Link began when he noticed something underneath a nearby set of roots. He bent down and noticed that there was a small cave within the earth underneath the mighty tree. Was this where he was supposed to go? Maybe it would lead to the roots…

"Navi, this way," Link stated as he ducked underneath the roots and into the cave. There was surprisingly enough headroom for him to stand. Navi followed immediately afterwards. With her light to pierce the darkness, the two headed down the cave, which apparently was a long tunnel. As Link headed into the passageway, he occasionally was forced to move around some roots and even tripped on one once. 

As the tunnel moved on, Link noticed something: the tunnel didn't slow downwards towards the root system but instead headed straight for the Deku Tree's trunk. He wondered if they would have to backtrack when they reached the hard, solid trunk, because he didn't want to dig his way to the root system through the stalk.

Upon reaching the end of the tunnel, he stopped wondering and started staring in horror.

The tunnel didn't stop _at_ the thick, firm stem of the Deku Tree's trunk but instead _inside_ it! To Link and Navi's horror, they found themselves inside the Deku Tree. Trees weren't supposed to be hollow, they knew, and the Deku Tree was no exception. So why did they find themselves inside a cavern carved inside the deity's trunk?

The room was vast, so vast that Navi's light couldn't penetrate the darkness enough to see the other end or the ceiling. But the walls of the hollow were by no means smooth; in fact, they were rough and coarse, as if they were…_bitten off_! Link inspected the closest wall closely, and realized that there were enormous teeth marks scratched all over the bark's surface.

Something was inside the Deku Tree.

As he nervously stroked the teeth marks with his fingertips, Link remembered the sword and shield he had with him. Did Mido have the right idea after all? Deciding to play it safe, Link slowly slid the sword from its sheath and grasped it firmly in his hand. He didn't know if he would be able to use it if he needed it, but he didn't want to feel helpless.

Which he probably was, he realized.

"Link?" Navi asked quietly yet frantically, her wings flapping uneasily. "What's going on? What's happened to the Great Deku Tree?"

"I don't know," Link answered as he tightened his grip on the sword. "But I don't think we want to know."

But something inside him told him that they _did_ want to know, because it would lead them to the source of the curse.

"Do you see anything in the darkness?" Link requested, expecting something enormous and grotesque to jump out of the blackness any moment. A long moment of silence followed before Navi finally responded.

"Nothing close by, although I do see some strange vine-like things hanging above."

Link looked above and squinted to see through the inky darkness. Even then he could barely make out several long, thin strands hanging from the darkness above. What they were he didn't know, but he had a feeling he wouldn't want to know what created them.

"Let's get moving," Link said. "I think we'd better begin searching for the source of the curse." Link didn't also mention that it would restrain them from being easy targets.

Searching the Great Deku Tree's hollowed out trunk would take a long time, Link knew, but he decided that there probably wouldn't be anything near the tree's walls. Instead, whatever the curse was would probably be somewhere in the center. He motioned for Navi to guide with her light towards the middle of the enormous cavern, and the two moved forward cautiously.

When the ground beneath them started to slope downward, Link was forced to crouch in order not to lose his balance. The steeper the ground grew, the more he crouched until he was practically on all fours. He wondered what was going on when Navi's light abruptly revealed the reason.

There, just a few feet away from him, was a large hole that dropped straight down through the Deku Tree's trunk toward the roots. The darkness denied any estimate of its depth, but Link had a feeling it sank down quite far. But the most interesting thing about the shaft was that several of those vague strands were lined around the rim of the hole. Now close up, Link and Navi could see what they were.

They appeared to be large spider webbing.

Link tried not to think about the idea of a giant spider lurking somewhere in the blackness, but couldn't help himself. "Navi…"

"I know, I know," Navi uttered. "I never thought that a parasite would find its way inside the Great Deku Tree. He's protected by magic, so how a parasite…"

"Navi, this isn't the time," Link muttered. "Whatever it is, I have a feeling that whatever we're looking for is down this hole. If there's anything down here, it should've attacked us by now."

Navi's glow intensified, as if she were offended by the remark. "Okay, then," she gruffly replied. "Let's get down there, if you say so."

"Let me just test something first," Link said as he took his sword and extended it towards the webbing. He wanted to test its stickiness and see if it was safe to touch. Leaning foreward carefully and touching the strands with the blade's tip gently, Link gave the sword a quick tug.

The blade immediately snapped back, held fast by the web.

"Oh, great!" Link cried. "Just great!"

Without thinking of his balance, Link grabbed the hilt with both hands and began tugging hard to free his weapon.

"Link, be careful," Navi warned. "Don't lose your…Link!"

But it was too late. With a sudden crack of the thread, Link flew back with his blade, sending him in an unstable position on his feet. Before he could do anything, the steep incline of the ground sent him sprawling forward. In a vain attempt, he pushed himself forward, only to find the darkness of the hole awaiting to swallow him…


	4. Duel within a Heart

****

Chapter 4: Duel within a Heart

"Here it is."

Saria affirmed her soft statement of discovery as she pulled from the pouch on the table Link's ocarina. She didn't feel too comfortable going through his things in his home, but she felt she had to. It was the only way she could feel absolutely certain of what she _wanted_ to do later. 

As she held the ocarina in her hands, Katl encircled her temple, his wings buzzing vibrantly. "Okay, now that we've found it, can you please explain to me why we're taking it? After that speech of why he should continue playing it I don't know why you're…"

"He's leaving," Saria suddenly exclaimed without looking at her fairy.

Katl stopped abruptly in the air. "Leaving? What are you talking about? You haven't made sense at all today. First you say some bizarre remark about destiny, and now you say that he's leaving. By Farore's Wind, what are you talking about?"

"I'm not sure I know myself," Saria answered as she slipped the ocarina into her own pouch. "All I know is that something is telling me destiny is tearing us apart, and I can't argue with destiny."

"Maybe, but…"

"Enough," Saria interrupted. "I need to go fetch something back at the house. Hopefully I can catch Link before he leaves."

"If he leaves, which will be never…hey, wait up!" Katl, annoyed, brightened his glow as he struggled to keep up with Saria, who had disappeared onto Link's balcony…

Din's Eye was beginning its slow descent beyond the horizon, but the encampment outside the Lost Woods hardly noticed as it struggled to get ready for departure. Despite the fact that they were going to travel at night, nobody questioned anything but instead tried to stay on task. Failure could mean anything, they knew, and they hoped not to find out.

The one who oversaw the dismantling of the camp smiled a wicked grin. He didn't help, of course, but why would he? They obeyed him and only him, so why should he do any menial work that didn't matter to him in the least?

But his mind wasn't on the disassembling of the encampment. Instead, it was on what he had done earlier that day. He had hoped it wouldn't be too troublesome, but he wasn't that fortunate and he had to take extreme measures in order to set in motion the events in his favor.

__

"Worn-out fool," he thought as he took a sip of wine in a gauntlet he held in his hand. The liquid was bitter, just the way he liked it. _"You thought your precious magic could save you from my power. When I return, you shall be nothing more than a large heap of firewood. Your Stone is mine."_

He then laughed softly yet nefariously, spilling some of the wine onto the soil-plush ground. When he noticed the splash, he ordered someone to lick it up. He didn't want any visible traces of his visit left…

"Come on, Saria, let's go pick some berries…ouch…"

As Link struggled to open his eyes, he didn't notice the words he spoke and their obvious randomness. His vision was blurred, but he could see enough to make out his surroundings…wait a minute, he could see? Suddenly realizing that he had fallen through the dark hole inside the Deku Tree, Link made an effort to stand up, but his muscles felt stiff and sore. Even so, he managed to get a good look at his new environment.

He had apparently fallen inside a great cave, a grotto of dirt underneath the Great Deku Tree. Looking in every direction couldn't yield any estimate of the cavern's size. Surrounding and even protruding through the cavern were enormous roots, searching the surrounding soil for nutrients. As Link labored to stand, he thought of the Deku Tree's battle to sustain its life while Link broke the curse.

One thing about the roots that Link notices was that they were glowing! The light they emitted wasn't anything spectacular or breathtaking, but it was bright and strong enough to illumine the large cavern. This explained why Link could see in the "dark" cave. Why they were glowing he didn't know, but he guessed it was because the Deku Tree's energy was attracting nutrients through magic…

Just then, Link heard a soft sound behind him. His vision still hazy, he turned his stiff body around to look. He squinted hard and managed to make out…a bright, pink light heading towards him.

"Navi…!" Link began to yell when something completely unexpected happened. The pink light changed into a dark red! "Navi? What…!"

Quick as a flash, as if his stiff muscles hadn't existed, Link reached behind for his shield and, in a surprisingly smooth and swift movement, brought it around to defend himself. He was just in time to feel the owner of the red light push all of its weight against his shield, trying to push him over. The thing succeeded, but Link quickly did a maneuver he had done several times when Mido tried to beat him up: he trust the thing with all his might over his head.

Without wasting time, Link stood up and turned around to face the thing that had attacked him. His vision had by now grown accustomed to the faint light and he saw what it was. He nearly reared back in fright.

The creature was nothing he had seen before. Its height reached the size of his waist, but it was obviously stronger than it appeared. It appeared to possess three body sections, two appendage limbs and a round main segment. The two appendage limbs boasted a pair of legs as scrawny and scaly as a bird's. The main body was horribly disfigured and held a single, enormous red eye. Underneath its main section poked several incisors that obviously led to a hungry mouth awaiting flesh.

Link's flesh.

Link tried reaching for his sword, but found it missing from its scabbard. Remembering his fall, he looked around frantically for it, but was forced to look back at the beast when it gave a weak yet commanding shriek before it charged. A tuft of green bone upon its "head" bobbed and swayed as it balanced its charge.

Link raised his shield again, and managed to hold steady as the creature performed an impossible leap toward him. It again landed on the shield, allowing Link to throw it to the side. It landed on the ground with a thud, but Link doubted that his defense would work again. He needed his sword if he was going to…

"Link! Over here!" 

Navi's familiar voice caused Link to turn around, and he found the fairy hovering just a few feet away…hovering underneath his sword! But before he could say anything, the creature's shriek reminded Link of its existence. Realizing he had one chance, he made a dash for the blade, dropping his shield.

He reached the blade quickly enough and picked it up, not even looking at Navi as he did so. He then turned around to face the creature…and nearly jumped when he saw it close enough to make another leap at him! The beast let out yet another scream when it launched itself, its mouth wide open to bite its prey. Link, in fright, slipped on the ground as he lifted his sword in defense…

When he finally managed to open his eyes, he wished he hadn't. When he had closed them, he felt the creature throw its entire weight against him before landing on him. He thought it was going to start devouring him alive, but for some reason it didn't. He discovered why. His blade was wedged into the monster's eye socket, leaving a pussy mess where the red eye once stood.

With his stomach churning uncomfortably, Link was forced to remove his jammed blade by shoving the creature away with his foot. As he stood up, he tried wiping the pus off his clothing and blade, but it was too sticky for him to make any difference.

"Link!" Navi cried as she flew in front of his face. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," Link answered. "Just a little surprised." He then pointed with his sword at the bloody corpse. "Navi, what in Din's name _is_ that thing?"

"I have no idea," Navi answered, a hint of shame in her voice. "I honestly don't know. But Link, are you sure you're okay? I thought you were done for when you…"

"I'm fine, Navi, really." Link then gave the carcass a final disgusted look before he went to retrieve his dropped shield. When it was on his back and his sword in its sheath, he continued, "Do you think there are more of these things around?"

"Maybe. But I don't think it's responsible for the Great Deku Tree's hollowness. It's too small to make those enormous bite marks we saw. What we're looking for is much bigger."

__

"Bigger. What a fun thought!" Link tried not to turn pale at the thought. At least he now knew what made those sticky strands of web. These creatures must use them to catch live prey until they could…develop into whatever was destroying the Great Deku Tree…

"Any idea where we can start looking?" Link asked.

"Well, we can try heading that way." Navi pointed as best she could towards a section of the cavern blocked by some of the Deku Tree's roots. "From the way those roots are bent, something must've passed through there recently. Let's try there."

"Why not?"

Gathering up his courage but keeping his reflexes ready to draw his sword, Link headed towards the indicated direction, with Navi following closely behind.

She easily pushed down the great roots that were in its way. She would've ordinarily eaten them, but she didn't require any nourishment at the moment. She would attend to that matter soon enough. Then she would have enough stored energy to begin nesting again.

A sudden, faint odor aroused her. It smelled of dead flesh, yet it mingled with the smell of one of her young, the only live one that she had at the moment. Excited, she changed her direction towards the odor and headed towards it, believing her young to be feasting upon the carcass of a recently killed creature.

But it was nothing of the sort. When she arrived near the burrow she had created after gourmandizing upon the mighty tree's trunk, she found something she completely didn't expect. Her young was dead, lying in a pool of its own blood dripping from its torn eye. The carcass occasionally twitched a leg, but it was undoubtedly gone. 

The excitement was replaced by anger. How dare something kill her young! How dare someone slaughter her precious offspring and leave it to lie in its own fluids. She wasn't going to allow that to go unpunished. Never!

Completely enraged, she sniffed the surrounding air, searching for traces of whatever had killed her young. When she found these traces, she followed after them, determined to find whoever had committed the crime. She may prefer the delicious taste of woodland, but she could eat flesh if she wanted to.

And she wanted to!

The two wandered through the maze of roots for what seemed like forever before they finally emerged in a "clearing" of some sort in the cavern. It would've been any ordinary clearing, but Link and Navi noticed that the floor had been trampled recently and very frequently by something enormous. 

This was definitely the place or at least _a _place…

As Link cautiously stepped into the clearing, Navi scouted ahead for anything dangerous. She returned with an all clear. The further he entered the seemingly forbidden domain, the more he felt he was violating something that could very well retaliate against him. He didn't want to find out what that was, but if he was to save the Great Deku Tree he had to…

Just then, Link noticed something on one of the smaller roots surrounding the clearing. Curious, he treaded towards and gave it a closer look. To his surprise, it was something he thought he'd never ever see.

A slingshot.

Slingshots were once common playthings long ago in Kokiri Village, but that all changed when one accidentally fired a shot that blinding a Kokiri in an eye. After the incident, the Great Deku Tree banned the playful weapons indefinitely. Link wasn't around when the ban was issued, but every Kokiri know about it. How a slingshot found its way in the Deku Tree's root system was a mystery, but Link decided not to contemplate on the matter.

Without thinking, Link grabbed the imbedded slingshot, yanked it from the roots, and slipped it underneath his belt.

"Hey, Navi!" Link called out. "Do you see anything…?"

Before Link could continue, a chilling sound echoed throughout the cavern. Link immediately remembered the weak cry from the strange creature he had killed earlier, but this was a different sound. It may have sounded the same, but it was undoubtedly a lot stronger. It wasn't a cry; it was a roar.

And the owner sounded very, very angry.

Navi, who was on the other side of the clearing, hovered and began glowing a nervous light. "L…L…Link! Something's coming!"

"I know!" Link cried back as he reached for his shield and sword. The sticky goo of the creature still covered the blade, but that was the least of his worries. Moments after drawing his weapon, loud, rhythmic thuds followed. The resounding footsteps grew in intensity and shortened in duration as whatever made them approached closer and closer…

Then it came. With a loud crash, a gigantic _thing_ jumped over the surrounding roots and into the clearing. The creature was much larger than the previous beast, towering to a height over twice Link's size. Instead of thin-like bird legs, its appendages were enormous, armored claws. The main part of its body was covered with a thick shell that possessed a pair of small yet deadly pincers over its shoulders. Underneath its body dangled a deformed and sickening pulp of skin that probably served some purpose.

Like the smaller creature, it possessed a deep red eye and a mouth filled with sword-like teeth. But with this larger beast, the red eye glared with a deep hatred and the mouth snapped loudly not because of hunger but because of spite.

"Navi!" Link cried, but that was all he could say before the beast bellowed another roar and charged straight at Link, its jaws clapping for Link's flesh. Link, realizing that waving his sword would be a useless gesture, held up his shield to stop the oncoming attack. The beast struck the shield with full force, but the blow sent Link flying across the room. He struck a large root square in the back, but he luckily didn't lose consciousness. He managed to get back up before the beast again charged.

This time, he was ready. As the creature tried to strike him again, Link ducked and rolled right underneath the beast, touching the moist bag of skin underneath it. The beast was surprised by this sudden maneuver, and this gave Link time to think.

__

"Great!" he thought frantically. _"_Now_ what am I supposed to do? This thing is _enormous_! I can't…"_

"Link!" cried Navi's voice suddenly, interrupting his thoughts. Link looked around to find her…and he gasped when he saw Navi hovering above beast. The fairy was playing a deadly game of tag with the beast's pincers, which were snapping reflexively and furiously to grab her.

"Navi!" Link bellowed, drawing the beast's attention. "Get out of there!"

"Link!" Navi cried as she continued to dodge the pincers. "Go for Gohma's eye! It's unprotected! The eye, Link, the eye!"

Gohma? Was that the creature's name? How did Navi know that? But Link didn't have time to ask before the creature, Gohma, saw Link with its spiteful red eye and charged yet again with another cry of anger. Link timed himself before he ran forward and rolled underneath Gohma yet again, this time just before she snapped at his legs with her mouth.

She obviously wasn't stupid enough to fall for the same thing twice.

But the maneuver did force the parasite to turn around, and this bought Link the few precious seconds he needed. He looked around furiously for what he needed and found one: a small, solid rock on the floor. He picked it up and removed the slingshot from his belt, thankful that it hadn't fallen out, although he also realized he had dropped his sword and shield.

__

"Please let this work!" he prayed as he positioned the rock inside the slingshot, pulled back…

…and found Gohma almost on top of him, ready to strike him down. As quick as he could, Link dove back as the giant behemoth brought her two pincers down on the ground like a pair of spikes. The pincers sent a loud crack and shudder through the ground, but not through Link. Gohma, who was now very angry, turned her eye towards the small Kokiri.

But Link was ready. Despite diving back, he kept the stone and slingshot in his hands. When the eye faced him, he pulled the rubber back and sent the rock sailing through the stale air. The pebble landed on target. A loud mashing of pus could be heard, followed by a moment of silence.

Suddenly, Gohma roared again, but this time it was a roar of pain. She waved her pincers and loose skin around in agony as she fell to the ground, her bruised eye shivering vibrantly. Her mighty armored legs now looked as sturdy as the rubber in Link's slingshot, and her mouth trembled with shock.

Link, amazed at what he had just done, quickly remembered the situation and looked around for his dropped sword. He saw it, ran for it, and picked it up. He then walked up to the stunned parasite and looked deep into its bright eye.

"I know you haven't done anything to me," Link said, "but I cannot allow you to destroy what is precious to me. Forgive me."

Then, with his eyes closed, Link took his sword with both hands and thrust the blade into Gohma's eye. Although he didn't see the act, he could feel the sword sink into the soft flesh of the eye until it reached the bone at the end. He also felt the stunned creature try desperately to escape, but it was already too late.

As Link twisted the blade further into Gohma's eye, the beast struggled further until she finally stopped. Link, however, waited a while before he opened his eyes. The sight was even worse than the previous one. The eye had virtually exploded because of the sword, exposing a small mass inside the head cavity that must've been Gohma's brain. The blade had sunk right through it.

She was dead…and so was the curse she carried.


	5. After Gohma

****

Chapter 5: After Gohma

Twilight. 

As he peered out into the dim light of the dusk, Kaepora Gaebora cooed softly. He usually could stand sunlight, but his natural instincts led him on a cycle of nocturnal movements. Even after fifty years he still hadn't quite adjusted to his new life.

Being an Owl definitely required adaptation on his part.

When his instincts informed him the light had dimmed enough, Kaepora cooed again and stretched his neck before clawing his way out of his tree hole and onto the nearby branch. He spread his magnificent wings with all his might in order to tauten and prepare them for the night's hunt. Hyrule's grasslands offered numerous delightful morsels for him to feed on.

Delightful for an Owl, anyway…

Just then, Kaepora sensed something. Although he was an Owl, he still maintained some part of his original magic, even though it was rarely of much use these days. But his magic still "twitched" every now and then, and it was twitched like crazy right now.

Something was happening within the Lost Woods. 

Something evil.

Kaepora's eyes tightened as he turned his head upside down, creating his illusion of a large beast thanks to his patterned face feathers. He usually did this when he was in deep thought, and right now he was as deep as he could go.

__

"Something must have happened to the Great Deku Tree," he thought. _"Nothing else can create this large a decrease of energy from the Lost Woods. I wonder if this has to do with the Child of Destiny?"_

Closing his eyes, Kaepora began to concentrate his small magic to cross the river of Time. It had been a long time since he had attempted such a move, and he had done it before he had been reborn as an Owl. But he needed to confirm his suspicions, for a wrong answer could mean a great downfall for Hyrule.

Crossing the river of Time wasn't easy. It wasn't in any way a smooth, direct river, but actually a curved channel with many forks and banks. With his relatively weaker magic, Kaepora had a harder time navigating the stream flow, but his determination wouldn't allow him to quit…

With a sudden blink, Kaepora's eyes opened and his head snapped back to its upright position. He was right; the Child of Destiny's time had finally come.

__

"Then there's not a moment to waste," the Owl thought as he flapped his wings violently before taking off into the night. He was a long way from the Lost Woods. The journey would take all night and he wouldn't be able to stop to feed. But Kaepora had always been determined, and he wouldn't allow the Child of Destiny to fail…

Yanking the sword from Gohma's eye cavity, Link suddenly collapsed where he stood. He had never done anything this strenuous, and he felt like he wanted to sleep for an entire week. His heart raced and his breathing spurted, but he managed to turn to Navi, who was slowly circling the parasite's carcass, and ask her a question.

"Navi, who's Gohma?"

Navi stopped over the small hill of eye pulp and said, "Why, this is Gohma. Or was, at least…"

"Yes, but…how did you know that name? Where did that name come from?"

"It's from an old story told among the fairies," Navi explained as she sluggishly fluttered before Link's face. "It tells of an evil that kills the forest gradually by draining its life force for its own needs."

"I take it the evil was called Gohma?" Link asked.

"Right…" Navi began when Link interrupted.

"Then it can't be evil."

Navi "jumped" back into the air. "What? What are you talking about? Of _course_ it's evil! It was draining the life force…"

"…for its own needs, Navi. It didn't kill because it _wanted_ to, it killed because it _had _to. Don't you see the difference? If it didn't do what it did, it would've died." Link then motioned towards Gohma's corpse. "This thing was no less evil. It merely did what it had to so it could survive. It's no more evil than you or me or…the Great Deku Tree."

Navi remained silent, thinking about Link's word, for about a minute before finally responding. "Maybe, but this thing was created by dark magic, Link. Nothing but magic can penetrate the Great Deku Tree's defenses from parasites. Gohma may not be evil, but whatever created her probably is."

"Maybe," Link uttered as he tried to stand up. "Well, I think we've done all we can here. Let's…"

"No, not yet. There's still something we must do."

"Oh? And what's that?"

"Look up."

Link did as Navi instructed, and Link's mouth fell open when his eyes fell on the ceiling. There, hanging like Gohma's grotesque skin bag, were several – eight to ten, he counted – red sacks that looked like deformed cocoons. The skin wrapped around them showed disgusting tapestries of veins that pumped some unknown liquid and the sacks as a whole vibrated and twisted from their suspended positions with sickening motion.

"What are those things?" Link asked.

"Gohma's eggs," Navi answered. "Why else did she visit this spot so often? If we don't kill those things, there will be numerous Gohmas running around inside the Great Deku Tree…and who knows what would happen if they escaped into the forest!"

Link couldn't argue with that logic. Tired as he was, he tightened his grip on his sword. "Okay, then. So how should we get them down?"

"I think that slingshot of yours will do the trick. While you take care of that, I'm going to do a fly-around of this cavern to see if any of Gohma's children are running around."

Link acknowledged the plan with a simple nod of the head, and Navi left the Kokiri to tend to the eggs. Link first took several large stone on the floor and used his slingshot to fire them at the thin strands of substance that connected the eggs to the ceiling. Some fell with the first shot; others took several hits. All them, however, found themselves on the floor with a loud thud.

The next part was the one Link hated. Taking his blood and goo covered sword, he slowly yet forcefully sliced the blade through the center of the eggs, allowing more strange matter to find its way on his sword and on himself, Link noticed just how close some of the eggs were to hatching. He could see the vague shape of baby parasites in the blood-like substance of some of the eggs…

The job didn't take too long, but it was very tedious and Link was tired by the time he finished. As his blade sank into the last egg, the familiar flapping sound of Navi filled his ears. He finished his task and turned to the little fay, which also appeared tired.

"Well?" Link asked.

"There aren't any parasites anywhere," she answered.

"Great, then let's go."

"You got all the eggs?"

"Every one of them."

The journey back was more difficult for Link than it was for Navi, for Link was forced to climb up the giant bore created by Gohma. Luckily, some of the Deku Tree's roots snaked partway up the hole, but it still forced Link to climb the rest of the way using holds in the dirt. He was almost out of breath and completely red in the face when he finally crawled from the clamber.

Taking only a minute to rest, Link then headed for the distant crack of light from the tunnel that they had used to enter the Great Deku Tree. Navi's light illuminated the way for him so he wouldn't trip over any bite marks left by Gohma. When he reached the passage and entered it, he began to think that things were finally looking up.

The two of them emerged from the tunnel a few moments later. Link was nearly blinded by the sudden introduction of intense light, despite the fact that he was in the Deku Tree's mighty shadow, but he refused to stop at the tunnel's entrance. Instead he headed towards the tunnel of the Deku Tree's meadow so he could get a good view of the mighty deity if he decided to talk to Link again.

As Link headed towards the edge of the meadow, he noticed Navi had disappeared again, probably to tell the Great Deku Tree that they had returned. By the time he reached the borderline of shadow and light, Link was exhausted and he immediately collapsed onto the ground. He felt like he could sleep the rest of his life away…while still wearing his fluid-stained clothes.

But he didn't even have a chance to close his eyes when Navi abruptly appeared again. "Link! Get up! The Great Deku Tree's about to speak!"

Despite his tiredness, Link found the strength to stand up and turn to face the enormous timber. As soon as he laid eyes on it, the booming, commanding voice echoed within his mind.

—I THANK THEE, O LINK, FOR THY COURAGE AND THY SUCCESS IN BREAKING THE CURSE. NOW, I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL THEE. WILST THOU LISTEN TO MY WORDS? —

There he went again, asking for Link's permission. Why? But Link was too tired to wonder about it and instead called out with all his strength, "I will, Great Deku Tree."

—THEN LISTEN WELL. AN EVIL MAN CAST THAT VILE CURSE UPON ME. HIS POWER IS FAR GREATER THAN MY OWN, AND IS TAINTED WITH THE MARK OF EVIL. HE SOUGHT TO POSSESS THE SACRED TREASURE OF THE FOREST. WHEN I REFUSED HIS REQUEST, HE SENTENCED ME TO DIE IN ORDER TO OBTAIN IT—

An eerie silence seemed to follow before the voice continued.

—IT IS UNFORTUNATE FOR ME TO SAY HE HAST PREVAILED IN CARRYING OUT HIS SENTENCE. DESPITE THY SUCCESS IN DISPELLING THE CURSE, O LINK, THY EFFORTS WERE IN VAIN BEFORE THEE EVEN STARTED. I WILL SOON LEAVE THIS WORLD—

The words seemed to strike Link even harder than Gohma. Despite his efforts, and successful ones and that, the Great Deku Tree was still going to die. It wasn't possible. How could the Great Deku Tree die? No, he couldn't believe it. He _wouldn't_ believe it! _How_ could be believe it? _How_?

But the Deku Tree seemed to sense Link's disbelief.

—DON'T WEEP FOR ME, O LINK. THY EFFORTS HAVE SAVED THE FOREST FROM CERTAIN BLIGHT. I SHALL PASS FROM THIS WORLD KNOWING THE FOREST IS SAFE. BUT FOR THY EFFORTS NOT TO BE IN VAIN FOR THE FATE OF HYRULE, THOU MUST WALK UPON THY CHOSEN PATH AND SEEK OUT THE PRINCESS OF DESTINY TO THE NORTH—

Link tried to listen to the Deku Tree's words without question, but his eyes were already filling with tears. He clenched his gentle fists in anger, anger at himself for not being in time to save the Great Deku Tree. He didn't care about a "chosen path" and a "Princess of Destiny." All he wanted was for the Great Deku Tree to live. But he knew in his heart that wasn't going to happen. He didn't know how, but he knew.

—NOW, O LINK, I BEQUEATH YOU WITH THE SACRED TREASURE OF THE FOREST, THE ONE THAT VILE MAN WANTED SO BADLY HE CAST THAT CURSE UPON ME—

A sudden burst of green light blinded Link's eyesight, and he shielded his eyes from it for a moment before looking. He couldn't believe what he saw. There, hovering by some unseen force, was the most magnificent stone he had ever seen. It was about the size of his hand, maybe even bigger, and it shone with a brilliant green radiance. Encasing its edges was a golden metal frame that seemed to only enhance the stone's beauty.

The stone floated in Link's direction until it was close enough for him to grab it. Not knowing what else to do, he reached out and wrapped his fingers around it. It even felt magical! But he didn't have time to contemplate over its beauty before the Deku Tree again spoke.

—TREASURE THIS STONE, THE EMERALD OF THE KOKIRI. NEVER ALLOW IT TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF EVIL. NOW, O LINK, AND YOU, TOO, NAVI, GO AND SEEK OUT YOUR PATH OF DESTINY. FIND THE ONE WHO WILL GUIDE YOU. PROTECT…HYRULE. I WILL…MISS THOU. FARE…WELL…—

"Great Deku Tree!" Link cried, the stone in his hand suddenly not mattering at all. "Don't leave us!"

But it was already too late. Right before Link and Navi's eyes, the Deku Tree underwent an uncanny change. Its bark began to groan and creak loudly as the tree's brown textures briskly changed into a gloomy and wintry gray. Leaves from the canopy slowly drifted to the ground, dead before they even reached the soil. As if suddenly ripped from Time, the commanding feeling of the Deku Tree was gone, leaving nothing but an enormous tree in an immense meadow.

Just like that, the Great Deku Tree was dead.

Link didn't know how long he cried after that. The gem in his hand meant nothing to him, except it was a final gift of the Great Deku Tree. He felt he didn't deserve such an honor, but he also felt he was to blame for the deity's death. He didn't act quickly enough. It was his fault. 

When he finally stopped crying, he looked up at Navi, who had also apparently been crying. The Deku Tree's death was more personal to her, however, because she had been closely linked to him. 

"I…I…I can't believe it…" Link stuttered as he stood up from his kneeling position.

"Neither can I, Link," Navi stammered back, "but we have to accept it. The Great Deku Tree is dead, and the only thing we can do is carry out his instructions."

"What's that?"

"Find the Princess of Destiny to the north," Navi answered quietly as she flew closer to Link. "That's what he told us."

"But where in the north? I doubt she's in the forest, or we would know about her. Could she be…outside the forest limits?"

"I don't know…"

"I think we'd better go see Saria. Maybe she will know."

Navi's silence was an understood agreement. The two were about to leave the meadow when Link turned one last time at the dead tree and whispered, "Goodbye, Great Deku Tree…"

Link didn't want any trouble when he left the snake-like passage, but he unfortunately found it. Before he could do anything, Mido appeared out of nowhere and stopped him with an abrupt shove. Link, whose face was stained with tears, didn't have the look of someone who wanted to be annoyed.

Mido, however, didn't take the hint.

"What happened to you, Mr. No Fairy? What's this sticky stuff on your cloths? What did you do in there?"

"Leave me alone, Mido," Link demanded in a fierce tone he thought he never had.

"What happened in there? Did something happen to the Great Deku Tree? Dakt told me something did, like he…died. Did he die? What happened?"

Link didn't know what to say, but his eyes obviously betrayed his emotions. Mido didn't need that much to see what Link was feeling.

"The Great Deku Tree…he is…dead, isn't he?"

"Yes, Mido, he is," Link finally muttered. He thought that Mido would finally leave him alone, but instead something unexpected happened.

"How could you do that?" Mido cried, his face taut in anger and accusation. "How could you kill the Great Deku Tree?"

Link nearly cried from disbelief. "What? You're accusing me of killing the Great Deku Tree…? How could you say such a thing?"

"I know a killer when I see one, and I'm standing before one right now! You killed the most precious thing to us Kokiri! How could you, an outsider, do such a thing…."

"Mido, I didn't kill the Great…"

"Liar! You're a liar and a murderer! You _did_! You_ did_ kill the Great…"

__

CRACK…

Link had never hit anybody in his life before. Oh, sure he had gotten into fights with Mido before, but then he usually performed defensive tactics. This time, however, Link had had enough of Mido's lies. Without even thinking of the consequences, Link clenched his fist and swung it with all his strength at the accusing Kokiri. Mido, caught off guard by the attack, went flying to the ground with a soft thud.

When Mido looked up at Link from the ground, his eyes were filled with surprise and shock. But they mainly said one thing to Link: _"I told you so!"_

Unable to take it anymore, Link began crying again. But he didn't breakdown on the spot. Instead, he ran. He ran to get away from Mido, to get away from the pain. He ran blindly, but he knew where he wanted to go to find refuge from all the hurt.

He ran through Kokiri Village, not paying attention to anything he passed. Several Kokiri tried to speak to him, but he ignored them and continued running. Link could feel his heart swell with suffering. He wished he could trade his life for the Great Deku Tree to return. But he knew he couldn't, and this only made him run faster.

Finally, he found himself at Saria's house. But he didn't stop to even knock to tell her that he was back. He just entered the house without even thinking. But he was disappointed to find that Saria wasn't even inside the house. The tears now coming freely, Link dropped to his knees.

"Saria…where are you…?"

He then fell completely to the floor with a thud, feeling his consciousness slowly slipping away. The last thing he remembered was seeing a shadow enter through the house's doorway. The last thing he heard was a distant cry of his own name…


	6. A Journey Ne'er Traveled

****

Chapter 6: A Journey Ne'er Traveled

__

The man held the two lights above his hands for a moment longer before he finally lowered them. The pink light, the fairy flew from his hand and hovered above his shoulder, leaving faint trails of sound as it went. The second, unknown green light disappeared from view.

Intrigued by the young man that had just saved the country she loved, she walked up to him in order to thank him. The young man looked up and seemed to see her, but he didn't make an effort to acknowledge her. Instead, his face widened his suspected smile, fascinating her even further.

When she reached him, she discovered she still couldn't make out his features clearly enough to get a clear picture of him. Even so, she strangely found him one of the most handsome men she had even seen. The fairy hovering around his shoulder remained eerily silent.

When she tried to speak in order to thank him, she found she couldn't find the right words. What words does one give to a person that has just saved the land? She tried her best to think, but nothing sounded right. She tried her best not to show her frustration, but she suspected the man knew about her difficulty in finding the right thing to say.

Just then, the man did something unexpected. From seemingly nowhere, he produced a magnificent ocarina. A small one, but magnificent nevertheless. Without a word, the man put the instrument to his lips and began playing. When she heard the melody, she was amazed to learn that it was her_ song. The song that only she and her family knew._

How did he_ know such a precious and forbidden song…?_

Princess Zelda sat up abruptly from the dream. It wasn't necessarily a frightening dream, but it did cause excitement when she slept so her breathing was rapid regardless. She placed a hand against her chest to feel her heart beat swiftly, and she reached with her other hand to feel small droplets of sweat upon her brow.

__

"That same dream," she thought as she calmed down. _"That same dream again. How many nights has it been…I can't even recall anymore. It _must_ be of some importance if I've been having it this many moons."_

Deciding she needed some fresh air, Zelda got out of her bed in her pure white nightdress and slipped on her purple robe before heading to the small private garden adjoined to her bedroom. She had been to the garden for several nights now, each time after having that same dream. It was the only place in the palace where she could think clearly without worry of anyone bothering her.

As her bare feet caressed the soft grass underneath her feet, Zelda thought about her dream for probably the hundredth time. The dream hadn't changed at all during each time she had dreamt. Each time it possessed the same elements: the dark billowing storm clouds, the intense beam of light, the handsome man with the fairy and the emerald light. 

This time, however, it had been extended to where the man played the royal melody, a melody nobody outside the palace should dare learn. 

Zelda reached a small bench and sat down, her eyes widening with thought and theory. Could the extension of the dream signal a dramatic advancement of something? Could it be a warning to the warning?

Confused Zelda leaned her head on her hands. She knew that the leader of the Gerudo Desert would be arriving in a few days to accept a treaty of allegiance to her father, but she had always doubted truth when it came from the mouths of thieves. Their leader was no exception. This chief – Ganondorf, she thought his name was – this chief must have something planned for Hyrule.

And an allegiance with her father wasn't likely to be one of them!

Looking up at the open ceiling to the sea of stars, Zelda prayed to the Three Goddesses to protect Hyrule from evil. She also, for some strange reason, prayed that she would find that handsome man in her dream…

"Link? Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

Saria's voice slowly yet surely grew audible as Link opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a silhouette of her face. When features were clear enough for him to make out her weak smile and tear-filled eyes, Link managed to smile back.

"Saria…" he succeeded in muttering.

Saria allowed a single tear to drip upon his cheek. "Oh, Link, I thought you were dead. Don't you _ever_ do that to me again, do you hear me? Don't you_ ever_ make me worry about you again like that!"

Despite her harsh words, Link could feel the softness behind them. She had obviously been worried sick about him during his unconsciousness. There was only one thing he could say at that moment.

"I'm sorry."

With those words, Saria couldn't hold out any longer. She burst into tears and buried her head in her arms to hide her face. Link managed to shift his bodyweight to get a good view of her weeping, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he placed a comforting hand on her back as she continued to allow her emotions drain.

Link didn't know how long she cried, but when she finally stopped and looked up her face was as dirty as his was. Even so, he was still covered in bodily fluids, so he beat her uncleanness by a long shot.

The two remained silent for a moment before they started talking again. Saria started the conversation by telling Link what was going on in Kokiri Village. Everyone knew about the death of the Great Deku Tree by now, and Mido was spreading lies that Link was responsible for the death. Luckily, no Kokiri believed the falsehoods; they knew that Mido was looking for an outlet to vent his grief.

It was then that Link remembered the Deku Tree's words. "Saria, the Great Deku Tree told me…"

"I know," Saria interrupted. "While you were sleeping, Navi told me everything."

"Navi?" Link cried, suddenly remembering the fairy. "Where is she…?"

"She went with the other fairies to hold a private service for the Great Deku Tree. Once it's finished, they'll return to us Kokiri and remain as our guardians out of respect for him. Katl's gone as well. We're the only ones in this room, Link."

Link started when she said that. He looked around and couldn't find any trace of Saria's fairy. She was right; they _were_ alone together. He blushed slightly, for he was alone with…his best friend? Or was Saria much more than that?

Trying to draw attention away from his redness, Link asked, "So can you tell me about this Princess of Destiny in the north?"

Saria nodded, as if she knew of Link's feelings. "When the Great Deku Tree was alive, he used to tell me tales of the world outside the forest. One of these tales involved a caring princess that lived outside the forest in the land to the north. The land is known as Hyrule, but the exact location of where the princess lives wasn't told to me."

"Then what am I going to do? I can't leave the forest to go look for her. I'll die if I do…"

Saria suddenly stopped him by leaning forward and touching his lips gently with a finger. "Link, I never told you this before, but you're different from the Kokiri. It's not because you didn't have a fairy, but it's something else. You're…special in some way I can't understand. But you're different, Link. It's one of the reasons I was drawn to you in the first place. It's one of the reasons I…"

She suddenly stopped, not wanting to say the next few words. Link, however, understood perfectly what she wanted to say. He also knew that what she said was true. For some reason he, too, felt he was different, and it wasn't because he had no fairy. He didn't feel as close to everything around him as he should've been. He instead felt…separated.

Nodding in agreement, Link gently pulled her finger away and asked, "So what must I do?"

"First, you must change your clothes and get ready for the journey ahead. Then you must rest up as much as you can. As soon as Navi gets back, you should go. The Great Deku Tree gave you a charge. You must've delay a second longer than you should."

Saria then stood up and walked to the other end of the room, picked something up, and headed back to Link. "I must confess, I was in your house while you were breaking the Great Deku Tree's curse. I somehow…knew that you were going to leave this place someday, so I wanted to get your ocarina so I could…trade it for something better."

Saria then held the object in her hand for Link to see. It was an ocarina, but it was obviously no ordinary ocarina. It was handmade and smaller than the usual size, but even by looking at it Link could feel its perfection radiate. 

"This is my own ocarina," she said as she placed it carefully in Link's hands. "I call it the Fairy Ocarina because I believe it can be used to communicate with the spirits of the forest. But now I want you to have it."

Link looked at his friend with surprise. "Saria…I can't. This thing is too precious to give to me…and besides, it'll force me to relearn everything you've taught…"

"Link, remember what I said about the ocarina? It's alive. If you can tap into that life essence, you'll be able to play any ocarina you choose. Just believe in yourself."

Link wanted to argue, but he decided not to. He didn't feel like contradiction his best friend's words right now. He was too tired and sore. Sighing, he managed all his strength to stand up and said, "So I guess I'd better get ready."

He was then about to remove his shirt when he stopped and added, "Could you please turn around?"

Now it was Saria's turn to turn red. "Sure…" she uttered as she complied.

While Link took a bath in a tub of warm water Saria had prepared earlier, Saria went to Link's house to find a change of clothing for him. She also did him the favor of cleaning his sword and shield and slingshot. By the time Link had finished cleaning himself up, he looked as if he hadn't even fought Gohma.

Navi and Katl returned sometime later, and Navi had obviously been crying extensively. Link didn't ask how the ceremony had gone, but he did say that it was good to see her again. Navi merely thanked him.

Saria gave Link a bag filled with food she had prepared for the journey ahead and also gave him the ocarina wrapped in a small piece of paper. Link told her that he would treasure it always. This nearly made Saria cry again, but this time she managed to resist. Instead, she gave Link a hug to show how much she would miss him. All Link could do was return the embrace.

When the good-byes were said and done, Saria gave Link a kiss on the forehead for good luck before he left her house. The morning was still a couple of hours away, leaving plenty of night cover for Link to leave Kokiri Village. Navi's good-byes were shorter than Link's, but she couldn't hide her emotion of leaving.

The last image Saria saw of Link was of him looking back at her, his face smiling gently, before he disappeared into the night, heading towards the edge of the forest and great beyond…

"There it is," Link declared, pointing. "The end of the forest."

Indeed, it was. The edge of the Lost Woods was as clear and distinct as the midday sun. It was also the boundary for the Kokiri. Kokiri were so closely linked to the forest that should any one leave the boundary of the woods he would immediately die. Now Link was about to undertake that very journey. Despite his acknowledgement of him being different from the other Kokiri, he still felt very nervous about what he was about to do.

"So, are you going to go through with it?" Navi asked.

"Yes," Link answered as he took a deep breath. "Well, here goes."

Making sure he had a clear shot without any trees to obscure his way, Link closed his eyes, released his breath, and ran. He ran with the same determination he had possessed earlier, but this time it was to run _towards_ the thing he was afraid of instead of _away_ from it. At any moment he expected his heart to suddenly stop and his body to collapse into a lifeless pile, but he felt none of this, which made him only more determined to continue.

He didn't know how long he ran, but he refused to stop. Navi's voice, however, suddenly spoke up. "Link! Stop! Open your eyes and take a look at what you've done!"

Deciding to follow her advice, Link stopped and opened his eyes…to find himself standing in a tree-less, grass-covered plain! He turned around to look behind him and saw in the distance – in the _distance_! – the edge of the Lost Woods. Unbelievable as it was, Link was outside the Lost Woods. He hadn't died, as he should have. Instead, he was standing very much alive in an area completely cut-off from the forest.

It was nothing short of miraculous!

"I don't believe it," was all Link could say.

"And yet for some reason, I can," Navi beamed. "Don't ask me how, but I _can_ believe it."

Midday.

Not the best time of day for an Owl to be active.

But Kaepora Gaebora was determined to overcome his natural instincts to search for the Child of Destiny. He had flown as fast and as hard as he could to reach the Lost Woods, but he only managed to arrive as Din's Eye nearly finished peeking above the horizon. When he arrived, he was forced to quell his hunger by eating a stray field mouse. It wasn't much, but it was enough to get him to fly over the Lost Woods' canopy towards the largest manifestation of the forest, the Great Deku Tree.

He didn't even need to get close to it to know that the Deku Tree was dead. Kaepora didn't cry, because first of all he was an Owl. But he also didn't cry because he knew that even mighty sages like the Deku Tree eventually passed away. Kaepora himself was an example of this. But this left a burning question: where was the Child of Destiny?

Forced again to navigate the river of Time, Kaepora learned that the one called Link had already left the forest and was heading north to meet the Princess of Destiny. Stopping only to eat a small hare, the Owl set off in pursuit of the Child of Destiny.

Despite the fact that the boy had a head start on him, Kaepora could move a lot faster than the boy ever could walk. Using this advantage in every possible way, the Owl headed in a rough direction of where the boy might head. He prayed to the Three Goddesses that he would find the one called Link.

His prayers were answered. At about midday, Kaepora spotted a lone green-clad figure walking in the grassy carpets of Hyrule. Thankful, the Owl looked for a nearby place to roost so he could greet the boy as he passed by. He spotted a solitary, dying oak directly in the boy's path and he glided down towards the largest and probably most stable the branch possessed. There, he waited until the one called Link was within earshot.

"Greetings, Link," Kaepora called.


	7. Merging Worlds

**Chapter 7: Merging Worlds**

"Utter nonsense!"

Usually, whatever the King of Hyrule said was always considered final, but his daughter was also one of the few people that was the exception to the rule.

"How can you call it nonsense, father?" Zelda asked, the calmness she generally held slowly beginning to fade. "I have dreamt this dream for countless moons, and each night it never changes. How can you deny that it is a prophecy of some sort?"

"Dreams and prophecies are two completely different things, Zelda," the king answered gruffly. "Just because you dream of the same thing night after night doesn't mean it is a prophecy. After your mother died, I dreamt of her every night for almost a year afterwards. That doesn't make my dream a prophecy."

Zelda's face tightened in frustration. At the moment, she was standing before her father on his throne as if she were one of his loyal subjects and not his daughter. That was how their discussions usually went as well. He never talked to her as if she were his loving child but instead as an ordinary person. She had grown somewhat used to this behavior since her mother had died, but at the moment the subject matter was far too serious to be taken lightly.

"But that also doesn't _not_ make my dream a prophecy, either," Zelda stated, placing her hands on her hips. 

The king stared his daughter silently for a moment before he sighed and continued, "Very well, then. If it is a prophecy, where is there evidence to back up the predictions foreseen in your dream?"

Zelda's face loosened at the question. She hadn't considered that thought at all. Besides the fact that the dream was frequent, where _was_ there evidence to back it up? She considered her alternatives for a few moments before she answered.

"The dream possess an element of dark clouds engulfing Hyrule. I believe that these dark clouds are symbolic of the King of Thieves that is to come visit you tomorrow."

The king's eyes widened slightly with Zelda's answer, as if he was thinking about her words. Then, without warning, he started to snicker, and very loudly! Zelda was surprised, for her father rarely laughed at anything. Why was he laughing at such a critical time?

"Zelda, my darling," the king managed through his laughter, "I think your 'predictions' are a little off. The King of the Gerudo – the King of Thieves, as you so politely call him – is coming for an allegiance treaty, not to conquer Hyrule."

"But father!" Zelda cried, taking a step forward in fury. "Allegiance or no, he still leads the Gerudo, and all the Gerudo are thieves, so it's not difficult to assume that their leader is also a thief!"

By now, the snickering had stopped and seriousness had returned to the king's face and voice. "Maybe, but what can even the 'King of Thieves' do against us? Hyrule has stood against invasions since the beginning of Time, and I doubt a Gerudo king will be able topple this kingdom."

"But father," Zelda began more fervently. The king, however, interrupted more forcefully than Zelda.

"But nothing! Your dream doesn't prove anything, Zelda! Unless you have firm evidence to support it, it can't be considered a prophecy! You have wasted enough of my time with this foolishness! Guards, please escort the princess from my presence!"

At his word, two Hyrulian guards at his side moved forward to accompany Zelda from the throne room. Zelda, however, beat them to the punch.

"I can find my _own_ way out, thank you!" she declared. Without another word, Zelda turned around and left the room, leaving her father to watch her haughty exodus.

As she stormed down the passageway to her bedroom, Zelda tried concentrating all her anger into her mind. _"You'll see! When it's too late, you'll see, father! In the meantime, I won't simply sit down on this. I _shall_ protect the Hyrule and Sacred Realm from this monster. In the end, father, you…will…_see_!"_

While venting all her anger, Zelda couldn't help but think about the young man in her dream. _"Please,"_ she quietly begged, _"if you are out there, help me! I need you! Please…!"_

"How much farther, Kaepora?"

"Oh, we still have about half a day's trek ahead of us, Link. Just be patient."

Link sighed at the word _patient_ and tried quickening his pace. The Owl was, of course, faster than he was, but he didn't want to seem like a slowpoke to the talking creature. Kaepora Gaebora had encircled Link enough times during the journey to make his head spin and back again several times.

Meeting Kaepora had been, to put it bluntly, different for Link. After all, it wasn't every day that one walks along, minding his own business, when an Owl that can talk suddenly appears out of nowhere and speaks to him. Link was cautious at first, but when he realized that the new arrival wasn't hostile he decided to allow the Owl to journey with him and Navi

Navi, for some reason, appeared unafraid from the very beginning.

From the outset of the journey, Kaepora explained – somewhat, at least – the reason for his presence. He explained that he was sent to aid Link in any way he could, which included his extensive knowledge of Hyrule and the surrounding lands. Link, however, somehow knew that Kaepora was withholding certain information about himself, but Link realized that everyone had secrets they didn't want to reveal, so he decided not to pursue the idea.

Instead, Link asked Kaepora about the "Princess of Destiny" the Great Deku Tree had mentioned. 

"The 'Princess of Destiny' is Princess Zelda of Hyrule," Kaepora answered one night while the group was resting in the open fields of Hyrule. "I don't know much about her, for it's difficult to learn much when you're an Owl. However, from the little I do know about her, she is a kind and loving young woman who adores Hyrule and its people. I also heard she wants to break the tradition of arranged marriages within the Royal Family."

The description wasn't too helpful, but at least Link knew that such a person existed. 

In the meantime, Link decided to practice his sword fighting skill in case he should need them again. Kaepora, it turned out, also knew a thing or two about how to handle a sword. As best as an Owl could, he taught Link how to correctly hold the sword and how to move it through the air gracefully without slipping on the grip. Of course, Link was the one who did the most work, but Kaepora helped him polish it.

All the talking and training and walking, however, didn't seem to possess an end. The group had been traveling for three days, and on every one of those days Kaepora insisted that they were nearing the end. Link, however, was growing increasingly skeptical of the Owl's promises, so skeptical that he decided not to tell the Owl about the foreboding dream he had at night.

The fourth day, however, showed promise when the Owl revised _his_ promise, saying half a day of traveling remained before they reached their destination. The destination, Kaepora stated every time Link asked the question, was called Hyrule Castle New City, with Hyrule Castle situated in the center upon a mighty hill. It was in this castle, the Owl indicated, that Princess Zelda dwelled.

Din's Eye on the fourth day was brighter than usual, and without the protective umbrellas of the Lost Woods Link was forced to adjust to the heat waves in the open fields. Several breezes did arise to cool him and Navi off, but they were infrequent and short-lived. Kaepora, on the other hand, seemed to embrace the warmth, despite the fact that he was a nocturnal creature.

What secrets did the Owl harbor? What was it that made him different? Link could only guess, and none of his presumptions seemed correct.

When the sun was high in the midday sky, Kaepora, who was circling Link and Navi several feet above them, abruptly cooed loudly, "There it is! We've made it!"

Despite his excited cry, Link and Navi were forced to climb a small hill in order to see what he was seeing. When their sight wasn't limited by the rise, the Kokiri and the fairy nearly fell to the ground in shock. 

Saria had told Link many stories about Outsider towns, how they were bigger than Kokiri Village and even than the Great Deku Tree, but Link never imagined that it would be _this_ big! Even from the distance they were standing, the sheer height and width of the outer wall was astonishing, while the city's third dimension, its length, remained obscured by several tall structures that seemed to rise above the enormous barrier.

The centerpiece of the city, however, was the largest structure of all, an immeasurable castle that dwarfed every surrounding…well, _thing_! Link tried his best to consider how many Kokiri could live comfortably in such a building, but the castle's dimensions were so vast that he couldn't find a good estimate. He then remembered that this was where the Princess of Destiny lived. Did she have a large number of friends or something to own such an enormous home?

Kaepora's voice suddenly interrupted Link's wandering thoughts. "I'm sure you can see Hyrule Castle from here, Link. There, you will find Princess Zelda. I'm afraid I can't accompany you into the city, because hunters consider Owls good bounty these days. I'm sure a talking Owl would make a more tempting prize."

Link didn't understand what the Owl meant by "bounty," but he realized the reason was a serious one. "How shall I find you again?"

"Don't worry about that," Kaepora answered. "If you need me, I'll find you. Good luck in the city, Link."

With a final circle around Link and Navi, the Owl gave a silent hoot before he headed in a direction just to the right of Hyrule Castle New City, towards a distant mountain range. It wasn't long before he was lost in the glare of Din's Eye. 

Link watched the majestic city for about a minute longer before he finally turned to Navi and asked, "Well, shall we go and find the Princess of Destiny?"

"Let's go," Navi answered.

The streets of Hyrule Castle New City were busier than she last remembered them to be. But then again, she wasn't the kind of person to remember trivial things that didn't matter to her. The daily swarm of people in cities was one of those things. Towns were too clamorous and fast-paced for her. She preferred the quieter and slower life in the countryside, where she could find herself as a person and an individual.

Moving to avoid a rude man carrying a large sack on his back, she nearly crashed into one of the stalls surrounding the outskirts of Market Square. Luckily, the stall keeper politely prevented her from colliding with the booth and possibly dislodging merchandise. Thanking the large man, she looked around for an opening in the crowd so she could reenter it. When she found one, she took the first chance she got…

…and nearly caused a woman to drop a basket of orange fruit. The woman scolded and complained about the discourtesy of youngsters these days, but the "rude youth" barely heard these words as she struggled to dodge oncoming pedestrians from all directions. She did accidentally brush sides with several more people, but for the most part she managed to evade major impacts with others.

Finally, she found a spot in the unstable populace where the movement wasn't as vibrant. Sighing with relief, she hoped she would be able to follow the flow of traffic around Market Square to the street that led to her inn…

Just then, the people around her abruptly panicked for some reason and bolted in every direction. Not knowing what was going on, she stopped where she was and looked around, hoping to see what everyone else was obviously seeing.

When she did see it, it was nearly on top of her. Without thinking, she jumped to the side in time to avoid the enormous, galloping black horse from crushing her beneath its mighty hoofs. She landed on the ground with a soft thud, but she managed to turn in time to watch the dark creature exit the Square in the direction of Hyrule Castle, people hastening in all directions to get out of the beast's path.

As she stood up and dusted herself off, she gave a disapproving face at the black horse and its rider she didn't manage to catch sight of. _"How vulgar!"_ she thought. _"Ride through here without even thinking of anyone's safety. I hope I never see that man again, whoever he is."_

But even as she thought this, she recalled what she saw before she jumped to safety: two, dark red eyes located firmly and undeniably within the horse's sockets. She also had a feeling that she would see those eyes someday again…

A young man pushing her along, an indication that the deadlock had started up again interrupted her thoughts. Giving the man a tight face, she moved with the flow once more, trying her best to stay out of everyone's way, until she finally found her street. The traffic down here was far slower than the Square, so she had no trouble walking here.

As she headed down the street, looking for anything interesting before she arrived at the inn, her eye suddenly caught sight of something. It wasn't a stall or a shop or even item. It was a person, a lone boy about her age walking down the street. She had seen many boys her age during her visits to Hyrule Castle New City, but those boys always either had their parents with them or appeared to be familiar with the city.

Neither factor applied to this boy.

Another thing that intrigued her about this boy was that he was wearing all green. Of course, lots of people wore the same color, but there was something about the clothing on this boy. It didn't look familiar, as if the boy had come from a completely different world.

_"I wonder who he is?"_ she wondered, keeping an eye on him without trying to appear obvious. _"A newcomer? Where are his parents? What's he doing?"_

Curious about this unusual stranger, she decided to follow him and see what he would do…

Link sidestepped to avoid another passerby, one that was again much taller than he was. Rarely in Kokiri Village had Link been forced to move and dodge people frequently as they passed by, but on the other hand there weren't that many people in Kokiri Village to dodge. Even so, none of the persons in Kokiri Village were _this big_!

Navi was probably the lucky one at the moment, for she was hiding underneath Link's hat. She decided to do this they didn't know how people outside the Lost Woods would react to a fairy. Link agreed, although he felt more comfortable with Navi by his side and not perched from view upon his head.

Link found a small haven from the traffic and stopped to rest. He didn't think that navigating through crowds would be this difficult. And he hadn't even found a way to Hyrule Castle yet! Despite the fact that the castle was in the middle of the city, he streets were as much of a maze as the Lost Woods were, although this labyrinth was larger and far more difficult. He looked up at the sky and, through the forest of buildings he managed to make see Din's Eye nearing the evening horizon.

Had he been wandering the town for _that_ long?

Realizing he would have to find a place to rest, he looked around for any place labeled as an "inn." Kaepora had told him that inns were placed where travelers could rest, although they would have to pay Rupees to stay in them. Link didn't know what Rupees were, but he didn't bother asking because he was tired when the Owl had explained it to him.

To his surprise, Link found a sign hanging just above his head that read, "Fire Boar Inn." Thinking that this was his lucky day, Link found the door to the building and opened it. He then entered the residence quietly and quickly, expecting to see hundreds of people huddled around each other to take advantage of the inn's purpose.

Instead, Link found a large room possessing only a few individuals, and most of them were obviously not there because they were using the room to reside there. Surprised by the waste of space, Link wondered why there were so few people in the room when he heard a loud, gruff voice.

"Hey, kid! Are you here to get a room or are you lost?"

Link turned to the source of the voice: a short yet well built man standing behind a large counter at the far end of the room. The man's face displayed emotions of a short-temper and impatience, so Link decided not to do anything to make the man angry. Even so, he couldn't help but wonder about his question.

"Excuse me?" the Kokiri asked slowly.

"By Farore's Wind, are you deaf?" the man declared. "Are you going to rent a room at this establishment or not? If you aren't, then get out of here!"

Link suddenly understood. The man must own several rooms that contained suitable amounts of space for people to rent. Feeling slightly stupid for not paying close attention to Kaepora's words, he walked up the man behind the counter and uttered, "I guess I'd like a room."

"How many in the room?"

"Two," Link answered, thinking of Navi.

"How many nights are you staying?"

Link thought for a moment before answering, "I don't know…"

"Then I'll have to ask for a twenty Rupee deposit."

Link gave the man a blank look before remembering Kaepora mentioning Rupees. Growing a little embarrassed, Link said to the man, "I'm sorry, but I don't know what Rupees are. Could you possibly show me, if it isn't too much trouble?"

The man threw his arms up in frustration. He then breathed a heavy sigh before putting on an obviously fake smile and saying, "You don't know what Rupees are and you want to know what they are, is that it? Okay, kid. I'll show you if it makes you feel happy."

The man then reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out something with his fist. He then showed the fist, open, to Link. In the man's palm were several small stones of green and blue colors that glittered with a bright light, just like the Kokiri Emerald the Great Deku Tree had given Link although slightly dimmer.

"Now," the man huffed, "if you'll just hand over twenty greens or four blues, then we'll both be happy."

Link didn't know what to do. He didn't have anything like those with him, except for the Kokiri Emerald, and he wasn't about to give that up for anything. "I'm sorry, but I…don't have anything like that…"

"Well, then," the man snarled as he removed the Rupees from sight, "If you don't have any money with you, then you don't get a room. Now get out of here! I don't run a daycare center!"

Unable to counter the man's hostility, Link turned and ran out of the inn, although he stopped to close the door on his way out. But that didn't change the situation he was in. He obviously needed Rupees to buy things in this place, and he didn't have any on him. Now what was he going to do…?

"You sure showed Master Bilton, didn't you?"

The voice was soft and gentle, but Link was surprised nevertheless. Without thinking, Link spun around to look behind him, where the voice had come from. To his complete surprise, he found himself staring at a person who was his size! More precisely, a young girl!

"Who are you?" he asked without noticing anything else about her.


	8. The Girl Called Malon

**Chapter 8: The Girl Called Malon**

The question could've been considered offensive, but the girl smiled with a soft chuckle and said, "Are you so eager to know my name? Very well, then. My name's Malon. And what might your name be?"

Out of his initial surprise, Link took the time to examine the girl called Malon. She was about his height, more or less, although she looked a little bit better built physically. She was dressed in a single piece of white cloth that ran down her body and opened like a flower at her feet, a piece of attire that Link had never seen before in the Kokiri Forest. The one thing that stood out on this girl was her red hair, which ran wildly yet neatly down the back of her neck to her shoulders.

But there was one other thing that Link couldn't overlook. Malon's skin, facial features and even physical build seemed to resemble his as if they were somehow related yet also completely separated. Why did Link get the eerie feeling that something somehow connected him to this girl?

"Hey, are you okay?" Malon's voice suddenly cooed, interrupting his thoughts. "You just suddenly drifted away. Something the matter?"

Link blushed slightly, realizing how rude he was being, and uttered, "Sorry. Nothing's wrong, really. Anyway, my name's Link. And this is Navi."

Malon's eyes widened with interest as they looked around before turning back to Link. "Navi? Who's Navi? Is she an invisible friend of yours or something?"

"Oh, sorry. Wait a moment. Navi, come out! Navi!"

When the fairy didn't heed his call, Link grabbed his hat and began shaking it gently until he felt furious flapping underneath. He opened the hat's rim a little to allow an annoyed Navi to flutter into view. 

"What's the big idea," she demanded, her pink light radiating in quick spurts, "waking me up like that? How would _you _like to be woken up like that sometime…?"

"Oh, a fairy!" Malon suddenly cried, forcing the fay to turn and face the girl. "So this is Navi? That's pretty interesting. A boy with a fairy as a friend. You're a regular Fairy Boy, aren't you? Hey, maybe that's what I should call you: Fairy Boy. You don't mind, do you?"

"And who might you be?" Navi asked, whose temper hadn't dropped yet.

"Navi," Link said, trying to calm her down, "this is Malon. She's…uh, we just met."

"I see," Navi growled as she glared at the young girl. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's something I must attend to." The fairy then turned to face Link. "If you ever do that to me again, I'm going to turn your head so many times you won't be able to see straight for…"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Link cried, trying to calm the fairy down. "I won't do that again. Just please don't get so angry."

"Angry?" Navi demanded. "Angry? You think I'm angry? You've never _seen_ me angry! Just try that one more time and you'll see just how angry I can get…!"

"Excuse me," Malon's voice suddenly yet slowly uttered. "Is it possible for you to continue this conversation later?"

Navi remained heated, but Link immediately apologized. "Sorry. I guess I'm not used to talking to someone in this place. I've only just arrived, you see, and this is the first time I've been here…"

"It is?" Malon interrupted with a smile. "That's wonderful. I prefer the country myself, but you have to visit Hyrule Castle New City at least once in your lifetime. Where are your parents?"

Link gave Malon a confused expression. "Parents? What are parents?"

"You know, your mother and father, mom and dad, the two grownups that always hang around you. Don't you have any, Fairy Boy?"

"I guess I don't," Link answered quietly. "I've never heard of grownups from where I come from…"

"Where's that?" Malon asked quickly.

"The Lost Woods…" Link began before Malon again cut him off.

"The Lost Woods? Now I see everything. You're one of those children that inhabit that village. My dad always tells me that it's nothing but a story, but you're obviously living proof that that's not true. So that means you don't even know what the city has to offer, is that right?"

Link tried to hear everything she said, but he only managed to catch pieces here and there. He did, however, hear her question. "I guess so…"

"Then I'll show you around!" Malon suddenly declared. "You'll enjoy the city! Come this way, Fairy Boy, I know of a good place to start."

Before Link could object, Malon reached out, grabbed his arm, and pulled him in the direction of the center of town. Navi had tried to speak during the conversation, but Malon had left no opportunity for the fairy to do so. Now she was forced to watch Link being dragged away. Her pink light flashing furiously, Navi zoomed to catch up with her charge…

The black horse screeched to a thundering halt as its rider stopped in front of the castle's stables. It tried to rear several times before the rider dismounted, but the rider knew how to handle his steed. The wild stallion always without fail tried to break from its bondage to its master, but the master always in the end broke the stallion, making sure its spirit was shattered for a while to come.

Two stable boys appeared from the stable and offered to take charge of putting the horse away. The rider glared down at the two boys – they really were boys, no more than fifteen years – before he smirked and licked his lips.

"Sure," he answered in a gruff voice. "Go right ahead."

The rider dismounted his horse quickly, keeping his hand on the back of the horse's neck, and allowed the two boys to take a hold of the steed's reins. The rider waited until the boys appeared comfortable with the horse before he finally removed his hand from the horse's neck.

Almost immediately, the horse reared wildly, surprising the two boys. They tried to bring the horse under control, but the black stallion refused to cooperate, growing wilder with each passing moment. Several other stable boys appeared to aid their comrades with the savage beast, but they could do little themselves when the horse started lashing out and even biting several of the boys.

"Enjoy," the rider whispered to himself as he calmly walked away from the scene. He knew that Darkstorm would continue to resist and even attack the foolish stable boys until it tired out, and that would be a long time from now. It had to have a lot of strength, after all, if it had to be _his_ horse.

He shook the amusing thought from his mind as he thought of his earlier sweep of the city. The castle may be supposedly secure, but the city walls didn't live up to that reputation. It would be easy to slip in a good number of his guards that the King of Hyrule wasn't expecting. The new problem was entering the castle itself, but he felt confident that he would find a way inside just as easily.

He then remembered his close encounter with that young girl. He smirked sinisterly at the thought of running over her. Oh, how he wished she hadn't been that quick. How he wished he could've flattened her smaller than a Rupee. Of course, the word would've spread how the King of Thieves had killed a young girl in Market Square, but the incident could've and _would've_ been shrugged off as a mere accident. Even without meeting him, he knew the King of Hyrule was _that_ gullible…

Ganondorf snickered loudly when he heard a loud scream of pain from one of the stable boys, undoubtedly because of a bite. If Darkstorm had been faithful, he would've bitten straight down to the bone. If he hadn't, Ganondorf would have to discipline that horse once more…

Despite Navi's constant bickering about how they were wasting time, Link managed to actually notice the sights that Malon showed him.

The first thing Malon showed him was Market Square, the enormous "center" of Hyrule Castle New City where the main flow of traffic and activity ran. Link, not used to such large crowds, was forced to adapt when Malon dragged him into the currents. Navi, whose fear of how people would react to seeing her had long vanished, had to weave excessively between moving people just to catch up to the two that wouldn't listen to a word she said.

When she felt "Fairy Boy" had experienced enough of Market Square's rush hour, Malon took Link to the outskirts of the Square, where several booths were set up next to each other.

"These are shopping booths, Fairy Boy," Malon explained when Link managed to regain his sense of direction. "They're where people can buy various things they want. Of course, if you don't have Rupees, you can't buy anything. That's why Master Bilton back at the inn was a little harsh with you. You don't know about Rupees, do you? What did you use for money back in the forest?"

When Malon gave Link a chance to speak, he explained that in the forest he didn't even know what money was. For the Kokiri, anything and everything belonged to everyone else. There was no such thing as ownership except for very trivial things.

Such as Saria's Fairy Ocarina, which was now in his possession…and which he neglected to tell Malon about…

Malon, for all her energy, listened to Link's explanation calmly and politely. Of course, she immediately started up again when Link had finished. "That's interesting. I never realized you lived like that. But I guess I've never met someone from the forest before. But enough about that. Why don't you look around here for a while? See what they have to offer?"

Link complied and gazed at the merchandise of the closest stalls. The first stall housed what appeared to be swords, just like his own blade but much larger. The larger people Link that saw in Market Square obviously used them. There were several smaller blades that resembled his own, but he realized that those weapons were mere toys in the hands of larger people.

One other stall did catch Link's interest. It was a small clothing stall, and one of the items he noticed was a garment that resembled the attire Malon was wearing at the moment. This one, however, appeared far more sophisticated and refined. It was also a very pleasant shade of green.

"That's a nice piece of clothing," Link said to Malon, pointing at it. He decided to guess that only girls wore that kind of attire. "I think it would look good on you."

He guessed right. Unfortunately. "What?" Malon declared. "What are you talking about? How could _that_ thing look good on me?"

"I just thought…" Link began to explain himself when Navi abruptly appeared.

"There you are! What's up with you, leaving me to zigzag as if my life depended on it…and it did! How can a Kokiri leave his fairy behind like that? Okay, now that that's finished, let's go! We've wasted enough time! We've got to…"

"Hey!" Malon suddenly inserted, forcing both Link and Navi to turn back to her. "How about I buy you some lunch? You look like you could use some nourishment."

"Well, I…" Link started when he felt his stomach growl. He then realized how hungry he was. He had eaten all the food Saria had packed for him on the journey and hadn't had a bite since…last night. "I guess I _could_ use something to eat."

"Great!" Malon cried before grabbing Link's arm again and dragging him towards the crowd. "The restaurant area's this way. Just come this way."

"Do I have a choice…?" Link attempted to ask before a quick yank silenced him. Navi, her light flickering furiously with determination not to lose him again, followed closely behind.

Kaepora Gaebora surveyed the mighty crescent of Death Mountain closely, looking for any signs of what he was searching for. It had been a while – a long while back, in fact, when he wasn't an Owl – since he had observed the fiery crown surrounding the colossal mountain up close, since he had felt the fervent sulfur burning within his scent.

So finding the home of the _Faria Garuia_ turned out to be quite a trivial task.

_"Why does she make her home way up here, anyway?"_ Kaepora asked himself for the hundredth time as he caught an updraft with his wingspan open wide, allowing it to lift him higher. He knew the answer to his own question before he even asked it. The _Faria Garuia_ preferred Death Mountain because it was here where she could live in peace, away from all whom sought to possess her power.

But Kaepora knew that he had to convince her to teach her power to the young boy. Her skills would be invaluable on the long road ahead. He didn't know why, but he felt that the path of destiny was longer than even he anticipated. He wished that he could travel up Time's stream farther than he usually could these days, but all he could see were pieces here and there that sometimes didn't even make sense.

The one thing he could figure out was that the Child of Destiny had to learn magic. 

And the _Faria Garuia_ was the only one alive today that could teach him.

"If I can find her…" he grumbled as he scanned the mountain's surface for any signs of her home…

"What is it?"

Ordinarily, the question would've felt quite rude, but Link felt comfortable asking such questions around Malon. She seemed to actually enjoy them. The "it" that Link was referring to this time was a small bowl of what appeared to be sliced vegetables floating in a peculiar liquid that smelled hot. And appetizing.

Malon, who had two of these bowls, smiled as she placed one in front of Link on the table they had chosen at the restaurant area. "It's vegetable soup," Malon answered as she sat down. "I didn't think you ate this kind of stuff in the forest, so I decided…well, just try it and see."

Link nodded as he picked up the utensil inside the bowl – a spoon, Malon has called it – and lifted it, bringing a portion of the soup with it. He then gently placed the steaming liquid in his mouth, allowed it to fall onto his tongue…and immediately coughed a large portion of it back into the bowl.

As he struggled to swallow and cough at the same time, Malon giggled slightly. "What's wrong, Fairy Boy? Is it too city-like for your tastes?"

"No…it's deli…icous," Link explained as he started fanning his open mouth with his hand. "It's just very…hot…!"

"Ah," Malon laughed. "Guess I should have warned you about that. Sorry."

When Link had managed to learn to stand the soup's warmth, he discovered that the food was, indeed, exquisite. He had tasted vegetables before, but they were always raw and crunchy. These vegetables, however, mixed with the broth, were soft and surprisingly soothing. He told this to Malon, who smiled at the comparison.

"Knew you'd enjoy it," she said as she sipped some of her own. "Maybe you can teach some of your forest friends how to make this stuff when you go back."

_Go back._ Malon's words seemed to echo inside his head, prying loose memories from the lining of his mind. He remembered the reluctant and somewhat painful goodbye that Link shared with Saria before he left the Lost Woods. Saria had told him that she always felt he would leave one day.

She didn't say whether or not he would return…

Without thinking, Link reached for his pouch and took out the Fairy Ocarina Saria had given him. The wrapping it was packaged in was surprisingly in tact, so Link felt compelled to remove the wrapping slowly so as to preserve its nostalgic value.

He was surprised when he saw markings scribbled on the inside of the paper. "What's this?" he asked himself quietly as he lifted it to get a better look. A quick examination revealed what they were: musical notes, arranged in a neat yet hurried manner into a short simple melody. He considered playing them on the ocarina when Malon's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"What you got there, Fairy Boy?" She leaned forward to see. "Ah, it's an ocarina. You can play one of those things? Can you play me something? I'd love to hear what you forest folk play."

Link smiled faintly at Malon's request before shaking his head. "Sorry, I can't play that well. This is just a gift from a friend of mine. Hopefully, I'll be able to play it someday…"

"I see," Malon said before taking another sip of her soup. "Hope you manage it. The ocarina's a difficult instrument, you know. I've always wanted to learn it, but my dad's too busy to teach me. Speaking of my dad, he's the owner of Lon Lon Ranch. You ever heard of it?"

Link admitted he didn't.

"You haven't? That's a shame. Lon Lon Ranch is the best horse farm in all of Hyrule. We also have the best milk ever produced in the land. I don't mean to brag, but that's the praise the ranch has received all over the country. In fact, even Hyrule Castle prefers our milk to any other second rate produce. Moreover, my dad's delivering a package of milk at this very moment!"

Link's eyes widened at what he heard. "Your father can get into the palace?"

"Yes, he has special permission. He…"

"Great," declared Link. It was his turn to interrupt. "Can he take me there? It's very important that I see the Princess of Destiny."

Malon fell silent for a moment before giggling suddenly. " 'Princess of Destiny?' Is that what you fairy people call Princess Zelda? Well, I don't know if my dad can get you to see her, but I'll ask if he can take you in. Who knows, you may be lucky!"

"Thank, Malon," Link acknowledged, "I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it," Malon pleaded. "Say, why don't you finish your soup before it gets cold?"

Link nodded and reached for his spoon to finish the broth. As he did, Navi, who had been quietly yet impatiently hovering over his shoulder the entire time, whispered into his ear, "It's about time!"

Link merely smiled in response.

"Princess Zelda, what are you doing with that chair?"

Zelda turned at the sound of the voice of Impa, her trusted guardian and servant. She stared at the woman for a brief moment before turning back to the chair in her hands and placing it back on the ground. Trying to look dignified, Zelda then returned her gaze to Impa and explained:

"I'm preparing myself for the alliance assembly tomorrow with the King of the Gerudo."

"But your father strictly banned you from participating in that event," Impa declared, crossing her arms across her breasts.

"I know he did," Zelda replied with a crafty smile. "However, he didn't state that I couldn't _witness_ the event. I am merely moving my chair to the window in my private garden that's adjacent to the throne room."

Impa's face betrayed her obvious disapproval of Zelda's plan. Impa was a tall woman for her age, yet she hardly looked weak and vulnerable. In fact, her well-built physique and menacing appearance was the reason she was hired as Zelda's servant and bodyguard. Of all the Sheikah, she was also the most honorable and trustworthy. Underneath her hard exterior lay a heart of gold and a will of iron. She would put her own life before the princess's in any situation.

Even so, that didn't mean she had to agree with everything the princess did.

"I should tell your father about what you are doing," she warned with a stern look. "I don't know what you're planning, but I'm sure he wouldn't approve of it."

"He won't not approve of it," Zelda said with a somewhat pleading tone, "if you don't tell him about it."

Impa's expression didn't change, as if accusing the princess of a fruitless act. "And what makes you think I would do such a thing?"

Zelda up till now had remained calm and stoic. Now she changed her tactic to a more serious voice. "Impa, do you believe in prophecies?"

This caught the guardian off guard, but not completely. "Of course! The Sheikah are the People of Prophecy! Why ask such a question?"

Zelda's eyes met Impa's at the word _question_, and that was enough to make Impa listen.

"I believe I have experienced one," Zelda explained. "It has come to me in a dream, a dream that reoccurs night after night after night, showing me the same vision each time. I tried considering it a normal dream, but after a time I cannot believe such a statement. It _has_ to be a prophecy, and it deals with Hyrule's fate."

Impa was paying attention now. "Does your…"

"I've already told him," Zelda interrupted. "He doesn't believe me. But that's not the point. The point is that I believe the dream deals with the King of Thieves and how he plans to take Hyrule."

"Princess!" Impa exclaimed with surprise. "How can you say such a thing? Hyrule is the most secure nation in the world! The Three Goddesses have blessed this land with…"

"…nothing that can stand up to Ganondorf, apparently," Zelda inserted calmly yet angrily, "or whatever my dream symbolizes, although I'm pretty sure it's him. There is one thing that I think can stop him, although I don't know who or where he is."

"He?" Impa asked, her arms still across her chest yet now much looser.

"I'll explain later. For now, this I something I must do. Don't tell my father, Impa. Just please believe me. I don't know what to do at the moment, but I must do _something_! If I don't, Hyrule will witness one of its darker moments of history ever."

The silence that followed was deafening, and this was a signal to Zelda that Impa had finished with her objections. Turning around again, Zelda grabbed the chair she had been carrying and lifted it off the ground. She hadn't taken it far, however, before Impa spoke yet again.

"Here, let me help you with that…"


	9. Scaling Destiny

**Chapter 9: Scaling Destiny**

"Where is he? He's never this late! What's he doing?"

Link couldn't answer Malon's fervent questions as he watched her pace around the room. Instead he continued to glance at the door in hopes that the person Malon wanted would arrive so her discomfort could end.

After finishing lunch the two had wandered around Market Square for a while longer before Malon finally decided that they could stop, break, and wait for Malon's father so he could take Link to the palace. Navi, in particular, felt relieved. Malon took Link and Navi back to the inn where Link had encountered Master Bilton, the innkeeper with short patience and temper. Luckily, the owner of the "Fire Boar Inn" wasn't around when the three arrived, so they easily slipped into the room Malon and her dad were renting.

Once inside the room, the three waited for Malon's dad, Talon, to return from his appointment at the castle. To pass the time, Malon taught Link several games using items called "cards." Of course, because Link was new to the games, he wound up losing to Malon's experience, but he eventually learned the games fluently enough that he didn't lose with an excuse!

As time passed, and the sun began to set over the horizon, and Talon didn't show up, Malon's cheerful personality slowly began to grow tense and agitated. She started to lose interest in playing cards and even allowed Link to win one hand! Eventually, she abandoned the cards completely and began pacing the room back and forth, her hands fingering each other frantically. Link at first didn't say anything, but ultimately he had to say something.

"What's wrong, Malon?"

"My father's never been back this late before. He's usually back long by now. What's taking so long?"

After that answer, all that was exchanged between Link and Malon was meaningless gibberish and an occasional comment on the fact that Din's Eye was slowly nearing its hiding place over the horizon. From the outset, Navi fluttered impatiently around the room, refusing to say anything. As time passed, however, even she couldn't deny the sensitivity of Malon's situation and lightened up somewhat on her mood. She even once attempted to speak to calm Malon a little, but she at the last moment decided not to say anything.

Very soon, Malon's pacing included tears slowly filling her eyes. The tears blurred her vision so much that she inevitably tripped on one of the room's small rugs and went crashing to the ground. Her strong farm-kept arms saved her from landing on her face, but the actual fall was enough to convince her that she was falling apart.

Right in front of Link and Navi, she curled up into a ball, her head resting between her legs, and cried her tears out.

Link, unable to witness such a scene, slowly walked to the farm girl, knelt down behind her, and wrapped both his arms around her waist. It was a move Saria had used to comfort him many times after one of Mido's painful teases. Now he was using the move to comfort his new friend.

Almost immediately, Malon lifted her head and looked down at Link's arms. She then gently caressed them with her hands, feeling the skin that had spent nearly all of its life exposed to the forest. To Malon, Link's skin was tough and coarse, yet somehow she founded an underlying softness buried deep within it. It wasn't necessarily a softness of physical contiguity, but one of character. One composed of compassion…

Malon smiled at Link's solacing move and wiped away the tearstains from her cheeks.

"Thank you…" she whispered before hesitating and adding a final word, "…Link."

Zelda stared silently at the chair she and Impa had placed at the window. She didn't sit in it, just stared. She wore nothing but her nightclothes and her white robe, leaving her partially exposed to the crisp night air that glided into the garden and across her delicate skin. But Princess Zelda didn't notice the coolness of the air. All she noticed was the chair, the chair she would sit in tomorrow in order to watch the meeting between her father and the King of Thieves.

One thing about the piece of furniture did stand out. Carved and painted on the chair's back was the symbol of the Royal Family; the familiar ensign of the relic regarded as the most powerful artifact ever created. The one considered by many to this day to be nothing more than an ancient legend.

The sacred Triforce.

Zelda tried to picture the Triforce, tried to picture the amount of power it possessed, but her imagination alone couldn't fathom the relic's magnificence. Thought considered a myth by many, she knew in her heart that the Triforce was real. And she was also sure that Ganondorf knew the legend was real.

That could be why he was here, in Hyrule. To steal the Triforce for his own greedy ambitions. But Zelda knew that that was nothing more than wild speculation. She didn't know a thing about Ganondorf other than that he was the King of Thieves, Lord of the Gerudo, and one not to be trusted. He might not even know about the Triforce's existence, for all she knew!

But she couldn't take any chances. Ganondorf may be an explicit embodiment of all things evil – at least to her he was – but he wasn't stupid. He had something up his sleeve, and she couldn't let him have his way. She would do anything in her power to stop him, even if she had to sacrifice her own life for the sake of Hyrule.

But deep in her soul, she wished that the handsome man from her prophetic dreams would arrive and help her. She didn't know why or how, but he could be the only way to save the land she loved so dearly…

Link woke up with a start, his breathing rapid and sweat dripping down his cheeks. He placed a hand across his chest to feel his swift heart beating before looking around with blurred vision at his surroundings.

The sun had set long ago, but the light of a single candle gave off enough light in the room for Link to see clearly. He was lying on a single bed made of a material much softer than the wood of his own bed back in the Lost Woods. Lying right next to him was Malon, her closed eyes facing him with an enigmatic, blank stare that was bordered with remnants of tears around the eyelashes. She was sleeping peacefully, apparently not disturbed by Link's awakening by the same reoccurring nightmare.

As Link slowly calmed down, he remembered everything clearly. Malon had remained in Link's arms for a few minutes longer after her words of gratitude before Link made the suggestion that she get some sleep. He would stay awake and rouse her should her father Talon appear in the middle of the night. Malon thought about the matter before agreeing to it, but on one condition: that Link lie next to her to comfort her to sleep.

Link, not one to refuse a friend's request, allowed Malon to sleep on one of his arms, which he wrapped around her neck. Malon fell asleep surprisingly in a few minutes, but not before muttering a final word of thanks for being such a good friend. Link remembered staying awake for quite a while before he, too, fell asleep, thus allowing the usual nightmare to invade his sleep…

"Link," said the soft voice of Navi.

Link looked around before spotting the fay above his head to the right. "What is it, Navi?"

"I know this may sound rude, but we can't stay here any longer. We have to get going, even if it has to be without Malon's father's help."

"But Malon…"

"Don't worry about her," Navi asserted with a surprisingly gentle tone. "Her will's a lot stronger than you know. I'm a fairy, Link, remember. I can feel her energies radiating even this very moment, and they're stronger than you give them credit for."

Link stared at the fair a bit longer before turning back to the sleeping farm girl. "Even so, I can't just leave her like this. I can't just abandon her without…"

"Link, the Great Deku Tree's last dying words were meet the Princess of Destiny. We can't abandon his request just because of one person. I know how you feel, Link, and I know how Malon feels. But we can't stay here any longer. Try to understand. We just can't."

Link wanted to protest further, but Navi's words bouncing around his mind stopped him. He had to admit that the little fay was right. Navi hadn't always been the comforting presence he had believed a Kokiri's fairy to be, and she even occasionally snapped at him needlessly. But her words seemed to wash away any doubt Link may have harbored about her. Sure, she may sometimes be a pain in the neck, but in the end she did what she felt was right.

"I guess you're right," Link replied finally. "Let's go."

"Thank you, Link," Navi said softly.

Link's arm had slipped from underneath Malon's neck long ago, so he had no trouble getting up from the bed without disturbing her. He then tiptoed across the wooden floor to the chair where he had hung his shield and his belt with his pouch, slingshot, and sword. He grabbed his belt and wrapped it around his waist and then slung his shield over his back. He then was about to head for the door when he stopped and looked back at Malon.

Even from a small distance away Link could make out the tearstains around the farm girl's eyes. Link knew he couldn't just leave Malon without telling her that he would be back. But how could he tell her without waking her…? Just then, Link had an idea. He slowly unsheathed his sword and held it before his face, staring at its shiny blade before making his gaze focus on the hilt. The small red jewel affixed in the sword's hilt seemed to wink back at him.

Without hesitating, Link used the small fingers of his free hand to pry the small red jewel from its notch in the hilt. Within moments, the red eye glittered in his palm. He held it silently for a moment before walking quietly back to Malon.

"Link," Navi whispered, "what are you doing?"

"Saying goodbye," Link answered as he stopped above the sleeping girl.

As gently as he could, Link took one of Malon's hands and opened it partially. He then took the jewel and placed it directly in her palm, pressing it slightly to close her hand. In response, Malon's fingers delicately yet firmly clamped together, as if to say that they would protect the jewel for Malon until she woke up.

Link smiled slightly before turning back to Navi and nodding. "Okay, we can go."

Ganondorf smiled to himself as he lay on his bed, his gaze affixed to the smooth white tiles of the ceiling. He was still dressed in full armor and he had even refused to take his muddy boots off before climbing onto the bed. The behavior could've been attributed to the fact that Ganondorf rarely slept, but the main reason this time was because it was another move to prove the King of Hyrule's gullibility. 

But when _he_ was King of Hyrule himself, it wouldn't matter, would it?

Widening his smirk, Ganondorf reached for a half-full bottle of Gerudo whiskey on a table next to his bed. He grabbed it by the neck and placed the open end to his mouth, allowing the contents to cascade down his throat. Some of the alcohol spilled onto the bed, but Ganondorf didn't pay it any mind.

When all the whiskey had been imbibed in one gulp, Ganondorf threw the empty glass bottle out the nearby open window. Seconds later, he heard it smash on the brick walkways below. His smile quickly faded, for he had hoped it would land on one of the soldiers' heads…

He then remembered his little dirty deed concerning the soldiers and smiled again. His imagination began to soar wildly, thinking about how he had managed to convince the soldiers – Hyrule's _Royal Guard_ soldiers! – that drinking Gerudo whiskey would help them relax. 

_"Oh, it would help them relax,"_ he sneered in his mind, _"just not in the way that they expect!"_

He reminded himself that he still had to analyze the castle walls for any possible entrance points, but he then remembered that he was in no hurry. The King of Hyrule didn't suspect a thing, and if he didn't then no one did. To his knowledge, he thought there was no one that could stop…

No! He didn't think, he _knew_! He _knew_ there was no one out there that could stop him, Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, from getting what he wanted. _No one_…

Link lifted his arm to shield his eyes when Din's Eye peaked over the horizon, but thankfully the tree branches did the task for him so his eyes managed to adjust more easily. He stretched to gain feeling in his muscles and sat up so he could perch on the tree branch. Sitting on a smaller branch above his head, Navi heard the rustling of leaves generated by Link's movements and stretched her wings before launching herself into the air.

To their right stood Hyrule Castle, its powerful and majestic pose dwarfing the tree that the two forest folk were hiding in.

After leaving Malon, Link and Navi managed to sneak out of the inn without Master Bilton seeing them, thankfully. Outside, the streets that were once filled with people now stood completely empty of movement except for a few stray dogs scavenging for dropped morsels of food. Even the once-bogged Market Square was dormant…no, wait, that wasn't true. Several men who appeared to be the palace guards that Malon told Link about over lunch stood at one end of the Square.

The end that led to the middle of the city, where Hyrule Castle stood.

Link knew that finding another entrance to the castle would take some time, and he was willing to bet that they were all guarded, just the same. So he decided to go around the guards, for he suspected they weren't about to let someone like him – a so-called child – wander around at night straight towards the palace.

Luckily, because he lived in the forest, he had acquired the ability to climb rough surfaces, and he found several thin yet firm pipes running down the sides of the structures in the square. Link didn't know what they were used for, but he found a purpose in them by using them to climb to the roofs of the buildings.

Up on the roofs, Link used his attained balance to leap from roof to roof. He was careful not to make too much noise, for he didn't want to alarm the guards below of a little Kokiri that was finding its way past them. But the structures didn't last forever and eventually Link found himself standing at the end of the city and the beginning of the hill where the palace stood.

No problem. Using his Kokiri agility he leapt from the top of the building he was on and landed on the ground without a scratch. The rest of the way, up the hill, appeared a breeze, and Link, followed closely by Navi, started out towards the castle that lay in the darkness somewhere on the hill's zenith.

It was then that Link began to wonder about the strangely relaxed security. Why were the guards so easy to get by? Were there even any guards patrolling the hill? Isn't the Princess of Destiny that important?

But Link's wondering stopped when, close to the top of the hill, he heard a soft yet clear clanking sound heading in his direction, obviously the sound of the clothing the guards wore. Several guards were on the move…in his direction! Link quickly looked around for some form of sanctuary, and spotted a tree in the inky blackness. Without thinking, he sprinted towards it and virtually ran up its surface.

He didn't stop until he was safe in the taller branches. Moments later, he managed to make out faint silhouettes of soldiers marching a few feet from the tree.

It wasn't until the soldiers had completely disappeared when Navi appeared. "I guess we'll have to wait until morning after all. Maybe we can see the patrols better then."

"I guess you're right," Link agreed. He silently hoped, however, that the morning light wouldn't make _him_ easier to see.

Now here he was, staring at Hyrule Castle standing only a stone's throw away, and he was trapped in the top of the tree where he might be seen by a passing soldier that just happened to look up. He could faintly hear the distant clanking of the patrolling guards' armor as they prepared to make another pass near his tree. This could be the time they see him, because he had nothing except shade and luck to hide him.

"So now what?" Link asked Navi as he looked for the approaching watch.

"While you were sleeping," Navi answered with an original proud tone, "I patrolled the grounds last night. Apparently, we're not too far from a small growth of vines that hang halfway down the outside of the castle wall. If you can get there and over without being seen, I think you have a fair chance of getting inside."

"What's behind the wall?"

"Nothing but crates, if I remember, so you should be able to hide behind them…"

"Great!" Link exclaimed with a clap of his hands. "Now for the hard part!"

By now, the familiar clanking was so close that Link could distinguish between individual creaks and groans. From the direction the soldiers were coming in he _knew_ he was going to be seen unless he did something to distract their attention…Link then saw small bunches of nuts hanging from the branches of the tree, and a plan quickly began to develop inside his mind…

"I don't know how you did it, but you did!"

"I'll take that as a compliment!" Link replied back to Navi as he stopped at the wall where the fairy had indicated the vines were located. Link, trying to catch his breath, looked up and saw several green tendrils peaking from the other side of the wall. From where he was standing, they looked farther up than halfway.

"Better get climbing before the guards get here," Navi warned, her pink light pulsing with franticness and urgency.

Link didn't answer but instead reached up and gripped the topmost space between bricks he could reach. He then placed his feet inside other cavities and, using his strength and Kokiri nimbleness, began pulling himself up the wall. Once he had a firm grip on the wall, he reached higher on the wall and again pulled himself up. Simply put, he used the wall like a ladder.

But he soon discovered the "ladder" was tougher than the walls he had scaled earlier back in the city. The cracks between the bricks were smooth and virtually tiny, making it almost impossible for Link to get a firm grasp without first testing it. He guessed that the wall was constructed like this to prevent any intruders – such as him – from entering via climbing the wall.

Both pride and guilt surged through Link's mind – guilt for using such criminal methods to accomplish what he had to do, pride for being able to bypass something that was apparently "impenetrable."

Luckily, Link's rugged climb didn't last too long, for the vines were closer than he expected. With a deep breath and a quick prayer, Link reached out for the closest creeper, grabbed it firmly, and allowed his weight to fall on the vine. His prayer was answered; the vine held him up. Thanking the Three Goddesses over and over, Link began to scale the wall with the comfort of the vines to guide him.

He reached the top in record time, but his sense of cautiousness wasn't gone. He merely peeked over the edge of the wall for any sign of guards or other persons that might give him away. Fortunately, Navi's report had been true: the only visible items in the area were crates…and lots of them, at that.

Smiling for the first time since being in the tree, Link lifted all his weight over the wall and jumped. Unfortunately, Link realized too late that he forgot to find a suitable place to land. Before he could correct his mistake, he found himself landing with a loud crack on one of the wooden crates. The crate chipped under the weight of the falling Kokiri before breaking apart with a resounding crash, taking Link down with it.

Link didn't move after the fall. Instead he stared up at the blue morning sky, his eyes wide open in shock and amazement that he hadn't broken anything. He immediately wondered if any guards had heard his fall, which would _really _make his day…

Navi suddenly fluttered in front of his face. "Link, are you okay?" she asked sincerely.

"Yeah, I'm…" Link answered before abruptly stopping. _"No, please, no!"_ From somewhere nearby came a muffled yet audible sound, getting louder and louder, closer and closer…


	10. The Princess of Destiny

**Chapter 10: The Princess of Destiny**

Link tried to carefully get up from the rubble beneath him and make as little noise as possible, but he already knew that the gesture was useless. If the sound was what he thought it was, getting up slowly would only make the situation worse by minimizing his time to escape. His heart pounded away as the sound began to deepen and grow in intensity, and sweat covered his palms as he reached for his sword. If he were to be captured, he would go out fighting.

Link stood up on the broken crate and stood with his blade poised, waiting, waiting…waiting…

It took Link about a minute to realize that the sound he was hearing wasn't moving closer in his direction as he originally thought. Instead, it was just getting louder…no, wait; now it was growing softer! If this was what Link thought it was – soldiers coming to inspect the cause of the crash – then they had some peculiar habits or something…

"Link…" was all Navi could say before Link hushed the fairy with a wave of his hand. He stared around the crate-stacked area for about a minute longer before he made the decision to inspect the noise for himself.

Taking as cautious steps as he could, Link crept towards the general direction of the noise, which by now had faded again. He still kept his blade naked as he began mingling within the tiny maze of crates, but his suspected his true weapon in an emergency would be to run…just then, the noise flared up once more, this time undoubtedly a lot closer than before. Link quickly twirled to face it, and quickly realized the source was hiding behind a nearby crate.

Taking a deep breath, Link skulked around the crate and peered it around with a careful eye…

To his complete surprise, he found something entirely unexpected: a man sleeping upon a pile of golden straw. The frightening sound Link was hearing was nothing more than rough snoring being forced through the man's enormous nose.

Link, completely astonished at this discovery, walked around the rest of the crate to examine the slumbering man further. He wasn't the shortest adult Link had seen, but he was undoubtedly the fattest. But his plumpness didn't necessarily mean he was a weak man; the two strong-looking arms protruding from his body destroyed that belief. The man's face was decorated with lines of hair trailing down his cheeks and meeting underneath his nose, creating a bushy rope with several small pigtails arranged periodically.

But the most noticeable thing about the man that Link noticed was that he had a familiar smell dancing around him…the same aroma that Malon possessed, the aroma of the outdoors.

With a sudden jolt, Link realized that the sleeping man was Talon, Malon's father.

So _this_ is why Malon's father didn't go back to his daughter. He was sleeping! How could just sleep here like this and leave Malon to cry for him? If Link hadn't come along when he did, she would've had to cry all alone…

"Link, wait…!"

Navi's warning came too late. Without thinking, Link took his right foot and swung it with all his might into the man's enormous stomach.

He then retracted his foot quickly so he could bend down and grip it to stop the unexpected surge of pain.

"Ouch!" Link cried as he tried stroking his foot through his boot. "This guy's got a stomach made of rock or something…"

"Wh…wh…who kick…kicked me?"

The voice was a shaky one, but it possessed enough substance to signal that the owner was awake. Through his minute pain, Link watched as the chubby man Talon lifted his head and opened his eyes in the sunlight. He used a nearby crate to support himself as he stood up, and his wobbly legs indicated he didn't have the strength his physique had earlier indicated. Then, without warning, the man emitted a brief yet disgusting belch, and almost immediately a pungent odor filled the air.

Link tried holding his hand over his nose and mouth to block the tang, but it had obviously existed before the burp was even made because the scent still burned his nostrils.

Talon looked around with shaky eyes for a moment before finding Link. The man's face reminded Link of one of his friends that sleepwalked.

"You the one th…th…that kicked me?" Talon asked, discharging another blast of that awful smell.

Link lifted his hand from his mouth for a split second to answer with a brief "Yes" before returning it. Link didn't feel like going into any reasons of why he had kicked Talon because any conversation would force him to sniff that dreadful aroma. Luckily, Talon wasn't in the mood for explanations either. Instead he lifted his heavy eyes and looked at the sun barely peeking over the walls of the castle.

"What time is it? Is it morning already?"

Link didn't give an answer; Talon didn't need one.

"Uh," the man groaned as he straightened his back. "That's the last time I talk those guards into giving me a drink of that horrible liquor. Next time it's delivery and dash. Don't have time to fall asleep all night…"

"You're right about that!" Link suddenly blurted out, his face in a gentle rage. He didn't care about the stench; he had something important to say to the man in front of him. "Do you realize you left Malon all by herself all night? You realize she cried because you didn't…"

"Malon…?" Talon suddenly exclaimed, his eyes jumping wide open. "By Farore's Wind, I completely forgot about her!" Now completely awake, Talon grabbed Link's shoulders, not caring about the Kokiri's apparent anger, and begged, "You, boy, whoever you are, do you know Malon? Is she all right?"

"She was until you didn't show up. She cried her eyes out because you left her all alone like that! You…"

"By Din's Fire!" Talon bellowed, his face tightening in a worried countenance. "How could I do that to her? Talon Hylara, you're as big an idiot as they come! Thank you, little man. I don't know who you are, but thanks for that kick in the stomach. I really deserved it. You probably should've kicked harder…but I don't have time to go into that. I need to get back to my daughter. Again, thank you."

Then, without another word, Talon took off. Link, surprised by the man's unexpected moves, watched in amazement as the fat farmer ran faster than any other person Link had seen before did. Talon soon disappeared behind a stack of crates, but his enormous footsteps could still be heard as they receded in the distance.

Then, for the first time since he had met Talon, Link smiled. "Go…go to Malon. Make her smile again…Malon, thanks for the great time yesterday…"

"Link?" Navi suddenly said, interrupting Link's thoughts. Link turned to face the fairy, who continued, "are you okay? Why are you talking to yourself?"

Link stared at the fay for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't know. I guess it just felt right. That's all. Why? Is there something wrong with it?"

"It's just that the Great Deku Tree warned us fairies that those who talked to themselves were usually loners, those who isolated themselves from others. He warned us that such behavior wasn't acceptable for a Kokiri, and…well, I guess it doesn't matter. But you're not a loner, are you?"

"No," Link answered quickly, but almost immediately he felt that answer slide down his throat like a chunk of raw vegetation. He usually experienced that feeling after lying, intentionally or unintentionally.

Did he just lie to Navi…and to himself?

Shrugging the thought off, Link briskly continued. "Come on, let's quit dawdling and try to find a way inside this place. The Princess of Destiny shouldn't be too far away."

"Now you're talking sense," Navi beamed proudly, as if she felt she had just accomplished something.

Zelda stared at her private garden from the door into her bedroom, marveling at its quiet splendor and simplicity. Her eyes then fell on the chair near the window that led to her father's throne room and sighed. It was almost an eyesore amidst all the garden's beauty, despite the fact it was beautiful in its own right. 

Maybe artificial elegance was never meant to be amidst the beauty that nature could create. Maybe unnatural could never be meant to be with what the Three Goddesses created. And that was yet another reason she had to make sure the King of Thieves didn't get his filthy hands on the Triforce…

The meeting between the king and Gandondorf would begin shortly, she knew, so she decided to get to the chair so she wouldn't miss a thing.

As she entered the garden, she failed to notice her bedroom door stood slightly ajar…

"You're kidding! You want me to do _what_?"

Navi's light faded, a warning that it was about to brighten, before saying, "You're going to dive into this gutter and follow it upstream until you get inside the castle. Look, it leads straight inside and it's probably the only way in without making a disturbance."

Link couldn't argue with that. He had searched the castle walls around the crate area and had managed to find several entrances, but all of them were either locked or guarded by several serious-looking sentries. The only unguarded and unlocked "entrance" was a small water channel that flowed from underneath the castle and into a dike that led to the moat in front of the palace, the moat Link luckily didn't encounter.

Navi was right. It was probably the only way he could get in. He couldn't argue with that.

But he could argue with something else. "Maybe, but look at this thing! It's completely filled with water! We don't know how far it goes before it reaches a place for me to surface! And besides, who's to say that the gutter isn't guarded on the other side of the palace?"

"Okay, then! You got any ideas? Any at all? If you do, are they _good_ ones? Go ahead, I'm listening! And remember, while you tell me your brilliant ideas, we'll be wasting time here that we could spend searching this enormous castle!"

Navi's harsh tone made Link step back in modesty. He desperately wanted to argue back, but how could one argue with a fairy that had both plausible arguments and a very short temper? He turned to the running water, trying to visualize how far it led underground, and how far it would force him to hold his breath. He then turned back to Navi and said with a hesitant and a grumbling tone,

"Oh, very well! If I must!"

"Good! Now, just dive into the gutter and start swimming. I'll stay under your hat…"

"Oh, no!" Link interrupted as he lifted a hostile finger at the fairy. "You're not getting off that easily. You're going to go through this as well. You're going to swim upstream just like me!" His tone softened somewhat. "Besides, I need your glow for me to see…which makes you the leader of this little journey, doesn't it?"

Navi's light flickered like crazy, but she didn't say anything. Link made a small smile, for it was actually quite nice to see Navi beaten at her own game. The fairy glared at Link for a few moments before shaking violently and suddenly zipping straight into the water-filled gutter. The fairy swam around the slow current for a while before disappearing into the large pipe from where the water was coming.

Link, not wanting to lose the slight benefit of Navi's light, held his breath as he, too, jumped into the frigid water…

It was dark. Despite Navi's light, the stone gutter tunnel was still quite dark for Link's eyes. The flowing water stung his open eyes as he struggled to keep them open, and several times an abrupt rush of water nearly caused Link to let go of his breath. To top it all off, the tunnel's current was stronger than it had been near the mouth, forcing Link to claw his way across the tunnel's wall. Occasionally the crawlway curved upward, but for the most part it snaked in a straight, horizontal path.

_"What am I _doing_?"_ Link thought to himself as he began to feel the pain of lack of air within his chest.

On and on he crawled, the cold water lapping against his skin like serrated blades, threatening to either carry him away or force him to release his breath. Ahead, Navi's light began to fade and her progress slowed. Eventually, his pained eyes saw no light at all. Had Navi given up and been swept away by the current, or was she still ahead?

Link had no idea about her fate, just like his own…

Just then, he saw a small light in the distance. Was it Navi? Was she farther than he had expected? No wait! It wasn't Navi at all, but light illuminating from another source! And unless fire could be lit underwater, it could only mean one thing: an exit from the gutter channel!

Link didn't know where he found the strength to continue, but he did. He pulled along with all his might, using the thin brick cracks as his leverage against the current, which slowly yet surely began to grow faster and faster. Link's chest felt like fire, but he pushed on, determined to make it to the light at the end of the tunnel…

Without warning, Link's face broke water, surrounding it with air. With a loud gasp, Link released the stale air in his lungs and sucked to take in fresh amounts. His stinging eyes fluttered madly to flush out the icy water, and several coughs were also discharged as he began to breathe freely again.

He didn't have time to adjust to the air again before he heard a familiar yet waterlogged voice. "Next time, _you_ lead! You hear me?"

The wet fairy appeared in view moments later, her wings obviously soaked to the veins and her temper obviously even shorter. She evidently wanted to argue, but Link didn't feel like even talking to her at the moment. Instead he ignored her as he looked around at his new surroundings.

He was swimming in a small pool that was fed by another channel that ran underneath a nearby wall. Surprisingly, the suction from the underwater tunnel he had crawled through wasn't as strong as it had felt earlier. Whoever had designed the castle had designed it very well. The light source that Link had seen initially was a series of lit torches that snaked around the room in a precise sequence. Although each burned with a fiery essence, they had obviously been lit a long time ago. The room itself was made of thick stone and was completely empty save for one or two large barrels, which emitted a strong odor of oil.

Deciding to get out of the pool before the suction dragged him back into the tunnel, Links swam towards the edge of the tarn and climbed out, making sure he had all his belongings with him: sword, shield, hat, slingshot, pouch with ocarina…he had everything. But that meant little at the moment, for his greatest challenge was yet to come.

And that was finding Princess Zelda, the Princess of Destiny within this enormous castle…

Ganondorf snarled as he scraped the dried, caked mud off his boots. He didn't like the idea of cleaning his boots, and actually doing the act was even worse. But he refused to allow anyone – even his personal servants – to touch his personal belongs, and he knew he had to be, regretfully, cleaned for his meeting with the King of Hyrule.

_"Even such gullible men have their limits!"_ he thought viciously as he remembered the stern instructions for his appearance by one of the King's messengers. _"I wonder if the same is true for their necks underneath an ax's blade?"_

When he finally had removed all the mud from his shoes – to his own satisfaction, at least – he made sure his armor and cloak didn't have any _visible_ markings that would be offensive. Finding none, Ganondorf smiled for the first time that day and headed for the door to his chamber. When he opened it, he found two Hylian Royal Guards standing there. They tried to appear completely erect, but the effects of Gerudo whiskey were still apparent around their breaths.

Ganondorf's smile widened.

"We're here to escort you to the throne room, Sir Ganondorf," said the guard on the left. "Please, follow us…"

"I'll do no such thing," Ganondorf interrupted with a hostile and cynical tone. "I know my way without your help. I'll lead; you follow. Got it?"

The guards looked at each other for a moment before nodding hesitantly. "Very well."

_"Too easy to bend,"_ the King of Thieves thought as he began heading down a corridor, with the two guards following closely behind. _"They'll be no trouble at all for my Gerudo! No trouble at all! It's sad, really…but how I enjoy savoring it!"_

The trio headed down corridor after corridor, making their way to the throne room. Nothing spectacular happened on the way, although Ganondorf did notice one unusual thing as he turned a corner and passed a small collection of barrels.

_"That's odd. Did something just duck behind those things…? Ah! Probably just a rodent carrying a leaf or something. Still…oh, never mind!"_

Link waited until the group had disappeared around another corner before poking his head above the barrels. It wasn't the first patrol of guards he had encountered during his slinking around the maze-like passages, but it was definitely the closest call he had had so far. He wiped some sweat droplets from his brow and looked around to make sure the coast was clear before stepping out of his hiding place.

Navi appeared a moment later. "Link, this is ridiculous! We can't just wander around this place aimlessly until we're either caught or we die of starvation! Do you have _any_ idea where the princess might be?"

"No, I don't," Link answered with frustration. Yet it wasn't frustration over Navi's impatience but over the situation. He had no idea where he was, no idea what he was doing, no idea he was going in the right direction. He could be going in circles, for all he knew! Every corridor looked exactly like the last one and if not the last one then the one right before the last one!

It was so annoying that Link considered climbing back into the water gutter, riding it back outside, and asking one of the guards for help!

However, Link's anger couldn't mask one thing he noticed as the three people passed him earlier. The first one, the one leading the other two, looked vaguely familiar, despite the fact Link didn't even get a good look at him before hiding behind the barrels. In fact, it wasn't even that he _looked_ familiar.

Instead, it was more like he _felt_ familiar…

Just then, the familiar clank of armor echoed along the corridor again. Link by now knew almost instinctively that he had to hide. He turned to the barrels to duck behind them again, but then realized that the guards would see him in the direction they were approaching him. The barrels wouldn't provide sufficient cover, and it was too late to rearrange them properly. Not that he could if he wanted to…

"Link, what are you doing?" Navi softly cried. "We have to hide!"

"I know, I know!" Link replied frantically. He looked around for a sufficient place to hide: an alcove, a tapestry, anything that he could fit behind…wait, that door! Was it…yes, it was unlocked…no, even better. It was open slightly!

Without thinking, Link bolted for the open door and pushed it open with all his might. He nearly lost his balance because of the surprising smoothness of the hinges, but he quickly recovered in time to turn around and slam the door shut. Navi, luckily, had managed to spot the open door at the same time and dart inside before the portal was closed with a soft thud.

Moments later, the clanking soldiers passed by the door and left as quickly as they arrived.

Sighing in relief, Link was about to open the door when he caught sight of his surroundings. With a start, he realized he had stumbled into someone's bedroom. And someone of great importance, at that!

The large bed in one corner was the first clue. It was so big that Link estimated he and half his friends could sleep comfortably on it with room to spare. Sitting next to him was a chest of drawers with an enormous mirror that could probably reflect the Great Deku Tree at the right distance. Even the odors held a certain pompous scent, as if they had been designed specifically for this room.

_"All the more reason for me to leave…"_ Link began to think when he caught sight of the garden.

Before Navi could protest, Link ran to the second doorway and looked out at the magnificent garden outside. Although he had lived in the Lost Woods all his life, he had never beheld such a beautiful sight before. Every type of flower he knew – and several he didn't know – were gathered and arranged all over the place and the person who had planted them obviously knew how to treat each one right. The air was pleasant and fresh, a rousing change for Link after his walk through the stuffy palace hallways. If he didn't have something important to do, he would stay here forever.

Then he saw her.

He didn't know yet that it was she, but he saw her nevertheless. At the far end of the garden, on a stone platform underneath a large window, sat a young girl about his age in a large, cozy-looking chair. She distinctly hadn't seen the intruder standing several feet away from her. 

If it had been someone else, Link might've quietly left without making his presence known, but something inside of him told him to approach her. Navi softly whispered something in his ear, but he didn't hear her. Instead, he slowly approached the girl to get a better look at her without disturbing her.

When he was only a stone's throw away, her head shifted slightly enough for Link to see her face clearly. It was then that he recognized her almost immediately. There was no mistaking it.

Link had found Princess Zelda.

Without thinking, Link took a step forward and uttered calmly, "Excuse me, Princess Zelda?"

The thud of the back of the chair striking the stone platform wasn't too loud, but it was enough for Link to stop all movement. The Princess was standing now, her face in a state of shock and staring directly into his eyes. Her face was white as a sheet and she barely moved a muscle.

The two stared at each other for a silent moment before the Princess finally spoke up: "Wh…who are you?"


	11. Finding a Dream

**Chapter 11: Finding a Dream**

He appeared to be about her age, although he could've been a little older. Although he didn't seem robust, he didn't appear weak either; in fact, he possessed somewhat of a soft ruggedness. The majority of his clothing was tinted a green color, the kind that reminded Zelda of a lush forest.

Almost immediately after asking her question she noticed the sword and shield strapped to his back. She probably would've panicked if she hadn't laid her eyes on the stranger's face. Unlike the rest of his body, which appeared dirty and almost hard, the boy's face conveyed a complete antithesis. His facial skin was pale and almost seemed silky. His eyes were blue, as blue and clear as Lake Hylia on a clear day. Long, golden hair draped across the sides of his face like a curtain, as if presenting the boy's face like it were a stage.

Even so, Zelda was still anxious to know who this intruder was.

"Who are you?" she repeated, this time with a little more confidence.

The boy stared at her for a moment longer before clearing his throat and speaking. "I'm…I'm…my name…is…my name is Link."

Link? Why did that name seem familiar? It wasn't familiar in the sense that she had heard it before, but familiar in that it felt somehow…ironic. Why…?

Just then, Zelda remembered her prophetic dream and the unknown, handsome figure that saved Hyrule. He, like this boy named Link before him, also wore green. Could the man in her dreams be…no, how could he? The man in her dreams was much older than this boy, and was definitely a lot more handsome…

_"…not to say that this Link isn't handsome…"_

Not knowing where the thought came from, Zelda shook it from her mind and put on the straight face of a princess. She then stepped forward a little and said with a royal tone, "I don't know how you got in here, but I must ask you to leave. If you go now, I won't call the guards to escort you…"

"No, Princess Zelda! Please, don't throw us out!"

The sudden appearance of the fairy nearly made Zelda jump, and it also succeeded in stopping short in her declaration for Link to leave. Her face gaped in amazement as the pink fay, which had seemingly appeared from nowhere, hovered above the boy's shoulders for a few moments before gliding a few feet from her face. Although she couldn't make out any facial expressions, Zelda could almost feel the fairy's desperation.

"A…a…a fairy…here…?"

"Please, don't throw us out!" the fairy pleaded. "You don't know how important it is that we speak to you. We've been sent on a last dying request by the Great Deku Tree, and…"

"Great Deku Tree?" Zelda suddenly interrupted, her mind racing to match several factors together. It didn't take long. "You…you two are from…the forest, aren't you?"

"Yes, we are," the boy called Link said as he took a single step forward. "And what Navi said is true. The Great Deku Tree sent us here to meet you…"

Zelda didn't hear anything after that because she abruptly stopped listening after making one crucial connection. She could vividly remember her divinatory dream, and right now it was clearer than any time before. The handsome man in green, she recalled, was created from a beam of light that came from the forest. And this boy dressed in green also claimed he and the fairy came from the forest…

Wait, the fairy! There was a fairy in her dream as well, right after the beam had materialized into the handsome man. The man had held two lights in his hands, a bright green orb and a dimmer pink one…and the pink one turned out to be a fairy! And right now, there was a fairy standing before her to add fuel to the fire of embroiled circumstances that couldn't be made up of coincidence.

But…then what about that green light?

"Do you have green light?" Zelda asked without thinking.

The boy called Link was caught off guard by the question and abruptly stopped talking. The princess didn't know what he had said, but she didn't care at the moment. All she wanted to know was the answer to her question. Both the boy and the fairy – Navi, she believed – remained silent to Zelda's question, prompting her to ask again.

"I'll ask again: do you have green light?"

"I'm…not sure what you're asking, princess…" the boy called Link started but couldn't finish.

"Do you have anything resembling green light?" Zelda pressed, her face growing a desperate countenance. "If not that, anything that can create green light? Come on, please – Link, is that your name? – please, Link, tell me if you have something like that! I must know! Please!"

The boy stared blankly at Zelda in response, and the princess was almost about to accept that he had no such item. Luckily, she held onto her belief for a second longer, and this was enough for Link to raise his face in realization.

"Wait, I think I have something like that. Let me just check here…ah, here we go. Does this fit your description?"

The boy called Link had reached into a nearby pouch and pulled out something in his fists. When he opened them, they displayed the most beautiful emerald Zelda had ever seen. The gold frame around it was beautiful, of course, but the emerald itself was the main focus. Even in the dimly lit spot that the boy stood it shone with a magnificent radiance.

There was no doubt in Zelda's mind at that moment that this was the green light in her dream.

Then this boy called Link was the one she had been waiting for, been praying for, been hoping for…

"Princess…?" Link began.

He didn't have a chance to finish. Zelda, feeling a wave of race coarse through her, allowed tears to form on the rims of her eyes before she emitted a cry of joy and ran straight towards the stranger. The boy called Link didn't have a chance to act before Princess Zelda quickly wrapped her arms around him and pressed her closely against her.

Surprised and unprepared, Link dropped the emerald. The magnificent jewel made a loud crash as it struck the stone below. But Zelda didn't care; it could've been broken for all she cared at that moment.

For her prayers had finally been answered. The man from her dreams had finally come to her…

"You wish for me to teach the young boy magic, is that it?"

Kaepora Gaebora was rarely surprised these days, for he had seen almost anything in both his current and previous forms. But the _Faria Garuia_ apparently didn't follow the regular laws that governed the world. She managed to amaze the old Owl by telling Kaepora exactly what he had visited her for.

Shaking his head in astonishment, Kaepora replied, "Yes, _Faria Garuia_, that is exactly why I am here. You know of the young boy, then?"

"I do," the _Faria Garuia_ answered. "It is difficult to escape his thread of fate. In all my years I have never seen so strong a thread except through the bloodline of the Royal Family. He is unlike anything I've ever seen. It's possible he may even possess the Gift…"

"Then you will teach him magic?" the Owl asked eagerly.

The _Faria Garuia_ remained silent for a moment before answering, "No."

Kaepora's face fell…as an owl's face could, anyway. "But why not…?"

"Because I cannot," the _Faria Garuia_ replied. "The thread of fate found within this boy is too strong for my own to make a significant impact. All I can do is help him to find his own path. Whether this path will lead to the opening of his possible Gift is uncertain."

"But he _has_ to learn magic, _Faria Garuia_!" Kaepora cried. "You don't know how vital it is that he does! I have seen a reflection of the future, and I cannot piece it together because my powers aren't as powerful as they used to be. All I know for certain is that he must learn magic. And you are the only one who can teach him."

"But I already told you…"

"If I bring him to you, will you at least attempt to guide him down the right path? Will you at least do that much, _Faria Garuia_?"

The silence that followed was deafening, but it didn't take too long for the _Faria Garuia_ to answer. "Very well. I will do as you ask. Bring him to me and I will see what I can do."

"I see. I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure the Great Deku Tree was very important to you Kokiri."

Link accepted Zelda's condolence warmly with a nod. He then took a quick breather before he continued with his story about his journey. After Zelda had released him from the unexpected embrace, he had picked up the dropped Kokiri Emerald and put it back in his pouch before he turned his full attention to the Princess.

She had apologized for her earlier rude behavior and properly introduced herself, despite the fact that Link knew whom she was already. She then had explained why she acted so delighted at his arrival by illustrating the vivid dream she had been having every single night, at the end indicating that Link was the "handsome man" in it. Link nearly blushed at that part for some reason.

After Zelda had finished explaining her dream, she had asked Link to explain whom he was, where he came from, how he had arrived in Hyrule Castle New City, and anything else that was related. Link had obliged and started from the earliest associated incident, which was his first meeting with Navi.

He ended his tale with his entrance into Hyrule Castle.

"But how did you get past the Royal Guards outside?" Zelda asked. The two were sitting on the ground in the garden upon a small hill that had longer grass than the rest of the garden. Zelda had given instructions to her private gardener to do this so she could have a lush carpet to lie on every now and again. "You said it was morning when you scaled the castle walls. They would've seen you…what are you smiling at?"

Link's wide smile broadened as he reached for his belt with one hand and grabbed his slingshot. He then held it up for Zelda to see clearly. "It's pretty simple, really. All it takes is a slingshot, a nut-growing tree, targets with bare legs, and a few carefully aimed shots."

The princess stared at Link for a moment before she, too, smiled when she recognized the underlying meaning of Link's words. "If that's the case," she said through her grin, "then we'll have to get those soldiers some protection for their legs!"

The two then laughed, as if the joke were actually funny. But Navi cut their laughter short. "I don't mean to intrude, but I'm afraid we have some business to take care of. Don't you agree…Link?"

The fairy's tone wasn't harsh, but he had enough force behind it to let Link know she was getting impatient. "If you insist," he said to Navi before turning back to Zelda. "Princess Zelda…"

"Please, just call me Zelda, Link," the princess said with a smile.

Link was caught off guard by the remark, but he tried not to show it. "Uh…sure thing. Zelda, the Great Deku Tree sent us here to see you, and he entrusted us with the Kokiri Emerald as well. Can you think of anything the jewel can be used for? Anything at all?"

Zelda looked up at the sky in deep thought for a few moments before turning back to Link and answering. "No, I can't, I'm sorry. I can't think of anything the stone can be used for. But if you give me the chance, I can try to look it up in the castle library…oh, my goodness! I completely forgot!"

Without warning, Zelda stood up and ran towards the stone platform with the window and peered inside it, not bothering to erect the fallen chair. Link, surprised and curious, stood up and walked up to the princess, asking when he reached her, "Something wrong?"

"Not yet," Zelda answered.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't tell you about this." Zelda backed a little from the window and motioned for Link to look inside. "Before you came, I was looking through this window to watch someone. You remember those dark clouds in my dream I told you about?"

Link nodded.

"Well," Zelda continued, "I believe they symbolize the person on the other side of this window…the one to the very left. Just take a look and see."

Link nodded again and pressed his face against the window. He couldn't see too much because the window was thick and a little hazy. What he did manage to see were several people situated within general vicinity of each other. A few were Royal Guards, but two caught stood out from the rest. The one of the right was sitting down in a very large chair and wearing clothing that most likely identified him as the King of Hyrule.

The one of the left, however, managed to eclipse the king completely. He was dressed in dark armor and clothing with a fiery red cape draped down his back. Muscles bulged from every possible location across his body. Stringy, crimson hair ran across his scalp like dead snakes with a silent poison. He wasn't handsome by any standards, and his bloodshot eyes seemed to know and even relish in this fact. Moreover, they even seemed to intensity man's the repulsiveness by emitting an air of hatred all around him.

The mere sight of the man appalled Link, but one thing made the man even more frightened him even more.

He looked exactly like the rider of the black horse from his dream…

Just then, the dark-clad man turned from what he was looking at and looked at the window, straight at Link. Link quickly backed away, but not before his eyes locked gazes with the man's. For a split second, Link almost believed he had been possessed by something dark, sinister…

"What happened?" Zelda asked. "Did he see you?"

Link could only nod in acknowledgement.

"That's okay," she said with a faint smile, although Link didn't share her optimism. After all, _he_ was the one that had just met glares with a man that could very well be a demon. "He doesn't know about this place, so he won't be able to find it. The window's too hazy on the other size for him to see in here clearly. And besides, he doesn't know about you, so I doubt he will even remember you."

Link remained silent for a moment, thinking about her words, before asking, "Who is he?"

"Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo. They hail from the desert to the far west. He's also known by many as the King of Thieves, for that's what the Gerudo are. Thieves. He claims he's here on a diplomatic visit for a peace treaty with Hyrule, but I believe he's here for much more than that."

"Like what?" asked Link.

"The Triforce."

Link's face went blank. Zelda noticed this and smiled. "Oh, you don't know much about the Triforce, do you? I see. Then I'll have to tell you about it. But I assume you're a little hungry from your little journey into the castle, aren't you?"

Link looked at his stomach, and as if on cue he felt an airy grumble from within. He then returned his gaze to Zelda and nodded. "I guess I am…"

"Then I'll get you something…oh, don't worry, it's no trouble at all. I'll be back in a flash. But you must promise me something: don't leave this garden while I'm gone. I don't want the guards to find you and throw you out, okay? Now, you make yourself at home here while I go get something for you…and Navi as well."

Zelda then gave the Kokiri and fairy a smile before turning and heading for her room. As she left, she muttered something to herself; something about finding a person called Impa to meet Link. She was gone within a few moments, leaving Link and Navi to lie in the garden's lush grass and await her return…

"They call this meat?"

Ganondorf spat into the food he was given as his room service meal, hoping it might improve the taste a little. Alas, he wasn't as fortunate. The meat still tasted too soft and juicy for his taste buds to stand it. In disgust, the Gerudo King took the platter of meat and threw its contents through his window. It landed on the ground with a sickening squelch.

Ganondorf hoped that maybe a stray dog or songbird would eat that muck and get sick from it.

"Such filth they have in this wretched castle," he muttered to himself as he lay on his bed. "Don't they know that meat tasted its best raw? That's something I'll have to introduce here when I'm King of Hyrule…"

He then remembered his earlier meeting with the king and snickered. To be perfectly honest, it was less of a meeting and more of a show. The King of Thieves had always wondered how gullible the King of Hyrule really was, and today's meeting proved the king was far more gullible than Ganondorf ever imagined! Taking over the castle would be a snap…

But there was one thing that made him uncomfortable during that meeting. For some reason, he felt someone, someone whom he couldn't escape from, was watching him. It was as if that person was meant to be a part of his life for some reason or another. It had made him extremely uneasy. He didn't catch a good look at the person in the window, but Ganondorf knew the person was quite young because of the person's very short silhouette.

_"Is it that bloody Princess Zelda everyone talks about?"_ he thought. _"Maybe…yeah, it probably was. But why do I get the feeling that there's someone else involved other than that little royal brat? Something's not right here."_

The King of the Gerudo didn't sleep a wink that night, and for the first time that actually made him feel restless…

"What do you think of her?"

Link wasn't prepared for Navi's question. "What do I think of…Navi, what exactly do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I asked. What do you think of Princess Zelda? Do you like her?"

"In wha…" Link managed before cutting himself off. He had been on the way to saying, "In what way?" but decided not to so he wouldn't have an uncomfortable discussion on his hands. Instead, he said something a little subtler. 

"Well, I think she's really nice in the way she's treating us…and…well, that is…I can't think of anything else at the moment…"

"That's okay," Navi interrupted. "The first thing was good enough. I just wanted to know what you thought of her." The fairy then fell silent about the matter.

But the question remained etched in Link's mind. Although it probably wasn't Navi's intention, Link couldn't help think about it. What _did_ he think about Princess Zelda? What was there to think about…?

He tried to find something.

Zelda was slightly shorter in stature than he was, but a majestic air that constantly lingered around her made her seem taller than he was. She wore clothing anyone would probably see only once and immediately identify with Zelda and Zelda alone. But even when he first saw her Link knew that the clothing didn't create her personality. One thing that he found interesting about her was the softness of her skin; even after the tight, unexpected embrace, her skin felt as soft and smooth as a fresh spring leaf in the Lost Woods. Another were her eyes, by far the deepest blue Link had ever seen. 

Other features, like her blond hair hidden beneath her hat-like scarf and stiff yet calm posture, served to invent an image for Link to think about.

He played with her semblance in his mind for as long as he could, trying to figure out what he really thought about her. When he couldn't come up with a clear answer, he silently promised to himself that he would figure it out before his time with Zelda was finished. And how it would compare with Malon…

Link shook his head upon reaching that name. _"How did I suddenly think of Malon?"_

Trying his best to ignore thoughts about Malon, Zelda, and basically anything in general, Link lay back on the grass of the garden and tried to relax as he awaited Zelda to return with food and this person called Impa. In his mind, however, he silently hoped that he would quickly do what he had to do so he could return to Kokiri Village in the Lost Woods, where he could again be near his friends, his home…and Saria…

Little did he know that fate would soon play a very cruel trick upon him…


	12. A Journey's Prelude

**Chapter 12: A Journey's Prelude**

The desert sands whistled by her head as she stepped out into the sun. She tried to shield her eyes from the midday glare, but the dust particles reflected the bright light in every direction, including above her defending hands. It was a practice she performed every day without fail, despite its apparent ineffectiveness in such an environment.

Nabooru sighed at her futile gesture and allowed the scorching sands to trickle across her eyes as she headed in the direction of main barracks. She already knew, however, that most of the Gerudo guards were camped somewhere in Hyrule, awaiting word from Ganondorf, their king, to attack the supposedly impenetrable Hyrule Castle.

Ganondorf. How she hated that name. How she hated even allowing it to cross her mind. He may be the Lord of the Gerudo, but in her heart she could never bow down to such an evil man. Oh, sure, the Gerudo were thieves, but they weren't evil. The birth of Ganondorf changed all that. If she could take all the power she possessed and give it up to put an end to the current King of Thieves, she would do so in a heartbeat.

But wishes never held any power. They merely made the situation more desperate.

_"But wishes still exist,"_ she realized sadly. _"No matter how meaningless they may be, they still exist. If only one would come true…"_

She arrived at the barracks of the Gerudo Fortress moments later and surveyed the main room. It was mostly vacant, as she had expected, except for a few women polishing their weapons or emptying their shoes of stinging sand. Nabooru shook her head as she thought of what these women were going to do during their "vacation" with Ganondorf gone.

Some were going to do their duty and guard the Fortress. Others were going to sneak off to nearby Gerudo Wasteland and even Hyrule villages so they could find a man and…ugh, she didn't even want to think about it. The thought tempted her to recall something painful, and she didn't wish to do that, especially right now.

Sometimes she wished that she were a little older than her current seventeen. She didn't have enough experience to deal properly with the world, and being Ganondorf's second-in-command didn't help much either, especially with other women older than her under her authority. She knew why Ganondorf had chosen her, above all people, to be second-in-command, and she hated him for it.

Someday, somehow, she would keep the vow she made when she was fifteen. Someday, somehow…

Link's stay at the castle was longer than he expected – three days longer, to be exact – but for some reason he didn't mind at all, despite his earlier wish to leave as soon as possible.

When Zelda returned with the food for him and Navi, she also brought along a woman whom Zelda introduced as Impa. When he first saw the towering woman, Link's first instinct was to run and hide. But Impa soon proved to be much more than he took her to be. For starters, the woman stared at him with a curious gaze that seemed to say, _"So _this _is him, is it?"_ She also treated him as if he were on her same level, if not above it. At first she rarely spoke to him – she instead conversed with Zelda – but Link could tell that Impa had taken a liking to him.

But Impa couldn't match the liking Zelda had taken to Link. The princess treated Link as if he were a part of her family and asked dozens of questions, many of them repeated so she could confirm his earlier answer. Of course, being the Princess of Hyrule, she couldn't spend every possible moment with him, but for some reason Link couldn't help feel she spent more time with him than she did with her royal duties.

The first day (or what was left of it) for Link and Zelda was dedicated mainly to learning everything they could about each other. Zelda asked the most questions, but Link felt he learned just as much about her as she did about him. Even so, the day wasn't completely taken up by acquaintances. The two did have fun during their time together. Zelda taught Link several games including chess and croquet, and Link introduced Zelda to some interesting, little-known facts about the flowers in her garden.

When the day ended and the sun set over the small garden, Zelda offered Link one side of her enormous bed, but the Kokiri politely refused. He remembered lying on the inn's bed with Malon and realized that Hylian beds weren't as comfortable as the ones he was used to. He instead slept on the hill with the longer grass, which more or less felt like the lush grass back in the Lost Woods. The two parted for bed and slept peacefully that night.

The next day, Link and Zelda spent less time talking and more time enjoying themselves. But Zelda's royal duties took up a little more of her time.

Because Link couldn't leave the sanctuary of the garden, when Zelda was gone he spent his time either with Navi or being alone amongst the garden's beauty. When he was with Navi, the two either talked about matters concerning the current situation or played chess. Chess was the only game Navi could play with Link, and even the with Link's help to move the pieces.

She proved to be an adequate player, beating Link three times.

But the most memorable experience Link had on the second day of his stay wasn't with Zelda or Navi.

During a moment when he was alone, Link took his ocarina and the piece of wrapping with the music written on it. As he stroked the instrument's seven holes with the tips of his fingers, he eyed the mouthpiece quietly. Thoughts of Saria flooded into his mind almost immediately, including what she said about the instrument.

That it was alive.

He stared at it for a few moments longer before placing the mouthpiece to his lips and giving it a gentle blow.

He couldn't recall hearing that much worse a sound.

"Having a little trouble with your ocarina?"

Link turned around to see whom it was. The voice was too deep to be Navi's or even Zelda's. He was surprised to see who the voice's owner was. His face gaped in surprise, but Impa merely smiled back. She then slowly walked up to the Kokiri, who was sitting on the long-grass hill, and sat down beside him. He didn't know what to do; this was the first time she had said anything to him.

"Is something wrong?" Impa asked. 

"Something wr…oh, no, nothing's wrong," Link stuttered with a smile, trying to appear polite. "My ocarina? Trouble? I guess you could say that. But not really. I just can't play it, that's all…"

"I see." Impa then leaned over to examine the small instrument in Link's hands. "It's a marvelous ocarina you have. I can tell a lot of love and care went into creating that one. The only equal I can think of is the Ocarina of Time."

Ocarina of Time? The name sounded interesting, but Link wasn't in the mood for dawning on items with fascinating cognomens. He didn't feel very comfortable around Impa – he didn't know why; maybe it was because he didn't know her that well – and he just wanted her to say what she had to say and leave him be. But something inside him told him to just allow her to stay by him for a little longer.

Link's thoughts unknowingly transferred to his face, however, and Impa managed to read them like a book. "I can tell you're a little scared of me. I can understand that. Most people who see me are. That's one reason why the king chose me as Princess Zelda's guardian, because of my intimidating appearance."

Link quickly tried to deny the obvious truth. "No, no. I didn't mean…no, what I _really_ mean is…actually…"

"Don't make excuses," Impa interrupted. "They're signs of weakness. You don't see me making excuses about the way I appear. I accept it that's that. End of story. But that's beside the point. You can't play your ocarina?"

"I…I guess not…"

"Sure you can! In fact, you just did! Don't believe me? Think about this: most people who try to play ocarinas can't even produce a sound from them! But you managed to produce a sound…it wasn't a necessarily appealing sound, but it was a sound, nevertheless."

Link gave Impa a blank stare before looking back at the ocarina. First he was told it was alive, and now he was told that he had just _played_ it! But if what she said was true, then he _could_ play it. Maybe there _was _a chance for him to play it yet. Still, could such an awful sound be called playing an ocarina…?

"This is an interesting song," Impa commented as she gently slipped the piece of paper from Link's hand and studied it closely. "Not too complex, yet quite involved. Did you write this?"

"Uh…no. A friend of mine wrote it."

"Well, then, I think you should do your friend a favor and learn this piece. Okay, you managed to produce a sound from the ocarina. Now try to produce a note from that sound. Let's try…" she pointed to the first note on the piece of paper "…that note, F natural."

Link swallowed slightly. He couldn't even play a simple C scale before and now Impa wanted him to play an _F natural_. Trying not to appear rude, he again lifted the ocarina to his lips, positioned his fingers on the right holes (he hoped, at least), and blew. The same terrible sound came out, only this time at a different pitch.

Disappointed, Link withdrew the mouthpiece. "I can't…"

"What did I say about excuses?" Impa sternly warned before returning to a kinder tone. "Okay, try this. When you play the note, don't think about the note. Trust me, doing that creates tension, and tension isn't what the instrument needs to feel. It needs to feel calmness from the player. No, don't visualize the note. Visualize something else, and let the ocarina do the work."

Link couldn't help but feel that Impa had just told him exactly what Saria had told him, that the instrument was alive. It wasn't the same wording or intention, but the underlying meaning was still there. He looked at the ocarina again. Picture something other than the note? Does such a bizarre idea actually work?

Why not? He was a Kokiri outside the Lost Woods, so anything was possible…

Link again lifted the mouthpiece to his lips and positioned his fingers. He then inhaled, but this time he did as Impa instructed. He thought of something else other than the note being played. At first he couldn't find anything, but then a worthy image did cross his mind. He smiled in his mind when he saw Saria's face stare back at him warmly. How he wanted to reach out and take Saria's hand, the hand that had seen him through so many hard times with Mido. How he wanted to caress those lips, the lips that owned many a kind word of reassurance…

_"The ocarina is alive…"_ Saria said.

The instrument began to glow…Link blew…

It was the most beautiful note he had ever heard. From his own lips, at least…

"There, I told you that you could do it!" Impa's voice declared, interrupting Link's thoughts.

The Kokiri stared at Zelda's guardian for a moment before looking back at the instrument. He couldn't deny that he had actually played that note, but he couldn't dismiss the other thing that had happened. Did the instrument actually glow? Was there actually substance to Saria's words…?

"I'm sure with a little practice," Impa smiled, again interrupted Link's thoughts, "you'll be able to play your friend's song in no time. Now, there's something I need to tell you, Link." That was the first time Impa had spoken Link's name. "I came here so I could teach you something, and that something just so happens to be a song."

That caught Link's attention. He remained silent, which urged Impa to continue.

"You see, recently in Princess Zelda's dream, the young man that is you knows a certain song. This song is very well known song within the kingdom, but everyone outside the Royal Family is forbidden to play or transcribe it. Yet in Princess Zelda's dream, you somehow know the song. I feel that it's an indication that you must learn the song. But do you know it, let me ask first?"

Link shook his head.

"Then I'm going to teach it to you. It's simple, really. It's actually a lullaby. We call it Zelda's Lullaby, after Princess Zelda's great-grandmother of the same name. Here's what I'm going to do. I'll teach you the first few notes to start you off; I want you to know them fluently by the time you leave. I'll write the rest of the song down and give it to you so you could learn it wherever you're going. Okay?"

Link couldn't help but acknowledge Impa's instructions with a nod of the head.

"Good. Okay, the first note is a B natural. Just play it like you did with the F…"

Ganondorf snarled when the woman called Impa disappeared down a nearby hallway. He didn't particularly like anyone in the castle, but he completely loathed anyone tied closely to the Princess Zelda. Although he hadn't even met the brat in person yet, he could tell there was something about her that he didn't like. Maybe it was the sickeningly pure qualities she was well known for. Maybe it was her uncanny abilities to win over the people of Hyrule.

Or maybe it was because he felt she was hiding something…

Although he hadn't seen anything of Princess Zelda, he could tell something was up because of her guardian, who was disturbed for some reason. Ganondorf could tell the woman called Impa was a Sheikah, and he knew only two things greatly troubled a Sheikah. One was not fulfilling given duties, and the other was the possibility of a prophecy being realized.

And since this Impa obviously performed her obligation of protecting the princess without a single flaw, it had to be something to do with a prophecy.

_"And at such a crucial time!"_ he growl in his mind. _"When I'm about to be the ruler of all the world! Blast it, I don't want to search for it until I've taken the castle, but if there's a possible prophecy running amuck I may have to start earlier than I anticipated!"_

As he turned a corner, Ganondorf realized he was more worried than he had ever been in his entire lifetime…well, maybe not. Maybe more worried than he had ever been since _then_…but that was beyond the point. Prophecies were rare occurrences and they usually only affected certain people that played a key role in fate.

And since he was about to rule the world, he would _undoubtedly_ play a key role…

Making sure no one was looking, Ganondorf took his armored fist and punched the stone wall. The gesture left a crack deep and extensive enough to insert his fat index finger through it…

The third day of Link's stay was the day that changed everything.

After his usual – for some reason he couldn't help but thick of it as "usual" – his usual morning playtime with Zelda, Link sat by himself on the long grass hill with his ocarina in hand. Zelda was tending to some of her royal duties, Navi was sleeping somewhere in the garden, and Impa…well, he never did learn her behavior, even after yesterday's unexpected meeting.

Even now the confrontation echoed in Link's mind. He still couldn't believe he had learned to play the ocarina…and that beautifully as well! But he knew he couldn't take all the credit. There was Impa, of course, for teaching him that little "trick," and then there was Saria with her statement about the instrument being alive. Yet there was one other "person" Link gave credit to: the ocarina itself.

The more he thought about it, the more he became convinced of Saria's remark. How else could he go from not being able to play a simple scale to being able to play the first few notes of a forbidden royal song…?

Speaking of the forbidden song, Link wondered what was so special about it. Yesterday Impa had made him play the same three-note rhythm over and over until she felt satisfied. She then took the piece of paper with Saria's song on it and wrong on the other side the notes to Zelda's Lullaby. She then left Link to learn them at his convenience.

Zelda's Lullaby didn't seem as complex as Saria's song, so he didn't know what the big fuss over it was. Why was it forbidden to transcribe and play such a simple tune? Or was there a hidden depth to the song that only people connected to the Royal Family knew about?

For a brief moment, Link wished he were a Hylian so he could understand…

_"What are your secrets?"_ Link thought as he stared at the notes on the piece of paper. _"Why are you considered so special?"_

Deciding to find out, Link lifted the Fairy Ocarina to his lips and began to play the few notes he had learned from Impa. As he reached the end of the little bit he knew, he considered trying the next few notes when he looked up and saw Princess Zelda standing at the doorway to her bedroom.

Immediately Link removed the ocarina from his mouth and stood up. He was about to say hello when he noticed the look on her face. There was a temporary expression of surprise in her eyes, but the lasting facial cast was one of grave importance. Zelda had come with news of some sort, and Link couldn't tell if he was or wasn't going to like it…

_"He played the Royal Family song,"_ Zelda thought with amazement, _"just like in my dream. He really is the one I've been dreaming of."_

Her surprise was short-lived, however. He quickly recovered her princess-like composure and smiled to greet Link. But even her smile couldn't hide the fact that she had an air of seriousness around her. Link's facial expression made it clear that he knew she had something important to tell her.

Hesitating slightly, Zelda walked up to the Kokiri slowly as she tightened her grip on the large book tucked under her left arm.

When she reached Link she urged him to sit down. When he did so she sat down beside him and placed the tome in her lap/

"What's that?" Link asked.

"It's a book of Hylian and world legends," Zelda answered as she opened it and flipped a few pages. "I had Impa look through the castle library for anything related to your Kokiri Emerald. She didn't come up with much until she found this book. It deals with many of today's famous myths and legends, like the Sacred Triforce."

Triforce. She said it again. "Triforce?" Link asked.

"Oh, I never did explain it to you, did I?" Zelda inquired as she looked into Link's questioning eyes. "I guess now's a better time than never."

Zelda closed the book and set it aside before turning to Link, making herself comfortable, and beginning her tale:

"Long before life began, long before Time even existed, the world was nothing but a single point of chaos. It's very hard to describe what it was like, but nothing that we know today existed then. There was nothing, not even ideology: no right or wrong, good or evil. Sometimes I feel that in that chaos was the perfect world, but I won't get into that.

"Anyway, in the Great Heavens, three great goddesses decided to change the chaos that was the world. Today they are known simply as the Three Goddesses. I'm sure even the Kokiri know about the Three Goddesses: Din, Goddess of Power; Farore, Goddess of Courage; and Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom. You know about them, right?"

Link nodded, although he only partly knew about them. He had heard the names mentioned several times by Saria after her private meetings with the Great Deku Tree, but he had no idea that they were goddesses. And he only used them to curse. He would have to watch his tongue from now on…

"Well, these Three Goddesses," Zelda continued, "descended from the heavens to create Time for a new world. The goddess Din used her strong flaming arms to take the chaos that was the world and shape it. Eventually she shaped the chaos into the bare red earth of the world. Nayru then poured her wisdom upon the earth, and the spirits of law was born. Along with that law came philosophy, morality, and, of course, wisdom. Finally, Farore's rich soul covered the earth and gave birth to all forms of life. This life would uphold the law created by Nayru.

"I believe your Great Deku Tree was one of the forms of life created by Farore."

For some reason, that statement didn't surprise Link. Taking into consideration what Zelda had told him and what he knew about the Great Deku Tree, it was easy to realize that the mighty tree was created by the gods so he could create the forest.

"Anway, when the Three Goddesses had finished their tasks, they departed for the heavens. They entered the Great Heavens at a single point, and it was at this point that the Sacred Triforce was created. The Triforce is a magnificent relic that embodies the three doctrines of the Three Goddesses: Power, Courage, and Wisdom. It became the basis for the world's providence and was given to Hyrule for safekeeping. The province where the Triforce stood became sacred, and eventually became known as the Sacred Realm."

Zelda paused so she could catch her breath. While she did so, Link thought about what she had said. The legend of the Triforce sounded intriguing, but he couldn't help wonder what it had to do with what she had discovered about the Kokiri Emerald. He was about to ask that question when Zelda actually answered it. She reached for the book again, opened it, and pointed to a page with, of all things, Link's Emerald! Link gaped in amazement.

"You're probably wondering why I took the time to tell you this story. It's because I believe it's not a story at all. I believe the Triforce is real…and your emerald plays a major role in the story. It's a Spiritual Stone."

Link's blank stare turned into a confused gaze. "Spiritual Stone?"

"There's a little more to the legend. You see, in the early days of the Triforce, there were many greedy men who wanted to hold the essence of the gods in their hands and thus steal the sacred relic. To prevent this, six people were appointed as Sages by the gods and they sealed the Sacred Realm, along with the Triforce. The entrance to the realm is a closely guarded secret, and it's well protected. The entrance can, however, be partially unlocked by three powerful gems, the Spiritual Stones.

"So you see, Link, you're holding one of the keys to the Sacred Realm."

For some reason, Link didn't feel anything special. He expected he would feel overwhelmed that he held the key to probably the most powerful relic in the world, but he felt nothing but curiosity. Maybe he had to actually be a Hylian to feel such emotions. Even so, all Link could ask was,

"So where are the other two?"

"The legend says that after creating the seal on the Sacred Realm, the Sages hid the Spiritual Stones in Hyrule. One was hidden in a deep labyrinth of the gods – I assume that's the Lost Woods – another in a fiery beast of stone, and the last beneath the tears of the heavens. I talked about this with Impa, and we both concluded that the 'fiery beast of stone' has to be Death Mountain, the active volcano northeast of Hyrule Castle New City. We don't know what the 'tears of the heavens' are yet, however."

"So what are you going to do?" Link asked.

Zelda's smile waned slightly. "We're going to get them, of course. Link, you remember Ganondorf. You remember me telling you that he's here for something other than a peace treaty? He could be here to find the Sacred Realm so he could get his hands of the Sacred Triforce. We can't let that happen. We have to make sure he can't open the Sacred Realm, so we have to get the Spiritual Stones before he does."

Is that why the Great Deku Tree was cursed? Was it that man, Ganondorf that had cursed the mighty deity with the parasite Gohma? Did Ganondorf kill the Great Deku Tree just so he could get his hands on the Spiritual Stone that Link now held in his hands? Link couldn't believe it, that the great tree he loved was sentenced to die just for one man's greed. But there was no other explanation.

Even though he hadn't even met the man, Link now hated the King of Thieves with all his heart. And that was enough for him to consider Zelda's idea of finding all the Spiritual Stones.

Still, he couldn't ignore one thing. "But we already have one Stone, so he can't get into the Sacred Realm without it. Why is it necessary to collect the other two?"

"Because the more Stones we hold, the more leverage we have against Ganondorf. Who knows? He might collect the other Stones and then steal the one we have somehow. We can't take that chance."

"I guess you're right," Link said, although he quietly thought, _"But at the same time, we could be doing all the work for him."_ He then added, "So how are you going to get the second Stone?"

Princess Zelda's eyes seemed to widen before she diverted them from his gaze. "I…" she said quietly, "I want to ask you to get it. Will you…Link?"

When she first said those words, Link thought she was joking. But the pleading tone in her voice was a real one and Link felt reality slap him in the face. She really _did_ want him to go and collect the Spiritual Stone in Death Mountain, and he was pretty sure she'd want him to get the third one if she knew where it was.

He could refuse, of course. She was only _asking_ him, after all, and he so badly wanted to refuse so he could just go back home. But something told him _not_ to refuse; in fact, it seemed to grind him inside, urging him not to refuse. He kept questioning the feeling of why he should accept, but the only answer he received was the same burning sensation.

Finally, he broke down. "I will."

Zelda looked up and gazed at Link's side-glancing face. Tears had formed in her eyes; the question had obviously been difficult for her to ask. She smiled.

"Thank you," the whispered before leaning over and placing a gentle kiss on Link's left cheek.

The night was a cool one, but Impa was sweating all the same. She wasn't sweating out of fear or anxiety, but mainly out of haste. She wanted to be present when the young boy Link and his fairy Navi were leaving for Death Mountain. Zelda had arranged for them to leave in the dead of night so they wouldn't be noticed, and they were going to leave in a few moments.

She didn't want to miss seeing off this young man, this young man who undoubtedly had some ties with fate…

But she first had to return the book to the castle library before it was missed. Tucking the tome under her arm tightly, Impa broke into a quiet yet swift run. She arrived at the library in record time. Making sure there weren't any guards around, the Sheikah entered the library as quietly as possible and tiptoed towards the shelf where she had found the book. She replaced the volume in its proper shelf, breathed a sigh of relief, turned, and left the library.

As she did, she couldn't help but notice her sweating and heavy breathing. _"Why am I sweating like this? I'm a Sheikah…is it because of that boy, I wonder?"_

When she had completely disappeared down the dark corridors, Ganondorf stepped out of the shadows of the library, sneered in Impa's direction, and reached for the book she had just placed back on the shelf…


	13. A Giant's Response

****

Chapter 13: A Giant's Response

__

"How did I get myself into this?" Link thought as he stared down into the deep ravine, the vast, hungry abyss beckoning the Kokiri to fall in. He looked up the tree root he was hanging on and clutched it even tighter, but doing this only caused the limb to slip down further into the gorge. 

He had lost his whereabouts. He had lost Kaepora Gaebora. He had lost Navi. But more importantly at the moment, he had lost all control of the situation.

And unless he did something, and quickly, he was going to lose his life…

Without thinking, Link called out. "Navi! Navi! I'm here! Help me!"

But even then he knew she couldn't hear him. The echo was too loud.

"Link!" Navi called, looking around desperately for the young Kokiri. "Link! Where are you? Link!"

The fairy received no answer but the distant echoes of her voice caused by the mountain. She had been searching for Link for what seemed like ages but she had found no trace him at all. It was amazing how Death Mountain had managed to separate the two so quickly and easily, especially when Navi had vowed to stay close to Link since the Great Deku Tree's death. In all the world's history, Navi doubted a fairy had lost a charge before. She was most likely the first to do such a thing.

Then again, no fairy had ever ventured beyond the Lost Woods before…

But then again, that wasn't the point, was it? She had lost Link, the Kokiri she had been told to watch over and guide, and she had to find him before something happened to him.

__

"And where's that Owl when you need him?" Navi grumbled in her mind as she continued her search. "Link! Link! Can you hear me? Where are you? Link! Link…!"

"Link," Zelda whispered to herself for the hundredth time that day, her mind unable to concentrate completely on anything else. Her whispers weren't loud enough for people nearby to hear them clearly, but every time she uttered that name she felt she had committed a sin by revealing a deep secret, the secret of the boy from the forest's existence. And every time she blushed slightly before forcefully paling her face again and returning to the appearance a princess should maintain.

For some unexplainable reason, Link had become an undeniable and seemingly permanent part of her life.

She didn't know why she murmured his name all the time without motive, but she did have a guess at why she blushed every time she said it. If she could flow down the River of Time, she probably wouldn't have lied to Link like she did…but was it really lying? She didn't say anything false to him, but instead omitted truths from her words. To her mind, she hadn't falsified anything. But her heart seemed to tell her differently.

Why else would it drive blood through her facial skin every time she uttered that name…?

"I'm sorry," she uttered, sending another small surge of embarrassment through her face. She had probably muttered that phrase as many times as she had that name.

But no matter how many times she apologized to Link in her mind, most likely only the real experience could erase the bitter guilt she tasted in her heart. Why had she lied – if it really was lying, that is – why did she lie to Link in the first place? The question plagued her mind for a split second before the answer instantaneously emerged, and Zelda stopped questioning the motives behind the falsehood.

The answer only increased the bitterness of the guilt, and it took Zelda a few moments to return to her required princess-like air. She then swore to herself not to think of the matter again, only to find herself repeat the cycle of remembrance and liability again moments later. She didn't know how long the periodicity would continue, but she occasionally guessed the moment of its conclusion.

When she confessed to Link her true motives behind sending him in search of the remaining Spiritual Stones.

At one time during the day, she thought,_ "When you come back, Link, I'll tell you everything. I promise."_

The promise was all but devoured in the war of guilt within her mind…

Kaepora Gaebora grumbled in frustration. It was pretty hard for the Owl to grumble in his current form, so he was somewhat surprised that he could show the emotion in such a manner. But his mind was still focused on a more important matter: to find the Child of Destiny, wherever Kaepora had somehow lost him!

__

"Death Mountain truly is a wonder," he thought as he caught a warm air pocket and rode it to a higher altitude. _"I can only pray that it won't live up to its name with young Link…and that fairy Navi…"_

As he stabilized his height, he looked around the mountainside for any signs of the Kokiri or the fay. When he couldn't see any, he cooed loudly. "Link! Navi! Are any of you there? Please, answer me!"

Nothing, not even an echo. _"A wonder, indeed."_

He continued to scan the mountain's surface in vain, his frustration continually growing with every moment. He wished he could use his abilities to travel up Time's River and discover Link's location, but he knew his magic couldn't be used for such small and precise glimpses into the future. Frustration soon turned into worry, and Kaepora probably would've chewed his feather tips if he could've.

Just then, when he was about to call out again, he spotted some movement near a steep gorge…

The root slipped down further into the abyss as Link tried carefully and unsuccessfully to scale it. His efforts were only aiding in his inevitable fall, he realized, but Link didn't want to go through with his unfortunate fate willingly. Oh, sure, he might hasten his death by trying to climb the frail rootlet, but that didn't mean the deed might also help him escape, despite the obvious remoteness of the gamble succeeding.

Taking a deep breath, Link spat – something he never did before – into the ravine, gathered and diverted the remainder of his strength to his arms, and began to climb. As he lifted himself up, he felt the root slither down further. His eyes were so blind with determination and pain he didn't notice whether the net result of the climbing and sliding were in his favor or not. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself harder.

Seconds seemed to turn into hours and the edge of the ravine still seemed as far away as it had been when he started his desperate risk. But he still pressed on, determined to either reach the top or die trying. But by now his arms were straining to hold his weight and trickles of blood were seeping from his stiff palms and dribbling onto the root and his face. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold on much longer, even if the root held.

Trying not to think of the pain, Link pictured his home, the Lost Woods, and all its wonderful memories within his mind. He thought of the days when he was picking ripe berries, climbing great oaks, and running through waving glades. He thought of all his friends and how they stood up for him when Mido bullied him.

He thought of Saria…

…and found his eyes crying despite the burning discomfort. His mind filled with the words she had told him about the ocarina, about how he mustn't give up because something was difficult. Those words, those seemingly powerful words, echoed like soft thunder in his head. It was as if Saria was there with him, telling him not to give up.

Ironically, it was at this moment that Link began to doubt he could climb to safety.

"I can't," he whispered to himself as he loosened his grip slightly on the root. "I can't do it."

__

"I don't want you to give up…" Saria's voice murmured in his head.

"Saria, I can't do this," Link pleaded to the voice in his mind. "I can't."

__

"I know you can do this," the voice whispered back. _"I know you can do this."_

"Saria. Please. You're talking about playing the ocarina. This is completely different. I can't…"

__

"I know you can do this."

"Saria…"

__

"I don't want you to give up something just because it's difficult…I know you can do this…trust me, Link. You can do this. Trust me."

By now, Link could barely see because of the pain and the lukewarm blood creeping into his eyes. Saria's words continued to echo as his delusional state worsened. They repeated in his mind so many times that he eventually ignored them, unable to hear his best friend telling him about something impossible.

He couldn't do this; he couldn't save himself. He would fall, either by the branch breaking or by his own will…and right now the latter option seemed like the best one.

His entire life passed before his eyes: the Lost Woods, Saria, Navi, the Great Deku Tree, Gohma, Kaepora Gaebora, Malon, Hyrule Castle, Zelda…and his grave, Death Mountain. As his strength slowly drained away, the world around him darkened and illusions – hundreds upon hundreds of them – flashed like enormous stars within his fading vision.

"Forgive me…" he whispered to a blurring phantom that he caught a brief glimpse of. He didn't know who the phantom was, but it didn't matter. His life was finished…and it shall be by his own hand.

Feeling the sticky blood squelch beneath his stinging palms, Link emitted a final sigh – a sigh that seemed to take with it all his remaining strength – and let go of the root. His eyes saw the real world and the dream world merge, and he almost thought he could hear the sweet sound of Saria's ocarina singing him to his eternal rest…

Suddenly, he felt an abrupt and painful jerk on his left arm and his descent into the abyss instantly stopped. Surprised and indifferent at the same time, Link found a small scrap of energy left within his stiff body and used it to turn his neck so he could see the reason for the interference of the inevitable.

As he turned his neck, his tired mind discovered something: the jerk had been caused by something wrapping around his arm and gripping it tightly and roughly. Memories indicated it was Kaepora Gaebora as they recalled the tightness of the Owl's claws, but Link's pained eyes told a different story.

But before Link could hear the story, he blacked out, only able to hear a single word uttered by his exhausted mind: _Gohma…_

As he turned the last page, Ganondorf snorted in disgust and then threw the book in the corner of the room. He then got up from his bed, stormed to the book, and kicked it with his dirt-filled boots. As a final show of disgust for the tome, he picked up a final time and ripped out several pages before throwing it out the window.

The deed done, Ganondorf contemplated the few discoveries he had managed to discover from the book. Unfortunately, there was little in the book he didn't already know, and a lot of it was about legends he knew for a fact were just that: legends. All in all, the book itself didn't teach him anything useful.

However, he did note one interesting thing about the book: it possessed the legend of the Three Goddesses Spiritual Stones. Although he didn't have firm evidence, it was possible that Zelda had read the book and knew about the keys to the Sacred Realm, and thus the Triforce. If she had, then she probably knew why he was here in Hyrule. It was also possible she might've sent someone after the Spiritual Stones…

But Ganondorf smiled at this thought. _"The little brat won't do something like that. And even if she did, she won't get them. I've made sure they'll be mine when I leave to pick them up."_

After reassuring himself of his victory, Ganondorf looked at the window through which had thrown the book. Someone would undoubtedly find it, and Zelda will most likely hear about it and therefore know that he had also read it and was on to her. He chuckled at the idea of planting fear in the Princess of Hyrule's mind, and wished he could actually meet the brat face-to-face…

An idea suddenly forming in his mind, Ganondorf marched out of his room…

__

Isn't it strange how a person recalls his most recent memories when he is close to death? Then again, is such a thing typical, or is it an exception? Link didn't know the answers.

Instead, Link watched his own memories as they reenacted the more recent moments of his life. He watched himself enter Hyrule Castle New City, meet and then leave Malon, scale the walls of Hyrule Castle to find Zelda…he watched all of these reminiscences quietly yet indifferently, as if they held no current value.

But these memories only appeared in pieces and sections. His vision of memories became more linked and fluid when he saw himself leaving Hyrule Castle in the dead of night, departing for Kakariko Village at the base of Death Mountain. There he would begin his search for the next Spiritual Stone, wherever it might be.

His mode of transportation wasn't necessarily one fit for a royal emissary, but the cart filled with barrels of Hylian-quality wine was the only thing Zelda could come up with that was both quick and not attention-drawing. Link, although a little uncomfortable at the idea of riding something pulled by horses – creatures he had only had glimpses of before – he didn't complain. Navi, surprisingly, didn't complain either. In fact, she kept quiet until the cart had long left the palace and Zelda was but a faint silhouette in the moonlight.

"You really think this is what the Great Deku Tree wants us to do?" she asked softly in Link's ear so she wouldn't alert the adult driver of the cart. "To collect these Spiritual Stones?"

"I don't know, Navi," Link whispered back, "but something tells me that this has got to do with the path of destiny the Great Deku Tree told me about. I get this feeling that I have to do this."

"I sure hope so, because if you're just doing this just because that Zelda asked you to, then this isn't right, Link. I pray you know what you're doing."

Link didn't say so, but he also prayed he knew what he was doing. There was something Zelda had held back about her reasons for wanting the Spiritual Stones. She didn't directly lie – he could tell that – but the way she spoke almost felt like she, in fact, was lying to him in a way. 

Something wasn't right about this. He knew he had to do this, but something wasn't right about it…

The trip took several days to cross the expansive fields of Hyrule through several small hamlets to the larger town of Kakariko Village. The journey was long and tedious for Link, who only had Navi and the driver of the cart for company. Several times he wished he could've asked Malon to join him as a companion, but he then always remembered finding her already gone from the inn on the night of his departure.

Therefore, to pass the time, Link resorted to learning the rest of Zelda's Lullaby. The driver's first reaction was one of fear and shock – after all, the song was forbidden to those outside the Royal Family – but he eventually calmed down when Link explained he was permitted. Even so, the driver tensed up every time Link practiced the song.

Arrival at Kakariko Village wasn't much of a welcome for Link. They arrived in the dead of night, a time when very few people were outside, so there was virtually no one to greet the weary Kokiri. Because it was night, the village wasn't too much of a sight to behold, despite several positive comments given to him by Impa about it before his departure.

Giving a polite word of thanks to the driver, Link left the wine cart and headed with Navi into the heart of the village, where he found the same nightly blandness and one or two people taking evening strolls. He was about to say something to Navi when a familiar feeling in his stomach made him change his statement.

"I'm a little hungry," he said to the fairy. "Wonder where we can get something to eat…?"

"I see you made it here safely, Link. Welcome to Kakariko Village."

Surprised to hear that old familiar voice, Link looked up to the edge of a nearby house's pointed roof, where Kaepora Gaebora stared back down at him with his wide eyes. Even Navi was astonished to see the Owl again. The three remained silent for a minute before Link broke the silence.

"Kaepora Gaebora! Where have you been? Boy, have we got a lot to tell you. We actually met Princess Zelda, and…"

"I know, Link," the Owl interrupted politely, "and now you're on a mission to collect the three Spiritual Stones, one of which you already have."

Link let his jaw drop in amazement. "How did you…?"

"I have the ability to ride the River of Time, and I can see pieces of the future if my magic can work properly. Fortunately, it managed to work this time, and I witnessed your coming here to seek the next Spiritual Stone. It was very convenient for me, because I didn't have to fly all the way back to Hyrule Castle New City to find you."

"Wait a minute," Navi said, flying halfway between Link and the Owl. "You came here before you had your vision? Would you mind explaining that?"

"I would," Kaepora uttered as he stretched his wings in a wide arc, "but I think it would be best to do so once you've collected the Spiritual Stone of Fire first."

"Spiritual Stone of Fire…" Link could hardly contain his excitement. "So it is_ hidden here. Zelda was right. Do you know where it is hidden?"_

"Yes…and no," the Owl answered with a grim face. "I don't know of its exact location, but I do know that it lies somewhere within Death Mountain. The ancient Sages knew where to hide them well, for Death Mountain is a cruel place. Many who have dared to climb its mighty walls have never returned, and it is littered with legends that cannot be verified as either true or false."

"Just like the Lost Woods," _Link thought quietly before saying, "Okay, so that's where we need to go. I'm sure we can find it if we try. When do we leave?"_

"At dawn," Kaepora answered. "I wish to explore Death Mountain with as much sunlight as we can gather. So you should get some rest now and…oh, here's something for you."

The Owl then lifted one of his claws and threw something large in it at Link's feet. It was a bush, and its tiny branches were decorated with dozens of clusters of bright red berries. Smiling, Link looked back up at Kaepora and asked, "So you managed to predict our hunger as well?"

Strangely, the Owl seemed to smile with its beak before Kaepora answered, "No, I just used good old common sense."

Link's memories suddenly skipped past his eating of the berries and his nap, and the next thing he saw was himself…high in the sky, with Kaepora Gaebora carrying him in his powerful claws. Ahead of him was Death Mountain, its mighty peak seemingly beckoning him to explore its forbidden secrets. Behind him was Kakariko Village, its dull nightly exterior now being cleansed by the fresh rays of the dawning sun.

As Death Mountain grew closer and closer, Kaepora Gaebora called out, "We must be careful when we search for the Stone. The mountain is an active volcano and can erupt at any time. And we mustn't be separated either, for the mountain has many tricks up its sleeve that can confuse even a well-trained tracker's abilities, so even I would lose you and Navi."

"Hey, where is Navi?" Link asked.

"Right here," Navi responded from atop the Owl's back. She didn't say so, but she was actually enjoying flying upon another creature's back…

Link couldn't recall much of the search for the Spiritual Stone of Fire, mainly because it wasn't worth remembering. Kaepora would take Link and place him on the side of the mountain somewhere, and the three of them would search the area as thoroughly as they could before leaving for another section to probe. By the time Din's Eye was blazing high in the blue fields of the sky, everyone felt frustrated and exhausted – especially the Owl, for he had to carry Link every time they finished searching an area. But they still pressed on, determined to find the valuable key to the Sacred Realm…

It was late in the afternoon when Death Mountain finally responded to their presence…

The trio was exploring a dangerous section of the mountain where cliffs and loose-looking boulders were in bountiful supply. Deciding to take a chance, Link wandered farther than he usually did from Kaepora to inspect a jut of rocks near a steep bluff. That proved to be a deadly mistake, for as he stooped down to examine the bulge, the ground beneath his feet began to quake.

"The mountain's convulsing!" he heard Kaepora's voice call out. "Let's get out of here…Link! Link, where are you? Link!"

The Owl called out several more times before he saw Link and he glided as quickly as he could towards the stumbling Kokiri. But even then he was too late. As Kaepora's claws grabbed Link's shoulders, dozens of boulders began pouring down the mountain's surface, spitting dust and gritty shrapnel in every direction. Kaepora tried to hold on to his precious cargo, but because he had carried Link around for so long he didn't have the strength needed to keep his grip.

Without warning, a flying rock the size of Link's head appeared from within the chaotic dust storm and struck the Owl's back with full force. Kaepora screamed a terrible, earsplitting cry of pain before letting go of Link. The Kokiri fell and was soon lost within the chaos below…

All that Link remembered after that was landing hard on the ground and rolling like a stone along the inclined ground. He luckily saw the ravine ahead and tried to stop himself, but the sandy floor provided no such help. Fortunately, he also saw the tree root dangling like a vine in his path and he reached out and grabbed just as he slid off the edge.

Then came his desperate struggle to climb back up, his inner conflicts, his final decision to die by his own hand, and…Gohma…

So, the parasite had returned from the grave to seek vengeance upon what had killed it. Link remembered his discussion with Navi about whether or not the beast was evil, and he wondered whether or not he had been right. He claimed it wasn't evil, but do non-evil creatures seek revenge? Did Link really understand anything? Did he really have what it takes to walk the path of destiny the Great Deku Tree told him about?

Was he even supposed to be here…?

It was then that Link awoke. He didn't awake with a start, but it was fast enough that he didn't feel like falling back asleep immediately. Even so, his body felt stiff and sore, as if he had fallen from the heights of the Deku Tree and lived to tell about it. His eyes didn't see blurs; they saw nothing but blackness. He couldn't hear much save a soft, rhythmic vaporous sound, like breathing…

As if on command, Link's eyes adjusted to his new surroundings. The first thing he saw, however, wasn't something he expected – or wanted, for that matter – to see. 

"Gohma…" he managed to whisper loudly.

Then, he screamed.


	14. The Royal Messenger

****

Chapter 14: The Royal Messenger

Link didn't scream for long, but a corner in his mind was surprised that he actually did scream, for Link rarely screamed, even when he confronted Gohma for the first time. So why did he scream this time? Maybe it was because _this_ Gohma was even more hideous than the first one. It was corpulent and bulky and waved about like a distorted mist. Its hideous facial features were gnarled and twisted beyond reason and proportion, and two monstrous-looking clawed hands writhed in anticipation for prey…

"I say, is something the matter, my dear boy? And who is this Gohma?"

The friendly voice made Link stop and behold whatever he was doing. After he had screamed, he had tried to back away on his hands and feet but only found a solid wall behind him. The voice had sounded the exact moment he had touched the wall. Surprised and confused, Link took a few moments to use his hands to rub his eyes. He discovered his vision was still blurry and continued to brush his eyes until he felt comfortable with them. He then turned to face the "Gohma"…and nearly gasped in surprised at what he _really_ saw.

To his relief – and, sadly, his embarrassment – the thing standing before him was far from Gohma. But it was quite far from being a human as well. It stood just a little over Link's own height but possessed a rounded plumpness that outclassed Link's figure easily. The creature's light brown skin decorated with large rock-like scales on its back made it appear like a living slab of stone carved straight from Death Mountain's surface.

Link would've been afraid of the strange creature had he not seen the beast's face. Shaped like an augmented dewdrop, the head possessed two interesting features. The first was its enormous mouth, which stretched across the face like a thick, rectified wrinkle. The kind of teeth found within this mouth Link could only guess, yet somehow the mouth seemed to display a smile of warmth and comfort that Link couldn't help smile back at.

The second feature was the beast's eyes. They looked like two round pieces of the stained glass windows Link had seen back at Hyrule Castle, yet these two "pieces of glass" possess an obvious fervor and kindness that seemed to tell Link something: "Don't worry, I won't hurt you." With the combination of the creature's smile and eyes, Link finally calmed down and waited for the friendly voice to speak again.

To Link's amazement, it was the beast that spoke with the voice. "Ah, so you've calmed down. That's good. Was something wrong, my dear boy? And who is this Gohma you mentioned earlier?"

Trying to cope and take everything in at once, Link hesitated for a moment before answering, "I…i…it's nothing. Really. I'm perfectly fine, thank you. I'm…just…a little dizzy, that's all…" Just then, Link remembered his nightmare situation over the ravine and quickly blurted out, "Hey, where am I, anyway?"

The creature smiled at Link's question before answering, "I see you've remembered your little ordeal by the gorge. Things have gone a little fast for you, haven't they? I'd explain them to you, but I'm not good at that sort of thing. Are you strong enough to walk?"

Link looked at his legs and stretched them out, testing their muscles to see how much strength was left within them. Deciding to take a chance, Link lifted himself off the floor and stood up. He immediately felt stiffness coarse through his body, but he knew he could walk if he had to. He turned to the creature and nodded.

"Good. Then follow me. Kaepora Gaebora will be pleased to know you're all right, Link."

Link nearly jumped in surprise. "Kaepora's here? How is that…hey, wait. Tell me, is there also a pink fairy called Navi with Kaepora?"

The beast gave Link a blank stare before answering, "Sorry, I didn't see any fairy with the old Owl when he came in. You'll have to ask him when we meet him. But seeing as we're on the subject of names, I might as well give you mine. I'm Malatite, pleased to meet you. Now, come on, we need to get going."

As Malatite turned to go, Link decided to ask something. "Just tell me one thing, please, Malatite. What exactly _are_ you? And where in the world _am_ I?"

Malatite turned his chubby head with a smile to face Link before he answered, "I was wondering when you were going to ask that again. I'm a Gororn, my dear boy, and you are in magnificent Goron City under Death Mountain!"

Goron City wasn't exactly magnificent as Malatite had called it, but it was still a spectacle for Link to behold. As indicated, the city wasn't _on_ the mountain's surface, but _under_ it; and its arrangement was far from that of a typical town, like Kokiri Village and Hyrule Castle New City. Instead of a single plain, Goron City consisted of an enormous cavern with dozens of rings racing around the wall, each one independent of all the others. 

Because he was seemingly on the top "floor" of the cavern, Link could see that each ring was like a street, and each street possessed tunnels that were either homes or probably staircases to another level. Link also noticed that as the rings went lower and lower, they grew smaller and smaller until a ground space a little smaller than Hyrule Marker Square remained at the bottom.

One thing Link noticed was that each "road" had several strange looking boulders dotting its surface everywhere. Upon closer inspection, however, Link realized that they weren't boulders at all; they were Gorons, all rolled into balls and cleverly disguised by the rocky designs on their backs. Puzzled by what they were doing, Link turned to Malatite for answers.

"What are they doing?" he asked, pointing at all the immobile Gorons.

"They're sleeping, what else?" Malatite answered.

Wondering if he had been asleep longer than he had thought, Link questioned, "How high is Din's Eye at the moment?"

"Malatite pondered for a moment before replying, "Nayru's Gold is beginning to set over the horizon, but there is still quite a bit of daylight left. Why do you ask? Are you scared you slept for a long time?"

"Well, yes, that's right," Link uttered before pointing again at the Gorons, "but why is everyone asleep so early?"

With that question, Malatite laughed. "Asleep so early? My dear boy, we Gorons sleep _all_ the time! Practically any time of day is when we sleep; except, of course, when we work, play, eat…"

Abruptly, Malatite stopped speaking and his laughter died as well. He had apparently said something that he for some reason didn't want to talk about, although Link didn't see what. But instead of asking, Link remained quiet and allowed Malatite to regain his original persona. The Goron took a few moments to accomplish this before he finally continued.

"Anyway, I'll take you to Kaepora Gaebora now. He's just across there, waiting at the Sacred Stone altar." He then pointed across the enormous cavern roughly in the direction of its center.

Link squinted to see what Malatite was pointing at, but although brightly lit torched illuminated everywhere along the cavern wall, the inner section where the Goron indicated was almost pitch black. But then Link noticed something he didn't notice earlier. A thick, sturdy-looking rope was attached to the edge of the floor he was standing on and disappeared into the dark center of the cavern. He looked around the ring and noticed several more ropes performing the exact same task.

The Sacred Stone altar Malatite mentioned was probably affixed to the end of all these ropes, right in the middle of the cavern in the murkiness.

Staring at the rope for a moment and unsure about setting foot on it, Link turned to Malatite and asked, "And how do we get across? I don't think we can just _walk_ across…"

"Of _course_ we can!" Malatite answered with a smile, although Link couldn't help but feel he had insulted the Goron. "We Gorons had to adjust to the unstable and dangerous sides of Death Mountain, so walking a rope is child's play. If you don't want to walk, then I'll just carry you. Simple as that."

Before Link could say anything in response, Malatite reached out with his fat hands, grabbed the Kokiri by the shoulders, and placed Link on his left shoulder. Then, without asking for Link's consent, the Goron headed for the nearest rope and without a slight hesitation stepped on it. Almost immediately the rope began to sway slightly, causing Link to hold his breath, but Malatite walked across the unsteady cord as if it were solid ground.

As the two headed into the darkness, Link felt like speaking but decided not to disturb the Goron who was walking a shaky wire over a very high fall. He turned instinctively to his shoulder to speak to Navi, only to remember that Navi wasn't there. In fact, was Navi even with Kaepora Gaebora? Wouldn't Navi have stayed with Link through his spell of unconsciousness? Why would she want to stay with the old Owl?

The signs pointed that she wasn't waiting for him at the altar, yet Link still hoped she was. But then he remembered his decision to let go of the tree root and realized hope wasn't something that usually went in his favor. He had hoped to return home after meet Princess Zelda but was now stuck on a quest for Spiritual Stones. He had hoped to climb the root to save himself but he abandoned the effort when he decided he couldn't do it, despite hearing Saria's pleas not to give up.

Why should hope go right for him a third time?

Navi tried to look up with her tear-filled eyes, but she found she couldn't bring herself to do it again. Instead she returned her eyes to her bundled arms and began to renew her crying. Being a fairy wasn't as different as being a human being. Oh sure, fairies had wings and held a special connection to the world of the Three Goddesses that humans didn't possess, but the differences in essence stopped there. Fairies had similar bodies (albeit smaller ones), spoke the same language, and expressed the same emotions as humans did.

And now Navi was expressing a strong and overwhelming emotion: sorrow.

Sorrow over the death of Link.

When she had started her search for Link after the avalanche, she had hoped she would find him quickly. But she soon learned that everything the Owl told them about Death Mountain was true. With few visible landmarks, twisted air currents, and absolutely no sense of direction, the volcano proved to be an enormous maze located in the open. 

With every passing moment she had grown more and more anxious, and her voice had seemed to grow louder and louder as she called out for Link. Sometimes the mountain had echoed her frantic voice; sometimes it hadn't created even a whisper. The lack of response from anything but her own voice had only made her more determined to find her charge.

And now she had found him, but not in the way she had expected.

She cried for a few moments longer before forcing herself to look up again. It was painful, but she had to do it. With sheer determination, Navi lifted her head and gazed through her tear-drowned eyes at the bloodstained piece of green cloth caught between a tree's roots above a deep ravine.

The condition and location of the cloth was self-explanatory. Link had fallen into the ravine, had tried to catch himself on the tree's roots, but failed to do so. Without even looking Navi knew that the ravine was so deep and dark that she would probably never find Link's body…

Link. She would never hear that name again except in memories, cheerful and painful. During her relatively short time with the Kokiri, she had never admitted to him how much she enjoyed being his fairy. Although they hadn't always gotten along, Link had somehow always pulled through and had surprised even her stubborn pride. 

And now he was gone forever, and had left a giant void she knew she could never fill. With Link's death came the inevitable feeling of failure to protect her charge give to her by the Great Deku Tree, but something else eclipsed even that. It was the loss of a friend, a friend she never knew she had, a friend she never knew she wanted.

A friend she would never see again…

"Link, I'm sorry…" she bawled before burying her face in her arms again.

"Don't cry, little one."

The voice came so suddenly that Navi thought it was a figment of her imagination and continued to cry. But the voice repeated its gentle message a second time, causing the fairy to lift its head and look around in confusion. She saw nothing except the mundane scenery of Death Mountain staring back at her.

She was about to believe she really _had_ imagined the voice when it spoke again. "There's no need to cry, my dear Navi. The one you've been sworn to protect is alive and well, and you shall be reunited with him again soon."

Hearing those words was enough for Navi to take flight into the air in amazement. Her pink light, which had been radiating in sorrow, was now sparkling in hope. If Link really was alive, then maybe she hadn't failed in her duty as his guardian fairy after all. Maybe it was _his_ fault _entirely_! After all, he was the one who strayed from Kaepora in the first place…

But deep inside Navi knew her exuses couldn't hide the fact that she was to blame just as much. She hadn't stayed with Link at all times and look where he was now: not with her. She could try and be professional about the situation as hard as she could, but she suspected she was going to virtually break down when she was reunited with Link.

Her friend.

But a few things were still unanswered. "Who are you?" she called out to the mysterious voice. "Where are you? And where is Link…?"

"All will be answered in due time, my child," the voice interrupted with its soft tone. "For now, you must follow me to my sacred garden. You will play a vital role in the Child of Destiny's growth."

"What are you talking about?" Navi demanded, almost angry that the strange voice wasn't answering her questions. "And why won't you take me to Link? I _demand_ you take me to him…"

"Follow me," the voice whispered gently, as if it hadn't even heard Navi. "My sacred garden is this way. Follow me."

Navi was about to protest when she felt something come over her. It was a bizarre yet strangely familiar feeling, and it triggered something in the fairy that made her turn in a certain direction. She didn't know why, but she headed in that direction as if it led to someplace important. As she did, she heard the mysterious voice whisper to her again.

"Yes, come, my child. Come to my garden and all your questions will be answered. You may think you've failed your friend, but one of your greatest achievements is yet to come."

Navi didn't even answer anymore. Instead she just continued to fly, fly in the direction of an unknown destination…

"I see, so Navi's not here."

Link tried to hide his disappointment and worry from Kaepora Gaebora, but he soon discovered the Owl could notice things even in the pitch darkness of the Sacred Stone altar platform.

"Don't worry, my dear boy," the Owl uttered gently. "I'm sure she's just fine. You'll be reunited with her in due time. But right now Time is precious and we can't afford to waste a second of it. You know why we're here, and we need to do it before…what's wrong? Is something the matter? Are you still upset about…?"

"No, it's not Navi," Link lied, wiping away a tear. He then quickly came up with an excuse to answer the Owl's inquisitive gaze. "It's just that…I'm still not exactly sure what's going on. How did I get here? I thought I was going to die back at the ravine." Link didn't add he was going to do it by his own hand. "And you, why are you here underground?"

Because it was so dark in the middle of the cavern, all that Link managed to see was an Owl-shaped silhouette with an eerie pair of eyes glowing because of the distant torchlight. Kaepora's shadowy head cocked to the side slightly before he answered, "So, you're still a little slow on what's happened, is that it?" He spoke as if he almost knew about Link's lie. "Well, I guess it won't hurt to bring things up to speed.

"After the avalanche separated us, Death Mountain performed its mysterious tricks by causing me to lose all sense of direction. By the time I could see again – the strike on my back nearly blinded me, you see – I had lost the original spot entirely, along with you and Navi. And since my magic can't be used for tiny glimpses into the future, I was practically blind anyway. So I was forced to search for you using only my eyes.

"I probably would've never found you had I not spotted movement by a ravine…"

"So you _were_ the one who saved me from falling," Link interjected suddenly, wondering why both Malatite _and _Kaepora resembled Gohma in his delusional state.

"Please," the Owl said gruffly, "let me finish. It wasn't me that saved you from the ravine. That honor doesn't belong to me. As I was saying, I spotted movement by a ravine, which I _thought_ might be you. But it turned out to be a sleeping Goron that had just woken up. It was the first time I had ever laid eyes on a Goron ever since…well, since I was very young. The young Goron was startled by my arrival at first, but he eventually listened to my problem of finding you.

"Quicker than you'd think a Goron can move, the young lad goes off to find some friends to help aid in the search for you. Gorons are masters of Death Mountain. They can see and hear things that non-mountainous beings can't. I was told that the Goron who found you did so because he heard you talking to yourself. Yes, Gorons may sleep most of their lives, but they're very quick when they need to be.

"After you were carried here unconscious, Malatite – the best Goron doctor of all, in my humble opinion – nursed your wounds and dried the blood out of your eyes. You'll notice that you don't even have scars on your palms from where they bled." Link looked at his palms and saw, even in the dim light, that this was remarkably so.

"But wait a tick!" Link abruptly stated, suddenly thinking of something. "If you knew about the Gorons, why couldn't we have just asked them to help us in the first place? It could've saved us a lot of dangerous searching time…"

"Maybe," Kaepora grumbled, "but you have to understand that it's very rare for someone to lay eyes on a Gororn, even someone such as myself. I only saw him by chance, and that chance saved your life. And Goron City is well hidden within Death Mountain slopes, so it could've taken days to locate the city's entrance. The only reason we're here is because of your mistake to wander too far from me."

Realizing that this was true, Link's face cringed in shame before he averted his eyes from the Owl's illuminating gaze. But Kaepora didn't give the Kokiri time to feel sorry for himself before he continued with some surprising news:

"But I must say, your mistake has generated one of the most remarkable cases of good fortune for us. You see, my dear boy, we have located the Spiritual Stone of Fire."

Link nearly jumped when the Owl said this. "We have? Where?"

"It's right beneath my feet," answered Kaepora with an Owl-like smile in the dark. 

Unable to say anything in response, Link looked down to Kaepora Gaebora's claws and discovered that the Owl was perched on a thin slab of stone jutting from the platform. He quickly realized that this must be the Sacred Stone altar that Malatite had mentioned. He reached out towards it and felt it, expecting to touch a magnificent jewel like the Kokiri Emerald in his pouch – he quickly made sure he still had his pouch with the Stone and his ocarina, and he did.

But there was nothing there, nothing except a few large indents in a peculiar shape that he didn't understand. Confused, he looked up to ask the Owl a question but Kaepora beat him with an answer already.

"Actually, I should've said that the Stone _should've been_ right under my feet. You see, Link, the Spiritual Stone of Fire – called the Goron's Ruby by some – once resided in this altar. It was kept here to keep it safe from any thief that might, by some remote chance, enter Goron City and steal it. However, recent circumstances have forced Darunia, the leader of the Gorons to take it away from the altar for safe keeping."

"And what circumstances are that?" Link asked.

"The rock shortage," answered the Owl.

"What?" Link boomed with a loud voice, his eyes wide open in puzzlement. "What in the world could you mean by that? There are hundreds of rocks…"

"There's another thing you should know about Gorons," Kaepora interjected. "Gorons eat rocks, but not just any rocks, mind you. You see, Gorons have grown accustomed to eating a special type of rock, a rock filled with various minerals and quartz and a certain luster…you get the picture. They've eaten this rock and just this kind of rock for so long that they refuse to eat anything else.

"The special rock is found and mined in only one area of Death Mountain, and there's only one entrance to that mine. However, recently the mine's been blocked off so the Gorons can't enter it. And it gets worse. Reports that Dodongos now inhabit the cavern have been confirmed, and…"

"Dodongos?" Link inquired, his confusion growing.

"Well, that doesn't matter right now. All that matters is that the cave is blocked and the Gorons can't eat their delicacy. Did you notice Malatite? Did you see how uneasy he was when he mentioned the word 'eat'? Yes, I have very sharp hearing. But you noticed that, right? The Gorons are practically starving to death, and they refuse to eat anything else. However, some Gorons did get the idea of tasting the Goron's Ruby to see if that might satisfy their tastes at all.

"So Darunia was forced to take the jewel from the altar to protect it. And now he won't let anyone in his private quarters. And now you know as much as I can tell you."

__

"Well, not all," Link thought but didn't say out loud. Instead he uttered, "So what are we going to do to get the stone?"

"I don't know. I've heard a rumor that Darunia sent a message to the King of Hyrule to help rid the precious mine of Dodongos, but that was over a fortnight ago. I can't be certain, but I'm sure the messenger was too weak to carry the message all the way to Hyrule Castle New City. The rumor is accompanied by another rumor that states Darunia will only allow the King's messenger inside his room.

"And right now we don't have the time to go all the way back to Hyrule Castle to ask the King for assistance. So unless we can get Darunia to talk to us, we're in a fix at the moment."

The Owl was right, Link admitted reluctantly. Unless there was a way to get to this Darunia fellow, they were at an impasse. How were they going to get him to let them in his chamber? He suddenly wished that Zelda were with him to help him. Even Impa, were she here, could…

Wait a minute! Impa! With a cry of excitement Link remembered something important that Impa had taught him. He reached for his pouch again to make sure it was still there, and when he confirmed it was he turned to Kaepora and declared, "Where's this Darunia? I think I have a way to bring him out."

"You do?" Kaepora asked, intrigued. "What's that?"

A little glad that Link finally knew something that the Owl didn't, he uttered with a sly look, "Show me the way to Darunia and I'll show you."

"Very well," Kaepora answered, spreading his wings out to stretch them. "Darunia's chamber is on the very bottom level. It'll take a while for you to use the stairs, so I'll fly you down there."

Link nodded, although he was a little disappointed with the Owl's quick agreement to his idea. He had hoped to enjoy his success of knowing something the Owl didn't for a little while longer, but now that was impossible. Sighing in silent defeat, Link braced himself as Kaepora lifted a little into the air and grabbed Link's shoulders with his claws.

__

"They're a little looser than I remember," Link thought as Kaepora lifted the Kokiri into the air and left the Sacred Stone altar platform. While the two glided down towards the bottom of the cavern, Link wondered where Navi was. He still hadn't quite gotten over her not being with him, but by now he had managed to hide it quite well from the Owl.

__

"I'll find you again, Navi," he thought to himself. _"If you're still out there, alive or no, I'll find you if I have to search all of Death Mountain alone. I promise."_

They reached the bottom within a matter of moments, and after setting Link on the ground Kaepora perched on the edge of the next ring-floor above. Link took his time to survey the area. The ground level was a little smaller than he originally thought, but it was large enough for almost half of Kokiri Village to live in comfortably. It was empty save for several burning torches and an enormous jar that stood taller than the next level.

At each end of the "room" was a single tunnel. One visibly held a set of stairs that undoubtedly led to the next ring. The other was most likely Darunia's room. Link guessed this because an enormous stone slab blocked it.

"So how are we going to lure Darunia out?" the Owl asked from above.

"Like this," Link answered before reaching for his pouch and pulling out the Fairy Ocarina. The Owl was surprised, but he kept quiet as Link took the sheet of paper with a song written on it and went over the notes. The Kokiri then lifted the instrument to his lips and began to play the forbidden tune.

He never expected at that moment that he would get it right. Despite his practicing on the road to Kakariko Village, he always felt he could improve on his playing somehow. But that was just practice. Now he had to play it for a purpose, and somehow that factored into his playing. It was as if the ocarina felt his need to play the prohibited melody and reached out to help Link do his task.

__

"The ocarina is alive…" Saria's voice whispered in his mind.

He played the song once through, but that was enough. Moments after playing the final note, a great groan erupted through the cavern and the stone slab covering Darunia's door began to open. The tablet was lifted through the rock by some unseen force – probably a hidden array of pulleys or something like that – and it stopped with a dull thud when it completely disappeared in the stone.

The entrance to Darunia's room was dark, but Link knew what he had to do. He turned to Kaepora and said, "Wait here. I'll see if I can talk Darunia into giving me the stone."

"Very well," the Owl replied. "Go right in, but don't be too rash. A Goron's pride can be dangerous when mixed with anger."

Nodding in agreement, Link took a deep breath before stepping into the darkness of the room. From somewhere inside, he could here the sound of heavy breathing…


	15. Bargain with a Brother

**Chapter 15: Bargain with a Brother**

Dusk, a time of day that was both special and troublesome for Zelda. Troublesome because the beautiful face of the sun disappeared over the horizon, and destiny never foretold whether or not it would rise with the dawn the next morning. Special because the descent of Din's Eye bore many wearisome concerns of the day along with it, including many of her own. Dusk was indeed a paradox, a savior and an omen, a potential blessing and a possible curse.

Just like Link, she realized.

Link had been gone several days now – exactly how long she couldn't recall – but she always felt as if he were right by her side all the time. Although she no longer thought about him without feeling an overwhelming burden of guilt, she still couldn't think about him without a sense that she had to apologize to him. Frequently she thought about her asking him to collect the two remaining Spiritual Stones and whether she had done the right thing. After all, she had her own reasons for wanting the Spiritual Stones that she hadn't told Link.

She even wondered if sending Link out like she did was a wise idea. She didn't know why, but there was something about Link that made her uncomfortable. She hadn't noticed it when he had been at the castle, but thinking about him day and night led her to make several conclusions about him.

The most evident one – to her, at least – was that Link was hiding something very important from her. But the most interesting part of this conclusion was that Link didn't even _know_ he was hiding this secret from her. It was as if the secret was hiding itself!

Realizing she was thinking too much, Zelda sat down on a nearby bench and hung her head with a sigh.

Her father's Royal Gardens were a lot bigger than her private one, and they seemingly contained a far greater variety, although in reality they merely possessed more of each. However, they did have one thing that Zelda's garden didn't have: wildlife. Whenever Zelda wanted to have isolation from the rest of the world, she went to her personal garden, but to feel accepted and relaxed _with_ the world she came to the Royal Gardens. The wildlife – hares, tree rabbits, goldtail finches, silverback parakeets, and other creatures found in the Gardens – gave her comfort that seclusion sometimes couldn't provide.

As Zelda sat upon that bench, her mind slowly taking in the beauty of her father's Gardens and unwinding to a calm state, she began to recite a poem written during the time of ancient Hylian folk ballads. She closed her eyes and softly clasped her hands in prayer-form as she spoke:

_"Give me a day that is without my crown and I'll show you my love._

_Bring me a moment when worries are gone and I'll show you my love._

_Make me a promise of eternal Time and I'll show you my love._

_Wish upon days that we only we find and I'll show you my love._

_Take me to worlds that you have created and I'll show you my love._

_Show me a kiss with passion inspired and I'll show you my love…"_

At that moment, before she could continue with the poem, an image of Link filled her mind. She had pictured Link many times before, but this time she knew why she was thinking about him this time. She opened her eyes quickly in awkwardness and immediately felt the warm effects of embarrassment flood her face.

_"Really, Zelda,"_ she told herself in her mind. _"You are a princess. You're more sophisticated than that…"_

"That was so beautiful, my dear. You almost made me shed a tear."

Without even recognizing the voice, Zelda knew immediately to whom it belonged. She stood up hastily, looking around frantically for the voice's owner, but couldn't see him anywhere. Trying to look as dignified as possible, she called out to the lush collection fauna:

"Come out and show yourself!"

As if awaiting that command, Ganondorf stepped out from behind a large blackroot tree, adorned in full armor and wearing a smirk. He took a few steps into view before leaning against the tree and folding his arms. The two remained silent for a long moment before Ganondorf finally spoke through his sneer.

"So we finally meet, Princess Zelda. How are you this lovely evening?"

"I'm fine, thank you," she uttered in an emotionless tone. She had prepared for the moment she would meet Ganondorf face to face, and she was ready not to give him any pleasure or enjoyment in the least. "And how are you?"

"Oh, I'm doing okay," the King of Thieves answered. "In about a week or two I'll be even better. By the way, have you read anything interesting lately?"

"I read a lot of interesting things," Zelda replied coldly. "But whatever I've read is probably more interesting than that priceless book you destroyed earlier today."

Ganondorf's smile didn't even wane. Instead he folded his arms tighter across his chest and said, "You're probably right, my dear. It was a bit of a bore, seeing that I knew everything in it already…and a lot more, mind you, especially about those beautiful gems. You must know about them, Princess, so tell me, what do you think of the Spiritual Stones?"

That question caught Zelda off guard. Did Ganondorf know more than the book he destroyed? Did that include knowing about the location of the Spiritual Stones? He most likely knew about the location of the Spiritual Stone of the Forest – the Great Deku Tree's curse seemed to point to that – so it was very likely he knew about the locations of the other two.

Why didn't she think of that before she sent Link on his quest to find the other two Stones? If Ganondorf had visited them before, then Link might be walking into a trap…or nothing at all! Was it possible that Ganondorf had the last two Spiritual Stones with him?

Before she could say anything, Ganondorf continued speaking with his mocking sneer. "I can see you're a little speechless. I guess that can be likely, since the Stones are so beautiful." Then his voice suddenly changed, to a snarling growl, and his eyes seemed to shrink in animosity as they affixed their gaze on Zelda. "Now listen to me and listen good. I don't know what you're planning, but you're too late. The Spiritual Stones are mine, and once I've done what's needed here I'll be off to place them in my very slimy hands. That is what you think of them, don't you, princess? Well, these slimy hands can do more than collect Spiritual Stones, and I advise you to stay out of what doesn't concern you before I show you personally."

But Zelda had stopped listening the moment Ganondorf had revealed he didn't have the Spiritual Stones. A glimmer of hope still existed…but that still didn't eliminate the fact that the King of Gerudo had visited the two remaining Stones' locations. How he knew where they were she would probably never discover, but that didn't matter. The real question lay in what unthinkable terrors Ganondorf had unleashed to guard his precious treasures.

Even so, a sliver of hope lay in Link, she thought. He had overcome Gohma, so was there any reason why he couldn't overcome Ganondorf's other challenges…?

"Hey, what are you smiling about, you little brat?"

Ganondorf's commanding voice broke her concentration, and she realized that her lips were wearing a faint smile. It was obviously something Ganondorf hadn't expected, and he also apparently didn't like it at all. Deciding to take advantage of this sudden turn of events, Zelda widened her smile and made her eyes give off a condescending look.

"Oh, nothing, my dear Gerudo," she said with a cheerful and mocking tone. "I'm just pondering about how hollow your threats are. I don't know where you get this idea that Spiritual Stones are of any importance, but it's quite amusing to hear what stories you can create. You even nearly had me going with that look you had a while ago."

This was obviously not what the King of Thieves wanted to hear from Princess Zelda. Before she could say anything else, the huge man threw his dark cloak behind him, stormed up to the smiling young girl, and gave her a push so hard that she stumbled several steps before falling on her back. Slightly dazed, she tried to get up but stopped when Ganondorf's shadow loomed over her.

The Prince of the Desert snarled at Zelda for a moment before bellowing, "I don't know what you're up to, you little wench, but I know you're hiding something. And I'm going to find out what, mark my words. You can't play me for a fool. And remember this: we _will_ meet again, and whether or not you live during that time will be entirely up to you. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

He then unsheathed a knife from his belt, firmly clutched its hilt, turned around, and thrust the black blade into the bench Zelda had been sitting in moments earlier. The bench's wood emitted a loud crack that echoed throughout the Gardens and its tip peeked through the other side of the surface.

Unable to say anything, Zelda could only watch as the King of Thieves turned back to her and continued, "…I have important matters I must attend to. You and I know I disgust you, but _you_ don't know that you disgust me even _more_!"

Ganondorf then spat an enormous ball of saliva at Zelda's head, but he barely missed and the spit landed in a sick glob in the grass. Ganondorf, unable to stand it anymore, turned and trudged away, leaving Zelda to watch him leave in shock.

As he passed a bed of vanity roses, he kicked a clump of dirt in the flowers' direction and mumbled to himself, "Little witch is a lot tougher than I thought. She could be trouble. I got to watch her more carefully, or she'll end up ruining all I've worked for. What's she hiding, anyway? What is she hiding? What…?"

Link wished Navi were with him, because the darkness of Darunia's room was overwhelming, even with the torchlight from the cavern behind him. The heavy breathing was getting louder and louder, although he couldn't see anything at all in the gloom. As Link continued walking further and further into the dark, he wondered why Darunia's room was so big. And why didn't he have any light? Did he prefer the darkness or something…?

Suddenly, he took one step forward and saw light to his right. With a start Link realized that the gloom wasn't _a part_ of Darunia's room but a tunnel _leading_ to the room. Sighing with relief, Link headed for the light with a slightly brisker walk…and was nearly blinded when he walked directly into the illuminated room.

As just eyes adjusted to the brightness, Link examined his new surroundings. The room wasn't too big – it was a little larger than his home back in Kokiri Village – but it definitely felt like it was meant for a leader…of Gorons, anyway. Large pieces of cloth hung from virtually every part of the ceiling – Link remembered seeing one hanging above Darunia's door outside – and peculiar patterns that seemed to resemble the face of a Goron were etched in every cloth's surface. The actual floor of the room was bare save for a single rug with the same peculiar pattern, several torch stands with fires blazing, and an enormous statue carved in the shape of a Goron. Link couldn't figure out its intended purpose.

In the middle of the room stood a Goron, but it was completely different from Malatite and probably every other Goron. His arms and legs contained a visibly larger amount of muscles that seemed to ripple with tightened veins, particularly his arms, which possessed hands larger than Link's head. While Malatite possessed a small potbelly, this Goron's belly protruded from his body like an uncontrollable growth, but it definitely didn't display any signs of sluggishness or lethargy. Stiff hair-like growth sprouted around the creature's face like a scruffy main, and the Goron's face displayed a countenance of anger and sorrow blended into a dangerous concoction.

Link had found Darunia, the leader of the Gorons.

Darunia and watched Link's entrance, and had remained silent until the Kokiri had stepped completely into the room. When he saw the person for whom he had opened the door, Darunia's face seemed for frown even more than it already was.

"What is the meaning of this? Where is the Royal Messenger? I heard the song of the Royal Family, so I know he's here. Where is he? Answer me, boy!"

The Goron's voice was so powerful and commanding that Link answered the question without thinking. "I…I am…I am the R…r…royal Messenger."

Impossibly, Darunia's frown deepened. "You? The Royal Messenger? Is this some sort of joke? Where is the Royal Messenger, boy?"

"R…r…right here," Link stuttered, unable to do anything else. "This isn't a j…j…oke. I…I'm the messenger."

Darunia took a step forward, leaned forward, and studied the Kokiri closely. He then became erect once more and boomed, "This is unacceptable! Does my Sworn Brother the King really think this low of the Gorons so as to send a young boy as his Royal Messenger? I have enough problems already!" He then glared down at Link, who couldn't move at all. "Very well, boy. What is the message from the King of Hyrule? Has he agreed to send help in ridding our mine of Dodongos?"

Link remained silent for a moment before answering in a more steady voice, "Not exactly. I am actually here to ask you to give me the Spiritual Stone of Fire. It's a matter of vital importance."

As Link finished speaking, Darunia's voice took over in a tone even more overpowering than before. "Again someone asks me for the Goron's Ruby! What is the world coming to? Is everyone trying to take advantage of the poor luck of the Goron Race? It's unacceptable! Completely unacceptable! So the King wants the Goron's Ruby, does he? Tell him no! I will _not_ give him the sacred treasure of our race, even if he _does_ come to help us get rid of the Dodongos! Tell my Sworn Brother that, 'Royal Messenger!' Now get out of my sight before I throw you out myself!"

 Link was so beset by Darunia's powerful voice that he nearly did as the Goron demanded. He wished desperately that Navi were with him, either to whisper some form of encouragement or even to stand up to Darunia for him. But since she wasn't here, he only had his own will, which was right now crumbling before the mighty hammer within Darunia's tongue.

Yet despite the lack of Navi and his collapsing constitution, something inside of Link made him stand his ground, made him stay exactly where he was. For some unexplainable reason, Link felt his muscles tense up – not in fear, but in determination – and his breathing deepen. If he had a mirror, he would've seen his face grow unwavering and firm, his eyes tighten in counterattack, and his mouth curl with grit. He could've drawn his sword to look even more resolute, but the same voice in his head told him not to do anything uncalled for.

Darunia was surprised by this unexpected change in the little Kokiri standing before him, and he lost his ire-filled stiffness for a moment before he regained it and bellowed, "Are you deaf, you little squirt? I told you to get out of my sight! Do you want my help in the task? _Do_ you?"

Link didn't answer, which was probably the best answer he could've given Darunia at that moment. The deafening silence that followed the Goron's threat was so unnatural and eerie that it only served to magnify Link's dogged image of the moment. The Kokiri did nothing except merely stare at the leader of the Gorons; he didn't even seem to blink. 

Darunia started to grow frantic. "All right, if you don't move from that spot this very moment, I'll give you a broken arm as well as me being your escort!"

Link didn't even seem to hear the desperate threat, giving Darunia no other choice. The Goron, keeping his face as gruff as possible, stormed up to the Kokiri and loomed over him like the monstrous beast for which Link had mistaken Malatite earlier. But Link wouldn't have cared if Gohma were looming over him at that moment. He had made an unconscious decision to stand fast, and he wouldn't move if the Three Goddesses told him to do so.

Unable to stall his intimidations any longer, Darunia reached out with one of his enormous fists, wrapped it around Link's relatively tiny head, began to constrict it…

…and stopped just before his massive palms touched Link's head. The Kokiri hadn't even flinched let along tried to escape the Goron's tightening grasp. Darunia was stunned. He had seen many things in his life, but he had never seen anything stand up to him like this before.

He hesitated for a moment before he finally lifted his hand away from Link's head. Link's face hadn't even changed from the brief endeavor. No longer capable of standing up to the Kokiri's iron will, Darunia took a step back before letting his arms drop to his sides and allowing his face to sag.

"I…I…" the Goron uttered in a voice no longer as powerful as before. "I don't know what to say. In all my years as a Goron, never have I encountered anything such as you. I underestimated you entirely, and you're display of bravery has shaken me to my roots. I could've killed you, yet you refused to move. I've never demonstrated such gallantry, and never will I do so. I am a failure to the Goron race as its leader. I am a failure."

During Darunia's short speech, Link had relaxed his stern demeanor and stood quietly, listening to the Goron's attack on himself. At he finished speaking, Darunia turned around, headed for the statue at the end of the room, leaned against it, and began to cry. "I am a failure…" he repeated through his weeping.

Link didn't know what to do or even think. First Darunia had acted like a powerful juggernaut ready to take down anything that stood in its path; and now he here he was, shedding tears over how much of a failure he was. It was almost too much to take in all at once. And it was partly his fault, as well!

Deciding to calm the sobbing beast down, Link pulled out his ocarina from his pouch and placed it to his lips, intending to play Zelda's Lullaby. But before even playing the first note, Link stopped; realizing it probably wasn't wise to perform the song that started this entire mess. He would have to play another song, but where was he going to get another one…?

With only a slight hesitation, Link pulled out the piece of paper on which Saria had used to write her song. He straightened the paper out and looked at the notes, wondering if he might be able to play it right now. He recalled playing Zelda's song in a seemingly miraculous manner only moments before, but that had been because he had practiced it before.

Could he now play a song from which he hadn't even played a single note?

_"Well, Saria,"_ he thought as he again brought the mouthpiece to his lips. _"Time to find out if you're theory is correct."_

Taking a deep breath, he began to play.

The feeling was different from playing Zelda's Lullaby. Maybe it was because he hadn't practiced Saria's Song as he had with the Royal Family's song, or maybe it was because playing this song held a degree of importance that Zelda's Lullaby didn't have. Or maybe it was a combination of both.

Either way, Link knew he was feeling something this time. If he had denied Saria's statement that the instrument was alive before, he recanted that declaration there and then. Although he had his eyes closed, he could see the notes of Saria's Song slide before his eyes, and he could feel his fingers respond to each note in a clean and natural way. He could even sense a degree of warmth radiate within his hands from the ocarina.

Darunia's ears twitched the moment Link had played the first note, and by the time Link had performed the first stanza the Goron had all but forgotten about his so-called weakness and his tears. The song he was hearing was an upbeat yet soothing melody that seemed to caress every inch of his rough skin, a fast aria with a comforting message for his soul.

In fact, the rhythm was so potent that Darunia couldn't help himself…

When Link opened his eyes after playing through Saria's Song several times, he nearly stopped playing out of sheer astonishment. He had never seen a Goron dance, and he doubted he would ever see a Goron dance like Darunia was doing right now. The Goron twirled and shifted around the room as if he had been burnt severely on his feet, yet the face displayed a cheery and joyous feeling that Daruniua was obviously enjoying. Link, amazed at what he was seeing, didn't want to stop and interrupt Darunia's happy moment.

But something did make him stop, and it was something he never expected. As he led the song into another verse, a voice spoke inside his head. He probably would've dismissed the voice as another flashback memory if it hadn't echoed in his head so loudly and so much like an actual voice:

_—Finally! You've done it! You've played it! I'm so proud of you! —_

Link, surprised to hear his old friend speaking to him, removed the ocarina from his mouth, looked into the air, and cried out, "Saria? Is that you? Saria? Where are you?"

"Hey!" came Darunia's strong voice, drawing Link's attention back to the Goron. Darunia had stopped dancing and again wore a serious demeanor, but he no longer held an air of sadness and anger around him. "Hey, you play that instrument pretty well! And that song…it was just so _beautiful_! Just like that, all my worries and doubts were washed away. I don't know who you are, but you've done me a great favor. Thank you, and…I'm sorry, sorry for treating you like a young boy. You're obviously more than that."

The strange voice of Saria long forgotten, Link smiled slightly at Darunia's complement. "Thank you," he uttered. "My name's Link, by the way."

"I see, that's a pretty unusual name," the Goron said with a turn of his head. "I'm Darunia, leader of the Gorons, but everyone calls me Big Brother, so feel free to call me that. But tell me, Link, why did the King of Hyrue send you here again? To collect the Goron's Ruby?"

"Well, not exactly," Link revealed. "I was sent here by Princess Zelda, not the king. I'd explain why we…uh, she needs the Spiritual Stone, but it is vital that I take it to her."

"Princess Zelda, is it?" Darunia inquired rhetorically. "Well, she's not the ruler of Hyrule, but she's definitely someone to respect. I'd grant a request from her easily…except that I can't just give her the Sacred Stone of our race just because she asks for it. It has to be earned."

Link was beginning to get a little impatient, but he kept his cool as he said, "I see. So how does one earn the Spiritual Stone?"

"You have an odd name for the Goron's Ruby, my young lad. But getting back to matters, Princess Zelda can get the Sacred Stone by sending us help in ridding our mine of the Dodongos. I'm a little disappointed in my Sworn Brother's response to our plea, but maybe his daughter can help us. Take that message to Princess Zelda, and then when she's helped us out I'll give her the Stone she desires."

Link thought the matter through. It might be a good idea to return to Hyrule Castle and ask Princess Zelda to help in this task because of one possible thing: relief from duty. If Zelda sent help to the Gorons, she and not he would be doing the work. He then might persuade her to let him to back to the Lost Woods, where he could live in peace.

But immediately he saw obstructions in this possible plan. The biggest obstacle was Time itself. With Ganondorf, the one who had killed the Great Deku Tree, still back at Hyrule Castle, there was no telling what kind of mischief he was getting into; so there wouldn't be enough to time go back to Hyrule so Zelda can send aid to the Gorons. Then there was Link's underlying hatred of Ganondorf. An unexplainable urge within Link seemed to tell Link to stay with his given quest so he could be a part of the undoing of the King of Thieves.

Also, Navi was still somewhere out there on Death Mountain, and he couldn't leave her out there, alive or no…

Sighing, Link came up with probably a ludicrous idea that he told Darunia:

"How about…I get rid of the Dodongos for you?"

Darunia's eyes narrowed in surprise. "What? Are you serious? What idea made you want to fight Dodongos…alone? You don't even know what you're talking about…!"

"Yes, I do," Link stated, diving further into his nonsensical plan. "I may not look like much of a warrior, but I can do what needs to be done. And what needs to be done right now is getting rid of your troublesome Dodongos."

"But…" Darunia began, hoping to plead the young Kokiri out of his suicidal idea.

"No buts," Link inserted, his face even more determined to carry out his declared intentions. "I will do what I've said I'll do, or die trying. Give me a chance, at least. If I can do the task, then you can give me the Goron's Ruby and not wait for Princess Zelda's help. If I can't, then I'll die because of my own stupidity. Come on, what have you got to lose?"

Darunia remained silent for a moment before answering, "If I have to answer that, I'd say I've got _you _to lose. But you seem completely bent on helping us, don't you? Very well, I'll give you a chance. You can enter the cave tomorrow morning at dawn. Until then, you should get some sleep. You'll need it to just withstand what I'm going to tell you about the Dodongos tomorrow."

When Link heard that, he wondered to himself for the second time that day, _"How did I get myself into this?"_


	16. The Sound of Silence

**Chapter 16: The Sound of Silence**

"Do you feel it, my child? Do you feel the aura of the task you are meant to fulfill?"

Navi did. She couldn't explain the sensation, but she tried to in her mind anyway. It was warm, that was certain, but it wasn't the kind of warmth one would expect to find to obtain from a flame or from Din's Eye. No, this warmth was obtained by a fire from _within_, a kind of emotion that she couldn't quite figure out. The sensation also seemed to _move_. It crawled…no, slithered throughout her body, but at the same time it enveloped her passively. The feeling could've almost been described as a heart that lived and breathed, and even then the description fell short of what it really was like.

"I feel its aura," Navi managed to utter through the blissfulness she was experiencing, "yet I am unable to discover its purpose. What is its purpose?"

"I cannot tell you, for not even I know the answer. All I know is that it has to do with the one you call Link, the boy of destiny, and the task you hold is vital to him and to all that follows. His thread of fate is so strong that no one can interfere directly with his destiny. All we can do is influence it and pray it heads in the right direction. You, Navi, have the responsibility of taking this task to young Link. Do you understand this, young one?"

"I do," Navi answered in her rapture. "But I am confused. Why am I the one who is charged with this task? I am not fit to even be his guardian fairy, so why…?"

"You torture yourself needlessly, child. The mistakes you have made are commonplace and shouldn't be seen as unique to you. You mustn't bring yourself down, especially when you're crucial to the child of destiny's fate. And although I myself cannot influence young Link's threat of destiny, you, young Navi, shall do so well beyond this task you are blessed with."

Even in her blissful state Navi couldn't help but wonder whether the words of the _Faria Garuia_ were true or not. The _Faria Garuia_ wouldn't lie to her…then again, Navi had never met or even known about her until this day. So there was a possibility this _Faria_ had her own agenda and was only using Navi as a tool. But on the other hand, Navi couldn't deny her obvious knowledge and her overwhelming sense of kindness.

"When can I see Link again?" Navi asked, still enwrapped in the blissfulness of the aura.

"Soon, my child. You shall meet him soon. Just remember this: no matter where you are or what you are doing, you will always be near him and never far away. Even now, he thinks of you, wondering where you are. You may not be there physically, but you are with him in spirit, and sometimes that is more than enough. Although he won't admit it, he loves you and won't ever forget about you. When you two find each other once more you will never leave his side again."

Despite her slight doubts, Navi couldn't help but believe the _Faria Garuia_'s words.

_"I'm coming, Link. I'm coming…"_

The day dawned brightly, but the sense of warmth was all but lost for Link as he headed down the slope of Death Mountain. Big Brother Darunia was in front of him, leading the Kokiri down a supposed "path" that the Gorons took to get to the mine. Link had some difficultly maneuvering the rocks and crags he encountered, but Darunia walked as if he were on solid ground. 

Behind them several Gorons, including Malatite, were following the pair closely. After Link's proposal to rid the mine of Dodongos, the word had spread throughout Goron City like wildfire. Many dismissed the rumor as a boast by someone only after the Sacred Stone, while others believed the King's message had been answered. A lot of Gorons has remained behind in the city, most not because of skepticism but because of weakness due to hunger. The few that managed to make it consisted either of believers or cynics, although a few were actually just curious onlookers.

As Link and Darunia walked down the mountain together, alone and out of earshot from the rest of the Gorons, Darunia proceeded to explain a few necessary things, the first being the Dodongos. As Link listened intently, he continued to wonder why he had agreed to this task in the first place.

As Darunia explained, the Dodongos were a race of enormous lizard-like creatures that thrived on flesh, no matter what kind of flesh it was. During the early years of the Gorons' migration to Death Mountain, Dodongos had threatened the Goron race's chances of living on the mighty crag. Luckily, however, several Gorons now known as the Almighty Five had managed to drive the Dodongos away from the mountain and help the Gorons create a society upon a dangerous territory. Thanks to the Almighty Five, the Dodongos eventually died out, allowing the Gorons to prosper for countless generations.

Then the Dodongos returned.

No one knew how they had returned, but everyone felt the immediate effect of their presence. The Dodongos had holed themselves within the Gorons' food mine, forcing the miners to abandon the mine to the terrible lizards. Then, to make matters worse, an massive boulder appeared mysteriously at the mine's only entrance, sealing it completely. Because of this, the Gorons couldn't get inside the mine and drive the Dodongos off by themselves, and as hunger and weakness began to spread, the chances of fighting the Dodongos grew slimmer and slimmer.

The Dodongos themselves could thrive in areas with low amounts of air, so the blocking of the cave had virtually no effect on them. Gorons that listened through the small cracks in the boulder could hear distant rumbles that eventually grew louder and louder, indicating the Dodongos were multiplying. Darunia had finally been forced to send a messenger to his Sword Brother, the King of Hyrule for help, but neither word nor sign of the messenger had returned.

_"And now I've going to get rid of these things,"_ Link gulped. He remembered his fight with Gohma and how close he came to being killed. And now he was about to face an entire hoard of beasts that could just as easily put an end to him. He wondered if it was too late to back out…

Before he could further consider the option, a giant hand slapped Link's shoulder and the Kokiri looked behind to find Malatite. The Goron smiled weakly before uttering, "I'll pray to the Three Goddesses for your safety, Link. But I'd also like to thank you for helping us. You have to be pretty brave to face Dodongos. Even their larvae are dangerous. So you must be pretty brave, indeed."

_"Or pretty stupid,"_ Link thought as he smiled back an even weaker smile. _"We'll soon find out, won't we? It'll all depend upon whether or not I'm dead."_

Turning away from Malatite, Link looked up to the sky, hoping Navi would appear from somewhere to help him. But all he saw was Kaepora Gaebora, who was following the small procession down the mountain quietly yet watchfully. The Owl hadn't said a word to Link since yesterday, when the bird had nearly dropped dead after the Kokiri had told him his idea to rid the mine of the Dodongos. Link didn't know if the Owl's silence was because of frustration over Link's rash decision or quiet worry over Link' safety, but he did know that he was going to need a lot of luck to make it out of this predicament.

Gohma had been an army of one. Link, with Navi, had been an army of two. Now he was an army of one. Dodongos were an army. Period.

Just then, Darunia stopped and held out an arm to halt Link as well. The Kokiri stopped and looked ahead, wondering why they had halted. He immediately saw why. The mountain's steep side had leveled off and created a plateau that stretched into an area large enough to hold Link's tree house and then some. But the table wasn't completely empty. On one side, lying against a vertical cliff face that climbed several feel up the Mountain, was an enormous boulder partially edged within the cliff's surface, indicating it was blocking a cave behind it.

Darunia remained silent for a moment before saying, "There, Link, is where the blocked mine is. Inside that cave is where you'll find the Dodongos."

_"But how am I going to get in there?"_ Link thought, not necessarily with puzzlement but with hope. If the cave was still blocked, then there might be a chance he wouldn't have to go through with his crazy scheme. Even so, he still asked the question, "So how are you going to unblock it?"

"With the simplest of all methods: the Bomb Flower."

Link didn't like Darunia's answer. The Goron's tone suggested he was too sure of himself, which killed any chance Link might've had. Still, he tried to sound interested by asking, "Bomb Flower? What's a Bomb Flower?"

Darunia gave Link a wide, sly smile before bellowing, "Rutanen, bring the Bomb Flower!"

Moments later, a Goron stepped from the crowd of followers and headed for Big Brother and the Kokiri. His stance and walk made Link realize he was being extremely careful for some reason. In the Goron's hands was a large and black mass with a tuft of green shoots growing from its crown. It bulged like a perfectly round cloud and a long, thin shoot dangled from its base.

The Goron stopped a few steps from Darunia before extending the strange object out with his arms towards Big Brother. Darunia nodded once and again turned to Link. "This, Link, is a Bomb Flower. It's a special type of shoot only found on Death Mountain, and it's extremely dangerous if not handled properly. You see, its bulky core is filled with its seeds, and these seeds are what give it its name. In the early stages of a Bomb Flower's lifecycle, they can emit a burst of energy if disturbed by something hot. One seed alone is enough to kill a grown Goron when used incorrectly. Imagine what happens when every seed inside this bulky mass explodes at the same time."

Link listened, but he couldn't help feel doubtful. He had lived in the Lost Woods and had come across virtually every type of plant imaginable, and never had he seen something that could "explode." He then wondered whether Princess Zelda's private garden carried this plant somewhere…or was it really that dangerous…?

"And this shoot," Darunia continued, interrupting Link's thought. The Goron then proceeded to carefully pick up the dangling shoot on the Bomb Flower in his hand. "This is the shoot's fuse. Its surface is covered with dust that can easily ignite. I'm sure you've seen fire started by friction. This shoot is so grainy that a single careless stroke will cause the grain to burn. When it reached the pouch with the seeds, you had better be somewhere else."

Link still felt a little skeptical about this Bomb Flower's destructive power, particularly because of a nagging question in his mind.

"But if this thing can actually destroy that boulder, why didn't you destroy it before the Dodongos multiplied so much?"

Darunia dropped the shoot and looked at Link with a grim face. "We couldn't. You see, this year we've had a poor harvest of Bomb Flowers, and we use these things to construct new homes, prevent avalanches, and all that sort of thing. These things have become a precious resource this year, and we couldn't spare a single one to open the cave. By the time we managed to spare this one, we were already too weak to fight them."

_"Confound it! Good excuse!"_ Link thought. It appeared there was no way he was going to get out of this one…unless the Bomb Flower didn't actually work like Darunia said it would.

As if in challenge to Link's silent hope, Darunia turned to the Goron called Rutanen and said, "Place the Bomb Flower in the right place and light the fuse. The sun's getting warmer and I don't want the flower to ignite suddenly."

Rutanen nodded and headed for the boulder. As everyone watched, the Goron gently placed the Bomb Flower next to the boulder, underneath a large crack in the rock's surface. Rutanen then picked up the shoot, extended it out, and began to caress the shoot's end with his fat fingers. Almost immediately the shoot's extremity began to glow, but the glow was in no way magical. It was instead resembled a colossal blaze compressed into a single point, a blaze that somehow desired returning to its original, massive size.

Link suddenly realized that that was exactly what was about to happen!

He had no time to dawn on the realization when the spark on the shoot reached the large bulk of the Bomb Flower. Instinct forced Link to look away from the plant, and a split second later a loud crash echoed across Death Mountain. It sounded like thunder that had been concentrated on a single spot, yet this thunder also possessed a lightening as well. Link had closed his eyes before turning away, but even in the daylight and looking away he could see the bright flash that resulted from the explosion. The shockwave came moments later. Link almost lost his balance and fell back, but Darunia, who didn't seem to be affected by the blast, caught him in his powerful arm.

All this happened in a short period of time, and when he believed it was finished Link removed himself from Darunia's care and opened his eyes. He expected to see the boulder all bruised and battered by the explosion, but instead he saw absolutely nothing remaining of the giant rock. The blast had destroyed it completely, leaving nothing save a few small pebbles slumbering on the ground and millions of sand particles dancing in the air. He didn't want to believe it, but now he was forced to.

"Well done, Rutanen," Darunia abruptly blurted out to the Goron standing next to Link. The Kokiri realized he hadn't noticed Rutanen leaving the Bomb Flower after igniting it; he must have been concentrating solely on the Bomb Flower.

Now that the boulder was gone, the mine gaped openly before them. It reminded Link somewhat of the hole he had fallen down inside the Great Deku Tree, only this time he would be entering it under his own free will. He noticed several thin, long rock growths hanging from the cave's upper lip and complained silently at why the cave's mouth had to look like a ravenous mouth.

_"Maybe it's a sign,"_ he thought gloomily. _"Maybe I'll find the real mouth inside, attached to a Dodongo's face…"_

"Well, Link," Darunia bellowed with a smile, forcing Link to turn to him. "The cave is open. I give you my best wishes and my prayers for your safety…but I will also give you something a little more substantial."

The Goron then reached out with one of his enormous fists and opened it towards Link. In it was something that resembled several items Link had seen back at Market Square in Hyrule Castle New City. Malon had called _jewelry_, he believed. Kokiri had things that resembled "jewelry" as well, but nothing this extravagant or burnished. The bracelet in Darunia's hand was no exception.

Compared to the jewelry Link had seen, this one was surprisingly simple: a long piece of a shiny, gold-colored metal wrapped around in a band to create a bangle to wear upon one's wrist. However, the bracelet had still been shaped and molded, in this case into a sort of crown with three spines. And while most of the bracelet was gold-colored, a green-blue pattern of a diamond eye with three triangular lashes had been etched into it.

"What's this?" Link asked as he slowly reached and took the bracelet from Darunia's hand. "A Dodongo-slaying charm?" _"Please…please…"_

"No, it would be nice if it were," Big Brother answered with a solemn look. "That bracelet was used by Hylians long ago when Hylians still knew of the existence of Gorons. They used that bracelet to help mine Bomb Flowers, for not even the strongest human can pick a Bomb Flower. I'm giving it to you because Bomb Flowers have been known to exist in the mine. If you need to use one to, say, unblock a cave-in or something, then you'll need this to pluck it. But be careful. Pulling a Bomb Flower from its roots carelessly could ignite the fuse."

Link nodded and quietly slipped the bracelet onto his left arm. At first he thought it was too big for his small arm, but the bracelet surprised him. As he slipped it over his wrist, the metal band tightened to a comfortable fit. It was as if the piece of jewelry had been made especially for him…or it had adjusted itself to fit on his arm.

Either way, Link dawdled on the bracelet for only a moment. Feeling a little more confident than he had been moments before, Link drew his sword and readied his shield in case any Dodongos might jump him when he entered. The Gorons saw this as a sign of absolute coolness and cheered for Link. Their cheer boosted his poise, but he still liked to think realistically and didn't let it go to his head.

As he took a step towards the cave, he looked up and noticed Kaepora Gaebora perched on a dangling branch above the mine. "Are you going to follow me inside?" Link asked. "I could surely use your help…"

"I'm sorry," the Owl answered grimly, "but won't be much use in such small and tight spaces like a mine. I'll only get in the way. All I can do is pray that the Three Goddesses will watch over you."

_"That's pretty much what everyone is doing, isn't it?"_ Link complained as he took a deep breath, straightened his posture and entered the cave. The darkness was immediate, but it took a while before his confidence began to sink once more. _"Navi, where are you?"_

It was open. He could feel it. The entrance to the cave had somehow been opened.

At first he felt pleasure, pleasure that his plans could finally take shape. He had waited for this moment ever since his children had returned to him, waited for seemingly endless days for this single moment. Now his children would return to the world of light, return to their former home, return to where they had been banished.

But then he felt something else: confusion. Who had opened the entrance? Not even a full-grown of his children could've moved the great stone that had blocked the entrance, so it had to have been something from the outside. Could it have been the Stone Eaters? The ones who had banished them from their ancestral home eons ago? Who else could command the Great Mountain to perform such a task?

But why would they do such a thing? Why remove the great rock? What was their purpose? He knew they loved to eat the stones found within the once-blocked cave, but by now they were weak from hunger and exhaustion. So open the cave _now_?

He didn't know the answers, but he would find out. He and his children had been given a second chance to reclaim the Great Mountain and he wouldn't allow the Stone Eaters to banish them once more.

The dark, winding tunnel was a lot wider than the tunnel in Darunia's room, but it was just as murky. Darkness had no shades, it seemed. It was either pitch black or it wasn't. Any sort of light source meant it was never complete darkness. Absence of all sources of light gave way to true nightfall. There was no way to compare any "brightened" darkness to true night, and Link had learned that in his few experiences with darkness.

"Wonder how Gorons are supposed to see in this darkness? They probably have night vision or something, because I certainly can't find my way through here without feeling the walls. Or maybe they know the caves so well they don't need night vision. But then how do they find the rocks they need…?"

Link then remembered Navi's comment about loners talking to themselves, immediately shut up, and wished more than ever that the fairy were with him right now.

The walls along the tunnel were rough and uneven, and juts of rock projected from the wall and floor every so often, making it difficult for Link to keep in touch with the tunnel's edge. Along with the fact that the corridor twisted and turned more often than a Kokiri who had drunk more blackberry juice than he could handle, the passageway was a maze that had only one possible path.

Then, after what seemed like an eternity of wandering down the one-hall labyrinth, it abruptly ended. Like Darunia's room, the tunnel finished off at a larger, brightly lit cavern. The brightness in this room wasn't as bright as Darunia's room, but it still gave off enough light to make it as illuminated as a near-complete dusk.

Link's first impression of the cavern was that it was enormous. Of course, the size of this grotto paled in comparison to Goron City's, but the size still amazed Link. Even the hollow soul of the Great Deku Tree couldn't contrast with the size of this place. If this was the mine of the Gorons, how could they have built such an immense room?

Then he saw why. Along the cave's walls were gigantic pillars that ran up the sides and to the ceiling, where the all met and conjoined to another pillar that crept along the ceiling in a single file. The pillars were tinted a peculiar set of colors: sickening green and nauseating blue. Link wondered why they were this color and why their framework seemed so eerily familiar when he suddenly realized the answers.

The pillars were actually the skeletal remains of a giant animal!

Gaping in amazement, he wondered what in all of creation could he large enough to have such a skeletal framework.

Then he saw the head.

It was situated at the far end of the cavern, but Link could see it clearly. The head was massive, and it seemed to fit the relative size of the skeletal frame of the cave perfectly. Its shape resembled that of a lizard that had been stretched to disfiguring proportions. Two empty eye sockets stared back at Link with a ghostly gaze, and a mouth lined with two…no, three rows of sharp teeth seemed to sneer at the unwanted trespasser.

With a lump in his throat, Link realized he had just discovered a Dodongo.

_"I have to fight an army of _those things_?"_ he thought, taking a step back.

Link then realized he still had his sword and shield ready, and took a long gander at them. He knew without a doubt that such small weapons would be useless against such a monstrous creature. He asked himself again, _"How do I get myself in these messes?"_

The sound of the silence that followed refused to yield an answer. Nothing could be heard, not even a loose rock sliding down the cavern wall, not even his gentle yet fast-paced breathing.

Yet despite the deafening calm, Link could almost swear that the skull on the far end of the cavern was laughing at him…

Someone was in the cave. Someone he didn't know was in the cave. Who was it? Could it be a Stone Eater? Could it be one of those accursed "Almighty Five," the ones that had led the banishment of his children? Could it be one of them…?

No, the smell of this one wasn't that of a Stone Eater. It possessed odors that weren't of the Great Mountain. There were too many to identify the exact name of each and every smell, but one scent did stand out from the rest of them all. It was a familiar aroma, one he hadn't experienced since his children had been exiled. It belonged to something he had once loved, something he enjoyed preying upon.

A Hylian.

His sensed tingled. What a joyous moment! Whatever was going on, a delicious Hylian had wandered into the cave. He remembered the sweet taste of Hylian flesh, how it made his taste buds quiver with delight, how it always satisfied him after dining on tough Goron flesh. This was indeed a blissful moment.

How shall he retrieve this tasty morsel? He was too big to follow it through the narrow tunnels of the Goron mine, so he couldn't go himself. And he couldn't trust his children lest they give in to instinct and temptation and devour the human themselves. No, he shall send the ones given to him by the one who had resurrect his children. They were faithful and loyal, and should not disobey him.

Yes, he shall send them. They would deliver his prize safely and alive. How he loved the taste of warm flesh…

Something was approaching. Although he couldn't see it, Link could feel it. He tightened his grip on his sword and shield, although he didn't know if they would be much help. After staring at the Dodongo skull, it was probably going to take a lot more than steel and timber to beat whatever he was going to face in this cave.

He knew something was coming, but he couldn't see it. He couldn't even hear it, which made the situation even worse. Dozens of caves and tunnels were carved into the side of the cavern, so whatever was approaching could appear from any one of them. The psychological effect was making Link anxious and tense, his eyes strain, and his brow sweat.

Whatever was approaching, it was slowly breaking the Kokiri down, using the sound of silence as its weapon…****


	17. Black Blood

**Chapter 17: Black Blood**

Link looked around the cavern frantically, trying to see whatever was coming. Several torches positioned against the wall all around the room lighted the cavern, but even that couldn't get rid of the overpowering sense of darkness that filled the room. It wasn't as devastating to pure nightfall, but it was just as nerve-racking. Unable calm himself, he started to shake violently, even to the point where he nearly dropped his sword.

_"Where is it?"_ his mind, surprisingly stable, thought. _"Where is it coming from? Is it that cave…or could it be that one…or even that one…maybe even behind me…?"_

As if hearing his thoughts, Link felt something touch his shoulder.

He gave a high-pitched shriek before leaping into the air clumsily, dropping his sword and shield in the process. He landed a few feet in front of him on his feet, but his legs were so weak from the jump they didn't hold him up, sending him sprawling to the ground on his face. But he still managed to lift his head and turn to face whatever had crept up behind him. He expected to find a monstrous lizard staring down at him with beady eyes and anxious jaws.

Instead, he found a Goron, whom he recognized immediately.

"Malatite!" Link exclaimed as he stood up and dusted himself off. "You…you…what are you doing here?"

The Goron gave a sheepish grin before answering, "I'm here to help you, Link."

Link's face lit up a little when he heard those words. "You are? That's great! I can use all the help I can get…but I thought you guys were too weak to fight the Dodongos, so…"

"I'm afraid I'm not here to help you fight," Malatite uttered quietly. Link's smile faded again. "I'm here to help you navigate the mine. It can be a maze down here for those who aren't comfortable with it, and almost every Goron can navigate this mine blinded."

Well, Link thought, at least I'll have some company should I die. "But why didn't you think of that _before_ I stepped into the mine?" His tone, although not intentionally, was slightly livid and demanding of an answer.

Malatite looked down to the ground and mumbled, "The Goron race isn't a stupid race, but we sometimes tend to be slow thinkers. Eons of living solitary lives have evolved us into strong, powerful creatures that usually don't reflect over things carefully. Big Brother is an exception most of the time, but not even he can escape our mandatory existence forever. Today is an example.

"When you entered the cave, he just stood quietly where he was, unable to move or take his eyes off the mine's entrance. All we could do was wait for him to do something, for we care about Big Brother and we didn't feel comfortable about him just standing there like that. After a while he finally did speak, and we were stunned by what he said. He wanted to go in after you so he could help you.

"We begged him not to go, for even Big Brother's strength had gone down since the arrival of the Dodongos and he was no match for them. But he asked, even pleaded us to let him go inside, for he wanted to do what he could to help, even if it were to help you around the mine. Naturally, we suggested that one of us go in his stead. Overwhelmed by our pleas, he consented to let a volunteer go in to help you.

"I happened to be the only one who volunteered."

Link was staggered. He didn't know what to think or to say. The Goron standing before him had volunteered – _solely_! – to help him in this dangerous quest. To top it all off, Darunia had actually wanted to help as well! It was all too much to take in at once. This race was treating him like a prophet, a savior of the people, when all he happened to be was an ordinary Kokiri that just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Or, to the Gorons, the _right _place at the _right _time.

He wished he could say something – a thank you, an acceptance of his help, _anything_! – but his voice had frozen in his throat. Malatite merely stood there, awaiting a response but not in any way demanding one. Link wanted to cry, cry partly because of Malatite's kindness to risk his neck to help Link.

He also wanted to cry partly because he realized he was a coward. He may have slain Gohma, he may have volunteered to help the Gorons, but in truth he was a coward. He could only be brave when his own life was somehow directly involved. He had trembled not before an actual Dodongo, but the _remains_ of one. He had put on a charade outside the cave instead of admitting his cowardice before stepping in. Now he was going to show his spinelessness before Malatite, someone who believed in him more strongly than most of the Goron race.

It was almost enough to break his heart…

"Link…are you all right?" Malatite's question sounded like a mallet driving in the final nail through his heart.

"Malatite, there's something I have to tell you." The words tasted like bitter bark sap in his throat. He strained himself from making eye contact with the Goron. "I'm…I'm a coward. I'm afraid. I'm no hero. I can't do this. I'm sorry."

With those words he dropped his sword and shield to the ground. They struck the ground with a soft thud. The silence that followed was thick enough to create an impenetrable wall between the two in the cave…

Princess Zelda jumped when she saw something rustle in the trees, only to sigh in relief when she discovered it was nothing more than a pair of black song thrushes. She shook her head in release and continued her walk down the worn path in the Royal Gardens.

Ever since her encounter with Ganondorf, Zelda had felt uneasy and anxious. She expected the King of Thieves to appear at any moment and threaten her again, maybe even go after her life. It wasn't pleasant for her at all, for she had grown up in a world where virtually everybody loved and adored her. While she never let such a thing go to her head, she had obviously taken it for granted and now she had to live with it until the Prince of the Desert's leaving.

That is, if he even _was_ going to leave…

Zelda knew that Ganondorf had a hidden agenda for coming to Hyrule, and now she was almost certain it was the Triforce. He had told her with his own lips that he had gone after the three Spiritual Stones, and what purpose do such treasures serve other than the keys to the Sacred Realm?

But something else worried her: he _didn't_ have the Spiritual Stones with him right now. Why didn't he come to Hyrule after collecting them? Were they that hard…or had he something else in mind first? He said he would collect them after he had done what was "needed" here, so he obviously was going to do something in Hyrule Castle that only he would benefit from.

What was that "something?" What was Ganondorf planning? She felt that Time was slipping past too quickly, and whatever the King of the Gerudo was planning would happen before Link arrived with the next, hopefully both, Spiritual Stones. And whatever it was, it would somehow be related to him getting his hands on the sacred Triforce.

_"You'll never get it,"_ she thought with a smile as she stroked a small part of her dress down her right thigh. The sizeable yet unnoticeable bulk located there tingled beneath her fingertips. _"Not when I have the remaining key…"_

Just then she froze when something scampered before her in the road.

She relaxed again when she saw it was only a blue jack hare.

Link kept his gaze fixed to the ground after his confession to Malatite. He didn't want to see the disappointment in the Goron's eyes, the hurt he must've caused, the tears that probably could form in a Goron's eye. He expected to hear bawling and the loud thud of Malatite falling to the ground in shame and sorrow.

What he never expected was to see two items held by two powerful hands placed underneath his gaze. They were his sword and shield, and the hands belonged to Malatite. Surprised, he looked up and found the Goron looking at him, not in disappointment or anger but in sympathy. The small yet comforting smile on Malatite's face solidified this confusing response.

"Wha…what…?" Link stuttered before Malatite interrupted.

"You dropped these. I think you're going to need them."

Link was stunned. Was Malatite deaf or something? "Di…didn't you hear what I said? I said I'm a cow…"

"Yes, I heard you perfectly," the Goron doctor interjected politely, "and I must say you did the exact opposite of what a coward really is."

Confusion flooded Link's mind and eyes, urging Malatite to continue. "A true coward would've backed out of his word a long time before this. A true coward wouldn't have wanted to stick around before he knew whether his promise were hard or not. You, on the other hand, stuck to your word and never let go of it, even down here. Even now you're still standing where you said you'd stand."

"But I…" Link hesitated momentarily, wondering whether or not to reveal this information. "I cowered before a _skull_! I became scared because I saw a Dodongo's _remains_! Doesn't that mean…?"

"What is means is that you're realistic. Do you honestly think that we Gorons weren't scared of that skull the first time we saw it…? We wouldn't touch it for several years before we finally decided to put it down here. The fact that you didn't run from here is amazing. Link…even those of the Almighty Five were scared before they became legends. Even Big Brother can get scared sometimes!"

The memory of Link's first meeting to Darunia suddenly entered his mind. He remembered standing up to the big Goron, refusing to move at all, and how the leader of the Gorons had crumbled because of such a gesture. He had been so ashamed of himself that he completely forgot about that. But was it enough?

"So…are you saying…?"

"What I'm saying is that you're not a coward. It takes real courage to admit when you're afraid…although I must admit I've rarely met someone who admits he's a coward straight out. Maybe that's just a sign of even greater courage. Who knows? All I know is that you're being too hard on yourself and you need to stop thinking you're a coward so you can fulfill your promise. You don't have to fulfill it, of course – I'm not obliging you to – but I have a feeling you want to."

Malatite then lifted the sword and shield closer towards the Kokiri. "Now please, take these back, for I don't think I could use them."

Link looked at the items he had dropped for a long moment before finally nodding and slowly putting them in his hands once again. When he touched the, he felt his strength return, his strength to continue with his quest. He didn't know if Malatite was right or not, but he swore there and then that he would do all he could to prove the Goron correct.

He made himself comfortable with his utensils before asking, "Right, I'm ready! So where can we find some Dodongos? I'm ready to take on a whole army of those giants!" He then pointed to the skull with his sword.

Malatite smiled an enormous smile and uttered, "Well, you'll be disappointed, because…"

That was when they heard the scream. It wasn't one of terror or pain, but of intention, intention to induce fear. It sounded somewhat like a bird's high-pitched cackle, brief and guttural, but Link knew from experience that it wasn't a bird at all. It had come from something big, something powerful, something heading in their direction.

He turned to face a tunnel on the closest wall, and moments later saw something emerge from within its inky blackness. No, not something, _somethings_! There were two of them, and they made no attempt to hide themselves from the Kokiri and Goron. In fact, it seemed like they _wanted_ to be noticed, as if confident in the abilities and skills they were about to show off.

They were lizardmen. Big, tall, lizardmen. That was the only way Link could describe them. They had the anatomy of a person from top to bottom, but that was where the recognized stopped and the nightmare began. Their skin was colored a rich yet vile green and scales of the same color charted their hides all across their torso and upper body. Their hands, feet, neck, and face, however, were immune from scales and instead showed rippling veins pulsing like vigorous maggots through rugged muscles. Their faces were the epitome of a reptile, except for the fact that their eyes possessed an emotion never seen in lizards: spite, the desire to kill.

Link, with all his notions of cowardice gone, lifted his sword and shield, ready to face whatever these lizardmen were. A determined spirit had possessed his body. He didn't recognize it during his fight with Gohma, but his evaluation of his courage had made him recognize it. If he was a coward, he wasn't going to look like one.

"Malatite!" he bellowed to the Goron behind him. "Get back! I'll take care of these things!"

He didn't hear the Goron argue, but he faintly made out Malatite's heavy footprints retreat to the other end of the cavern. Now ready, Link put on a gritty face – hopefully the same one he had had when he first met Darunia – and smiled a sly grin. He raised his sword and lifted his shield and whispered loudly to the approaching lizardmen, "Come and get me. I dare you!"

The closest lizardman emitted another bone-shattering bark, allowing a red snake-like tongue to whip from without a mouth of tiny, curved teeth. Then the creature did something Link never expected: it reached to its side and grabbed…a sword! It was only then that Link realized the creature was covered in armor! The emerald covering had been disguised by the lizard's natural color, but now he saw it clearly, as well as the red scabbard and also the enormous sword it now wielded.

Swallowing hard, Link tightened his grip on his dagger.

Then the lizardman charged. It emitted an ear-splitting cry – most like a battle cry – and lifted its blade high in the air before bringing it down towards the Kokiri. Link, knowing he wouldn't be able to meet the attack with his weapon, raised his shield in the blade's path. Moments later he heard loud thwack as the weapon struck the shield with its sharp edge. Link expected the sword to slice through the wooden shield and find his flesh.

Remarkably, the Deku wood held the impact, preventing the lizardman's steel from carving Link. The blow, however, did knock Link to the ground backward. He landed on his back with a thud, but he never lost his sense of direction for a moment. Even so, he barely had time to think before he watched the lizardman raise its weapon yet again to strike. With a quick thrust Link rolled over to his right, barely making it before the sword buried itself in the hard soil of the cavern with a clink.

Link scrambled to stand up and raised his sword and shield. The lizardman screamed a furious yelp as it yanked its weapon from the ground and again charged. This time, Link was ready. As the lizard lifted its sword, Link raised his own blade and sent it on a course for the beast's stomach. But just before the weapon reached its target, it stopped abruptly in a cloud of sparks before Link realized that the lizardman had used its sword to defend itself.

_"He isn't a pushover, that's for sure,"_ Link thought as he gritted his teeth to strain his muscles. _"And he's strong, too…"_

The two fighters kept their weapons locked for several moments, each trying to push the other away solely with his strength. Despite his determination, Link could feel his relatively small weapon slipping from the lizardman's giant blade. When that happened, he would be completely defenseless and he would most likely be diced into little bits…

…unless he executed a desperate gamble he just thought of!

The two combatants struggled to overcome his opponent, and they both knew that only one was going to be the victor. All of a sudden, Link's dagger slipped from the lizardman's sword, allowing the creature's weapon to complete its trajectory towards Link's flesh.

But it only found air, for Link had used a bulk of his strength to keep his blade from slipping while he positioned himself to slip underneath the lizardman. When the two pieces of steel finally unlocked, Link used the force of the lock to skim across the grainy ground of the cavern, underneath the lizardman's legs. The Kokiri managed to make it a little beyond the beast's long, belt-like tail.

But the lizardman wasn't as stupid as Link had hoped, for a split moment later the beast turned around, raised its blade high in the air, and brought it down in Link's direction. Link, surprised but not stupefied, managed to roll away in time, allowing the enormous sword to be embedded in the ground a second time. This time, however, Link made sure it stayed embedded.

With a surprisingly fluent motion, Link arched his dagger over his head. The blade's tip found its way into the wrist of the lizardman's sword arm, sinking deeply into the thick green flesh. As the blade exited the wound, black blood gushed from the wound, spraying the dagger, the ground, and Link with its sticky vileness.

The lizardman screamed with pain as it reared back, let go of its rooted weapon and grabbed the wound in a poor effort to quell the pain. Link, although slightly blinded by the inky substance in his eyes, knew that it was now or never. He jumped to his feet, gripped his dripping weapon as tightly as he could, charged with a loud cry…and stopped when he had thrust his dagger into the lizardman's throat, its only weak point through its armor. None of the weapon's steel was visible; it had all been buried in the beast's neck.

The lizardman let out a muffled yet shrill wail, a plea for help and a cry of pain, before its head reared back, taking the rest of its body with it. As it landed with a loud crash from its armor, the wound from its throat opened further, allowing a sickeningly large amount of dark ooze to gush out. Its mouth became an outlet for all the blood that couldn't escape through the wound.

Link, who had let go of the knife to let the lizardman fall, remained silent and still for a moment, despite the fact that there was another lizardman ready to take the fallen one's place. He felt something about this kill, something he had never expected. It was a feeling he never thought he'd feel, but now that he was feeling it he couldn't help smile about it. It was the feeling of pleasure, pleasure derived from pain…

…and he liked it…

Just then, a loud scream indicated that the second lizardman was on the rampage. He didn't know the reason why they fought one at a time, but he didn't care. It was better for him, because he could take them on one at a time. The carcass he had just created was a clear indication of that.

With unnatural impulses flowing through his veins, Link reached for his embedded dagger and withdrew it from its fleshy scabbard with a nauseating squelch. But he didn't feel sick; on the contrary, he felt invincible. He felt powerful. He felt…hungry…for death…

The lizardman found its prey and made a blow with its sword, but Link didn't use his shield to block it. He instead used his dagger to meet the oncoming strike, and with unbelievable, newfound strength he managed to block and deflect the beast's attack. This only made the lizardman even angrier and it started to hack its way furiously at Link.

The Kokiri met each attack perfectly, blocking and deflecting them all. The lessons Kaepora Gaebora had taught him on the way to Hyrule Castle were starting to come together. He could feel their usefulness flow through him. He could sense the desire for the sword to touch the beast's flesh, to tear it apart, to hurt it in every possible way. And, without a single doubt in his mind, he knew he _wanted_ to fulfill that desire!

After he had finished toying with the beast, Link finally made his move. He pushed the sword aside during one of its attacks and moved forward. The lizardman didn't have time to act when Link took his dagger and thrust it deep into the creature's left eye. The blade sank in deep, though not all the way because it struck bone through its journey into the beast's skull.

The lizardman didn't even have time to scream. It simply fell, dead before it even reached the floor.

Link drew his sword from the beast's skull and held it high in the air, allowing the black ooze on its once beautiful surface to drip down the hilt and onto his arm. He laughed the thought of killing the two lizardmen, laughed at their failed attempts, their cries of pain, and their agonizing deaths. He laughed at himself, wondering why he hadn't experienced this pleasure when he had rid the world of Gohma and her children. Why…

Then, with an abrupt start, he knew why. Navi. Navi had been there to help him when he had killed Gohma, and she had been there before and afterwards. Navi had been a sort of control that never knew it existed. Navi had unintentionally made sure he never dwelled on the deaths of Gohma and her children and that he didn't enjoy them. Now she wasn't here, so he had all the time in the world to linger on his deeds. He was alone, and he was now paying the price.

His face turned as white a sheet and all the strength he had found earlier suddenly evaporated into nothingness. His muscles trembling, Link dropped his sword. The blade spun slowly in the air before sinking into a small crack in the ground. Link's wide eyes watched its descent and noticed its ugly transformation. The weapon shiny surface had been tainted with the black blood of the lizardmen, destroying the beauty that had one existed.

His heart sank when he realized that that was exactly what had happened to him.

"Link? Link? What's wrong…Link!"

Malatite's words came too late for Link to care. All his strength now gone, Link closed his eyes and fell to the ground. He didn't recall striking the ground, for he blacked out before he felt any pain.

Pain that he probably deserved.

He sniffed the air, wondered if he had guessed wrong, then sniffed again to make sure. It was undeniable. The servants given to him by the one who had resurrected his children were dead. They had failed in their task to bring him the Hylian flesh. To make matters worse, the thick aromas of their blood blocked out all odors emitted by the Hylian, so he didn't know if it would remain in the cave.

But why should it leave? It came into the cave for some inexplicable reason, it had killed his servants with apparent ease, and it still hadn't left before its smells had disappeared amidst the black odors. So why should it leave? It might actually go deeper into the cave, looking for whatever it entered the Great Mountain for, and head straight for him. It was a small chance, but he never thought of that as a liability.

One thing, though.

Did he detect the scent of a Stone Eater before the dead servants' odors masked everything…?


	18. The Bigger They Are

**Chapter 18: The Bigger They Are…**

"By the Great Deku Tree, what is that horrible smell?"

Navi's question remained unanswered as she pushed further into the dark cavern that was the Goron's mine. Her bright pink light gave her a decent-sized sphere of illumination with which to see, but even that couldn't pierce the immense darkness of the tunnel completely. She sometimes came close to striking one of the twisted corridor's walls, but luckily she managed to avoid them without an embarrassing collision or even a brush.

When she finally emerged within the illumined great cavern, she immediately lowered the degree of hastiness that occupied her mind at the moment. The reduction of emotion reduced the brightness of her light and allowed her to view the cavern more easily. What she first noticed were the torches that decorated the cavern's wall like a thin piece of jewelry. Each torch burned brightly and emitted a peculiar odor, the same odor she had smelled back at the entrance of the mine.

But it definitely wasn't the sickening smell she had complained about…and it was definitely stronger in this cavern.

Then she saw the bodies…

…or what was left of them, at least. Navi didn't scream when she saw them, despite their nauseating disfigurements and the vile ooze that could only be blood that crept from enormous gashes. She had seen many a piece of carnage left over by hungry carnivores in the Lost Woods and violent death had never been a problem for her. She also knew at once that the two carcasses were the source of the foul aroma; anything with black blood could _only_ emit such a fetid stench.

But when she approached the scene to get a better look, she quickly realized that this was no ordinary scene of death. These creatures hadn't just been killed; they had been _slaughtered_! One had been slashed across the throat and the other had one of his eyes punctured. Each wound was so gory and diseased that Navi could only come to two conclusions.

One, whatever had killed them had actually _enjoyed_ the act of butchery. Two, the one responsible for the act had wielded a weapon that wasn't by any means natural. That would include any form of Hylian weaponry…or Kokiri, for that matter! Such as Link's sword! As much as Navi didn't want to consider it, Link might've possibly done this atrocity. In fact, it wasn't possible; it was almost _certain_!

Navi was about to call out for Link when she noticed something within the thick pools of blood that lingered around one of the dead creatures' mouths. She flew in closer, ignoring the pungent odor, and realized with a shock what it was. It was a lizard-like tongue, pink and tainted with the creature's foul blood. Gasping in surprise, Navi inspected the rest of the creature.

Yes, there was a tail…and scales…and lizard-like faces. Why didn't she notice this before? The tails should've given them away, but she had to look at its _tongue_ to first be suspicious! These were no ordinary strange beasts. They were Lizalfos, creatures supposed to be extinct since the time of the Great Wars!

_"Link killed two Lizalfos?"_ Navi questioned silently. _"As much I can't believe that, it seems like the only answer. But what are two Lizalfos doing here in Death Mountain?"_

Deciding not to put off her search for he charge any longer, Navi called out, "Link! Link! Where are you? It's me, Navi! Link, where are you?"

There was no answer save for a soft echo of her voice. Determined to find the elusive Kokiri, Navi gathered up her courage and headed down a nearby tunnel to her left, continuing to shout out for Link. Had she taken time to examine the cave further, she would've noticed the enormous Dodongo skull placed at the end of the cavern and several shapes that were crawling from its eye sockets.

More importantly, she would've noticed a faint trail of black blood leading down a tunnel in the opposite direction…

"Did you hear something?" Link asked, stopping and turning down the direction from which they had come.

"Yes, I hear lots of things," Malatite answered as he, too, looked back. "Anything in particular?"

"Well, I though I just heard someone calling my name…but that's kind of silly, isn't it?"

"Not necessarily," Malatite replied, turning to Link with a faint smile. "It might be someone else willing to offer his assistance in your quest. But I'm afraid I heard nothing. My hearing's not as good as it used to be. Do you want to turn back and check…?"

"No, it's okay. Let's continue. I want to finish this and get out of here as quickly as possible."

As the two continued down the tunnel, Link rubbed his hands fiercely against his arms, hoping to calm the violent shivering he was experiencing. He had contracted the shivers since he had woken up from his faint and it hadn't weakened at all. Malatite had tried to calm him down when he had regained consciousness, but Link's mind was filled with images of blood and death of his two recent victims…the word _recent_ echoed in his mind like a powerful bell as if to remind him of Gohma and her unborn children.

_Why didn't you enjoy their deaths? Why didn't you take pleasure in their pain? Why do you deny the possibility of satisfaction from their demise?_

The accompanying taunts in his mind didn't help in the least, either.

He tried not to think about his sadistic fit by recalling his asking Malatite to be close by him during the next battle. Since Navi wasn't around, Link believed that Malatite being nearby might cause him not to get out of control. It was a slim hope, but it was the only hope he had.

He didn't want to be a killer and actually _enjoy_ it!

As the two continued the climb – at least it felt like a climb, for the ground was heavily steeped – through the tunnel, Link looked at his sword, which was in his hand. He had managed to wipe off a good deal of the lizardmen's blood from its surface, but a few dried remnants remained. Despite the blade's magnificent glow in the nearby torchlight, the blood still tainted its full beauty.

Link prayed to the Three Goddesses that his own soul didn't mimic the blade…

"Link," Malatite suddenly said as they turned a corner. "I don't mean to be rude, but I have to ask you something. Exactly how are you going to get rid of the Dodongos?"

Link didn't look up as he answered that burning question. "I don't know. I'm still figuring that one out. Lizardmen are one thing, giant lizards that with enormous skulls are another. This little sword isn't going to do much against those giants."

"Giants…oh, you must be referring to the giant skull back in the main cavern. You don't have to worry about that, Link. That's the skull of the former King Dodongo, the once leader of all Dodongos. I assure you, every other Dodongo is _much_ smaller than that."

Malatite's words should've comforted Link, but they didn't and that was because of one word: former. "What do you mean by _former_ King Dodongo? Is there another King Dodongo or something?"

Malatite scratched his chin for a moment before responding, "I guess I should explain a little how Dodongo society functions. One supreme Dodongo, the King Dodongo, governs all Dodongos. A Dodongo can only become a King Dodongo if he possesses a certain rare blood type that causes it to grow to incredible sizes. If the King Dodongo were to die, then all Dodongos would be without focus and leadership and would eventually die out. But that doesn't mean that two King Dodongos can't challenge each other for leadership…"

"So the skull I saw is the skull of the former King Dodongo that was killed by the _new_ King Dodongo?"

"That's right," Malatite uttered with a smile. "But don't allow that to let down your guard. Ordinary Dodongos may not be as big as King Dodongos, but their still just as dangerous…"

But Link had stopped listening. His mind was contemplating and pondering over Malatite's information, wondering how it might be useful. But all his directions all returned to one conclusion, and it wasn't one he particularly liked. Yet there seemed to be no other way to complete his insane quest…unless he decided to kill each and every Dodongo in the entire mine…nay, the entire mountain!

There was no way around it.

"I'm going to kill the King Dodongo."

Link's declaration caused Malatite to fall silent and stumble, something a Dodongo rarely did. "Kill King Dodongo…are you insane? You can't do such an impossible task! Are you mad?"

Link finally looked up from the ground but didn't look at Malatite. "Maybe I am. Maybe you're right and it wasn't cowardice that forced me to keep silent and go through with this quest. No, it must be madness. Why else would I do this? Why else would I volunteer to rid a mine of hundreds or even thousands of lizard beasts? Yes, that's it. I'm mad." He spoke the last sentence with a slight giggle, as if to confirm his own insanity.

"But Link!" Malatite cried, stepped in front of the Kokiri and grabbing his shoulders, bringing the two to a stop. "You can't just say you're going to face a King Dodongo and expect to live! King Dodongos are so powerful and so vicious that not even the Almighty Five could get rid of the one in power when they banished the Dodongo race from Death Mountain! And you saw the one in the main cavern. When King Dodongos fight each other for dominance, they rely on brute strength alone! Can you imagine what kind of Kong Dodongo managed to kill _that_ monster…?"

"I don't care," Link said in a monotone yet firm voice. He took his arms and used them to push Malatite's hands off his shoulders. "I am firm in what I said and I'm going to do it. And you can't say anything to stop me!"

Before Malatite could argue, Link ran past the Goron and headed further into the tunnel. The hill was getting steeper and steeper, but Link found strength to continue running. He would do what he had promised, even if he were to die in the process. Even if he had to become a murderous beast once again…no, he couldn't do such a thing. He _mustn't_ do such a thing again! He mustn't!

Determined and blind to his cause, Link continued running, not caring to listen to Malatite's distant, resounding and pleading words…

Just then, the tunnel abruptly ended…and so did the ground! Surprised, Link tried to stop his vigorous sprint and not go over the edge, but it was already too late. Within a few moments his skidding feet were slewing along thin air as he soared off the edge like a bird taking off. Only this bird didn't have wings…

"Ahhh…!"

Before he could complete his scream, he was interrupted by a rough jerk. He didn't have time to even think before his short flight ended and he was yanked back to the ledge with such great force. Within moments his feet felt the firmness of the rocky cave ground once again and his sense of perspective stabilized. The experience had been so brief that Link didn't even have the opportunity to feel scared! His heart pounded normally, he breathed at a steady paced, and only the sweat on his brow had appeared most likely because of the running.

All he could say was a simple, "Huh?"

"Please don't do that again."

Link turned around to find Malatite standing right next to him, his mighty hand wrapped firmly around Link's arm. The Goron and Kokiri's gazes remained affixed with each other's for a few moments before Malatite finally let go of Link's arm. The Goron then stepped back a few steps and continued speaking. His voice was a little sterner than it usually was.

"You' re very lucky, you know. You nearly fell down back into the cavern where we were just now. I'm not expecting an apology from you, but I do want you to be more careful."

Link felt very sheepish. He hung his head in embarrassment and tied his hands behind his back. It was a strange feeling, a feeling he had only recently experienced with Malon and Zelda. It was the feeling of being respectful to one's elders and feeling sorry when that respect had been broken. Being a Kokiri, he had never faced such an emotion before, but right now the emotion felt so natural it almost felt like he really were a Hylian…

"I'm sorry," Link uttered. Although he mumbled the apology, he put all of his feeling into it.

Malatite smiled almost immediately. "Like I said, I wasn't expecting an apology, but I never said I won't appreciate one. Apology accepted, thank you."

Link looked up and smiled back, knowing that Malatite meant every word. He nodded his head once to say thank you for the acceptance and then turned around to look at where he had almost plummeted to his death.

As Malatite had said, they were in the main cavern again, on a ledge Link hadn't noticed before. They were at the other end of the cavern, the end where the skull had been mounted. He looked down and saw it directly below him, its hollow eyes sneering at him with its empty gaze, as if it were concealing some hidden secret within its barren mind. Link looked away and surveyed the rest of the cavern. Everything was still in its place: the ribcage support of the mine, the ever-burning torches, the dead and decaying bodies of the lizardmen…

Wait a minute! The lizardmen…they weren't there! Link, shocked, rubbed his eyes to get out any possible dust and blinked several times before looking again. When he again saw nothing, he thought it might be a trick of the flickering light. He moved a little closer to the edge to get a better view, but there was no change.

The lizardmen had disappeared.

_"Are they still alive…? No, that's impossible! I killed them in such a way that it's_ impossible_ to remain alive! But there's not even any _blood_ lying around! It's as if they've been…eaten or something…"_

With a sudden chill running down his spine, Link stepped back from the ledge and turned to face Malatite. "Malatite! We have to get out of here! I think there are…Malatite…?"

The Goron wasn't listening but was instead looking down the tunnel they had used. His face was frozen in horror and had impossibly turned white. Link didn't want to see what the Goron had seen, but his overwhelming sense of curiosity forced him to. When he glanced down the tunnel, he immediately wished he hadn't.

Crawling up the tunnel were two…no, three enormous creatures of twisted hideousness. They weren't as tall as the lizardmen, but Link immediately knew they were bigger and stronger. The beasts possessed the aspects of mammoth lizards that had their faces stretched out to disfigurement. They each seemed to possess only one set of legs that dragged their enormous bulks across the sandy floor, and their powerful-looking tails were hauled along for the ride. 

But the most disgusting thing Link found about them was what one of them was carrying. In the jagged teeth-filled jaws of the one on the left was the face – or what was left of it – of one of the two lizardmen. The chewed up face dripped not a single drop of blood; it had been sucked dry and its parched skin was serving as a treat for the creature to savor.

Without asking Malatite, Link knew that these monsters were the Dodongos.

The creatures obviously knew about Link and Malatite's existence; their enormous, flaring nostrils tasted the air every so often with a sickening croak. The two Dodongos that didn't have anything in their mouths occasionally licked their arid lips with pale pink tongues, allowing a slurping sound to echo within the tunnel. These beasts were hungry, and they planned to invite the Kokiri and Goron to dinner.

Link pulled out his sword and shield, hoping they might offer some form of intimidation. The creatures didn't even seem to notice the shiny weapon that was meant to frighten them; they just continued their slow yet steady advance. Realizing his ploy wasn't working, Link decided there was no other alternative. The tactic might kill him, but he would be dead anyway.

He charged, raising the sword high in the air and letting out a powerful battle cry.

The three Dodongos stopped their onslaught, suddenly realizing their prey wasn't going to give up easily. The one with the lizardman's head in its mouth dropped its tasty morsel to the ground and backed up slightly. Link chose this Dodongo and when he was in reach he brought his sword down, aiming for the creature's head.

But the Dodongo had a surprise for Link. Before Link's steel could even touch the Dodongo's face, the beast's enormous tail suddenly lifted into the air and sailed through the air like a broad whip. It struck Link directly in the stomach and sent the Kokiri flying backwards. Link landed on his back with a soft crunch and rolled backwards somewhat. He recovered quickly, however, and managed to stand up…just in time for the second surprise of the Dodongos.

The one that had struck Link seemed to take a deep breath, lifting its head above its body…and then, without warning, sent a stream of fire from its mouth straight towards Link. The Kokiri, caught off guard by this move, couldn't move out of the way in time and dodge the column of flame. Doing the only thing he could, he held up his trusty Deku wood shield.

The force of the fire spurt was so strong that Link couldn't hold his ground for more than a moment. The fire pushed him backwards and eventually caused him to fall down. The attack was quite brief and didn't last long enough to completely engulf the young boy, but it Link became aware of its effects when he felt something burning his left arm.

With a shriek he grabbed his flaming Deku shield and threw it to the ground in front of him, watching the blaze briskly devour its wooden surface. Within a few moments nothing was left of the mighty shield except for a tiny pile of black ash.

Unable to counter that attack, all Link could do was retreat slowly as the three Dodongos continued to advance. Soon Link was beside Malatite, who hadn't moved from his frozen stance since sighting the beasts. Link, however, continued to retreat, making his way towards the edge. He didn't know how the Dodongos were going to eat him, but he would rather die than be eaten _alive_…

Suddenly, his foot found the edge. He reflexively returned it to the ground and his eyes looked down behind him. In a split second he contemplated whether or not he was going to jump, whether or not he would die a quick or painful death. But that all changed when he noticed something he didn't see before.

Resting just below the cliff's edge, sitting like a blemish on a face, was a Bomb Flower.

_"A Bomb Flower…should I…it's risky, but I don't have a choice, do I?"_

The Dodongos had left the tunnel by now and were just a few steps away from their two victims. Realizing it was now or never, Link reached down the edge and grabbed the plant's sac, making sure he didn't squeeze it too tightly. He then gave it a tug. As he pulled the plant from its roots, he felt something unusual in his arms. It felt like unnatural power, like an extra hand willing to lend its aid. His mind knew that it was the bracelet given to Link by Darunia, but he had no time to really dawn on the thought. He only concentrated on pulling the Bomb Flower from its roots and getting it back up in time…

Suddenly, the Flower slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground. His hands were too drenched in sweat for him to have a firm grip! As he watched in unbelievable shock, the Bomb Flower landed on the giant skull's forehead directly below – it didn't blow up, it must've been a durable variety – rolled across its brow like a ball, and disappeared within its left eye socket.

Unable to accept what had just happened, Link fell onto his stomach. There was nothing he could do. He didn't even care what was going to happen anymore. The Dodongos could eat him, for all he cared. It had been his fault to go on this insane quest and now he was going to pay the consequences.

Just for one last look, Link looked behind him. The Dodongos had halted their advance, but they were preparing to roast their victims with their scorching breath. Preparing himself to feel the pain, Link closed his eyes.

There was a blinding light…

_"It must be a Dodongo. A baby Dodongo. Boy, is it ugly."_

Navi remained high above the ground of the tunnel as she watched the baby Dodongo eyeing her. It wasn't a large creature, but it could definitely kill Navi if it wanted to. It looked nothing like a giant lizard as the _Faria Garuia_ had told her about. Instead it resembled a giant, short worm with a head shaped like a triangle. It was green in color and possessed powerful-looking jaws for its age. It had surprised Navi when it had burrowed out from the ground and leaped halfway into the air try and tried to snap her into its mouth.

Now all it could do was watch her, watch the first meal it nearly had out of its reach. It eyes seemed to plead with a sad face for her to come down, but Navi wasn't going to fall for any tricks of that sort.

_"I wonder if Link's faced these things yet? Or the adult Dodongos? If these are the babies, then I can only imagine what the adults are like…"_

Just then, a loud rumble echoed throughout the tunnel. The walls shook violently and pieces of rock fell from the ceiling. The baby Dodongo let out a scared shriek before sticking its head into the ground and burrowing into it, disappearing completely within a few moments.

The rumble lasted not too long, but it lasted long enough for Navi to wonder about it. "Where did that come from? The main cavern…? Link! By the Three Goddesses, was that Link?"

Not waiting to answer her own question, Navi headed down the direction she had come. Hopefully she could navigate the mine's mazes and reach the main cavern before she was too late…if she already wasn't, that is. Whatever had happened she was _sure_ it had something to do with Link…

"Ouch, Mido, why do you have to hit so hard? Why can't you just leave me alone…? What the…?"

When Link opened his eyes and saw the enormous drop below him, he almost instantly found strength in his aching limbs and crawled backwards to escape the close fall. He didn't stop crawling until he found a wall behind him, and it was then that he realized how much pain he was feeling. His left elbow was badly bruised and his right shin was scratched acutely. He also felt something warm upon his forehead and he lifted his right hand to find out what it was. It was blood, trickling from a surprisingly non-painful wound upon his brow.

_"What happened…?"_ he started to think before remembering the bright light. He thought it had been the fire breath of the Dodongos, but now he realized that it had been too bright to be fire. He then recalled the blinding flash he had seen from the Bomb Flower that had opened the mine, and with a sudden jolt realized that the Bomb Flower he had dropped must've gone off.

_"But I didn't light the fuse…or did I? So _that's_ why you have to be careful when picking those things. I must've lit the fuse when I yanked it from its roots…wait, the Dodongos! Where are the Dodongos?"_

Link didn't have very far to look. As he stood up, his scratched knee reminding him all to well about pain, he looked around for the tunnel and found it quickly. But he hardly recognized it. It had partly collapsed and was littered with fallen stones everywhere. But even with the bowed corridor Link could still see what he was looking for. There, lying buried under the rubble like corpses as bloody as the two devoured lizardmen, were the Dodongos. The sheer weight of the rocks had been enough to kill them, Link realized. It was a good thing he and Malatite hadn't been…

Malatite!

"Malatite?" Link called out, his throat slightly hoarse. He winced slightly as pain shot through his left arm. He looked down and found a strange, small, thin, white and serrated objected jabbed into his skin. He grabbed it and yanked it from his flesh with a muffled yelp through its agonizing sting before continuing his yelling for Malatite. "Malatite! Are you there? Are you…alive? Malatite? Malatite!"

When only his echo answered back, Link looked down the ledge where he had woken up. To his complete surprise he found the enormous skull gone from its spot on the wall! In its stead were hundreds upon thousands of tiny white fragments that lay scattered all across the cavern floor. So _that's_ what was in Link's arm. The Bomb Flower blast had been so powerful it had destroyed the skull from within!

But then Link noticed something else amidst the strewn remnants of the skull. There, lying in a pool of light red blood, was Malatite. The Goron was on his back and didn't appear to be moving.

"Malatite! No!"

Link looked frantically for a way to get back down; the tunnel would take too long. He spotted an area along the side of the ledge that had been loosened by the blast into a steep cliff face all the way to the bottom. Despite its sheer angle, Link felt compelled to take the risk. He carefully grabbed hold of holds in the destroyed rock and began his descent, his eyes remaining fixed on Malatite. Occasionally he slipped or lost his grip and began sliding down along the rough surface, but he always caught himself and returned to his stable yet hurried scramble. The pain began to flare, but Link could care less.

When he reached the bottom, Link dashed over to the fallen Goron and knelt down beside him. "Malatite. Malatite! Are you okay? Speak to me! Please!"

He tried shaking Malatite gently, but to no effect. He placed his ear against the Goron's chest, but couldn't detect a heartbeat. He listened to its mouth and nose but heard no breathing. Finally, after screaming in Malatite's ear several times, Link couldn't take it anymore. He folded his arms on the Goron's bulky torso, buried his head in his arms, and began to cry.

_"Malatite…"_ he thought to himself as he let his emotions escape through his tears. _"You didn't have to die. You didn't have to die. _You…didn't…have…to…die_! You didn't have to die! It was my fault! My fault! You didn't have to die, but you did! All because of me! Forgive me! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please! Malatite! I'm sorry!"_

When he finally lifted his head again, his eyes fell on the Goron's face. Thick brown eyelids now blocked its beady black eyes and its cheerful smile was frozen in a plague of indifference. The doctor that had cared him back to health was now dead, and his carelessness had killed him.

Wiping away his tears, Link stood up and turned to the wall where the now-broken skull had been mounted. To his amazement, he saw a tunnel buried in the wall, a tunnel that wasn't lined with torches like the other corridors. He realized that this must be a tunnel the Gorons hadn't constructed. It must be a tunnel used by the Dodongos. Maybe that's where he'll find…King Dodongo!

His face hardened as he realized what he had to do. Everything he had thought since coming to Death Mountain meant nothing now. If he was a coward, so be it. If he was a sadist, so be it. If he wouldn't live to tell the tale, so be it. All he knew was that he was going to do what he promised to do. Malatite's death won't be in vain. He had come to help Link and had died because of it. Now he'll do all he could to make sure Malatite hadn't died senselessly.

He drew his sword from its scabbard – he hadn't realized he had replaced it there before reaching for the Bomb Flower – and held it firmly in his left hand. He didn't have a shield, but that didn't matter. He had steel and that was enough. He would go after King Dodongo and kill him…or die trying.

His eyes flashing with determination and anger – whether at King Dodongo or himself, he didn't know – and his muscles flowing with newfound strength, Link stormed towards the new tunnel. Despite whatever horrors awaited him inside, he didn't care any more.

In his mind, he was already dead…


	19. The Larger They Can Get

**Chapter 19: …The Larger They Can Get**

The first thing Navi noticed about the cavern was that the putrid odor she had smelled when she had first entered the cavern was gone. Well, maybe it wasn't _completely_ gone, but it had definitely diminished tremendously in intensity. Having encountered dozens of natural corpses in the Lost Woods, she knew a corpse wouldn't lose its powerful odor _this_ quickly!

So something had happened to the two Lizalfos while she had been away…

When she had emerged completely into the cavern, she saw exactly what had happened to the two creatures: they were gone. There wasn't a single trace of them, not even a speck of their vile black blood. It was as if their carcasses had been…_licked_ clean from the ground! But what…?

_"Dodongos!"_ Navi realized with a start. _"There must've been Dodongos here! But _they_ couldn't cause that enormous rumble, could they…? Hey, what're these?"_

Her question referred to the hundreds of small white objects that were scattered across the cavern floor. They _definitely_ weren't there before; so all Navi could guess was that they had been put there because of that strange rumble. But what exactly _were_ they…?

Feeling a little curious, Navi flew down to the floor and examined one of the larger pieces about twice her size. It looked familiar, but she couldn't pin down its original form just by looking at it. After a few moments of examining it, Navi reached out and touched the piece with her tiny hand.

_"Eek…!"_

The moment her hand touched the object she withdrew it with a quick jerk. The piece felt cold and hard yet also possessed a definite and recognizable sign. It was a sign that it once held life, once occupied the precious energy that gave creatures a soul. It wasn't at all pleasant, yet she had felt it many times after touching dozens of examples just like it.

The object was once a part of a _skeleton_!

_"But…there are so many pieces! The thing must've been huge…but they all look like they're from _one_ part of a skeleton! But _what_ part…? And how did it break…? What in the world is going on here…?"_

Just then, she heard a soft yet audible moan…

The evening settled in peacefully over Gerudo Valley, but Nabooru felt anything but peaceful. In fact, she was in quite a mood tonight. The entire remaining garrison of Gerudo Fortress was either asleep or chatting in the fortress' quarters, either about their upcoming regime over Hyrule or what boyfriend they would choose next time they went into town. But it wasn't this that put Nabooru in her mood; she was too used to it to be affected by it.

What put her in her mood was her impending journey into the Haunted Wasteland.

She had always suspected that Ganondorf had a secret stronghold hidden somewhere within the forbidden desert that neighbored the Valley. He had most likely used his magic abilities to get past the deadly natural traps that plagued the wasteland, so it would undoubtedly be difficult for her to even consider navigating the desert.

But she had had enough of Ganondorf, her supposed king. He hated everything about the man, but couldn't kill him because of the ancient laws passed down through the Gerudo. Even so, she couldn't and wouldn't bow down to such a wicked man. The Gerudo may be thieves, but they weren't merciless killers, and Ganondorf had fooled virtually all the Gerudo into following his immoral schemes.

And besides, she couldn't lay eyes on the man who made a constant lie of her life. She was never meant to be his second-in-command, but he did so to hide what he had done to her. She couldn't bring herself to remember what he had done, but it had hurt her in the most painful way – and still did – and she couldn't bear to live with that lie anymore.

No, she was going to put an end to the falsehood that had kept her imprisoned as a Gerudo. She was going to hurt Ganondorf in every possible way she could, and the first step was to strike one of his greatest desires: his wealth. If she could find his stronghold in the Haunted Wasteland, she would make sure he lived to regret what he did to her.

_"I can only hope I don't run into _them_!"_ she thought with a shudder as she rummaged through her trunk of belongings, searching for important items to take with her. _"They'll spoil everything if I do.  Then again, why would Ganondorf put his own mothers in the middle of the Haunted Wasteland? Is it possible for even him to be _that_ cruel?"_

Dismissing the idea from her mind, Nabooru continued to grope through her trunk. If she was going to cross the deadly wasteland and make it out alive, she wasn't going to let something like loose fears hinder her.

But one thing continually plagued her mind. _"What's this rumor about Ganondorf always taking a child with him into the desert…?"_

Another one.

Link turned around to face the baby Dodongo that had just scratched its way to the surface. The green, worm-like creature made no attempt to proceed cautiously to its prey. It raced along the sandy floor like a desperate insect, its jaws snapping vigorously before it leaped into the air and dove for the Kokiri. But Link was ready for its already-mundane attack. He dodged the flying creature and hacked at it with his sword as it landed. It released a familiar scream of pain before lying still in perfect silence. Link, as he had done several times already, then turned and continued down the dark tunnel.

He was somewhat surprised that he could see in the dark tunnel with the little light available at the now-distant end behind him. Maybe he was growing more accustomed to the darkness because he had been in it for prolonged exposures of time. Or maybe it was some other reason he couldn't think up or fathom…

But despite his unexpected ability to see fairly well in the dark, what intrigued him more was the fact that he hadn't encountered any adult Dodongos since entering the tunnel. Were there only a small number of adults and a large number of babies? Or was he about to stumble upon the beasts' den any minute now? Either way, it didn't matter. Link was going to do what he had promised, even if it meant killing every single Dodongo one by one.

Of course, it would be easier – and difficult at the same time! – to just slay the King Dodongo…

Just then, Link spotted a lot jut of rock protruding from the ceiling, so low that his face would've crashed right into it. He dodged effortlessly…then realized he had just spotted a low-hanging rock formation in almost pitch-blackness!

_"What is happening to me?"_ he thought as he shook his head fiercely in a vain attempt to get rid of the strange anomaly. _"Why is this happening? What is going on?"_

Before he could answer his collection of questions, the darkness of the tunnel suddenly stopped and brightness flooded his vision. The corridor had been sloping downward for some time now, so the light had been hidden by a sudden upward curve in the tunnel. The abrupt transition would've been enough to temporary and severely blur his sight, but to Link's amazement his eyes made a smooth adaptation to the new light, as if he had done such a thing before.

But he didn't have time to ponder this peculiar circumstance before his eyes made a quick sweep of his new whereabouts. He was in another cavern, this one smaller than the main one; the ceiling wasn't as high and the walls were closer together than before. However, this cavern distinguished itself from the other one by having dozens of ledges and tunnels scattered all over the walls and even ceiling. The air reeked with an overwhelming stench of decay, and hundreds of tiny skeletons were scattered across the ground.

Link had found the Dodongos' lair.

_"Great,"_ he thought to himself, now a little unsure about what to do next. _"Now that I've found them, how am I going to get rid of them? Are they even _here_? I don't see _anything_!"_

In the middle of the cavern floor was a large hole that appeared different from the others all over the cavern; it also happened to be the only one in the floor and the largest. Interested, Link headed for the large crater, quickly yet cautiously, and soon discovered that the hole was where the unexplainable light in the cavern was coming from.

_"What could be down there that causes this much light…?"_ Link wondered.

As he reached the edge of the fissure, Link felt a surge of heat erupt from it. The warmth wasn't enough to harm or deter him, but it did get his attention quickly. Deciding to act a little cautious, Link made a firm foothold at the hole's border and carefully peeked over the edge.

To Link's surprise, the hole didn't lead to a tunnel but to another cavern below the current one. The drop was a good one that would probably kill anyone who wasn't prepared for the fall, and there was also something else dangerous down there. Not directly underneath the opening but close enough to it was a bubbling lake of red, burning, molten rock, something Kaepora Gaebora had called "lava." The passionate heat surging from its sparkling surface gave Link all the hints he needed to know that that was the source of the mysterious light.

Stepping back from the gap, Link spat and stroked the edge of his sword for a moment before asking himself quietly, "Okay, so where are all the Dodongos? Did I scare them off because I killed a few of their young or something…?"

A soft scratching sound forced Link to stop talking and tighten his grip on his sword. He vaguely remembered that sound, and it wasn't one he liked to hear. He looked around the cavern frantically but couldn't see anything unusual. Even so, the scratching noise only grew louder and louder. And it sounded like there was more than one…

_"Come on," _Link dared silently. _"I'm ready. Come and get me. I'm already dead…"_

A small part of Link wanted to get rid of that notion, but the rest of him couldn't help but feel it was true…

Then he saw them. Two Dodongos crawled their slimy masses from a floor-level tunnel and snaked their way towards Link, their tongues wagging in anticipation. Moments later, a third Dodongo appeared on a ledge above and to the left of the first two. Like an enormous fly without wings, the beast surprised Link by grabbing the wall and _climbing down it _with relative ease! Then two more Dodongos emerged, each from different tunnels. Subsequent Dodongos followed.

Within a matter of moments, every tunnel except the one Link had used was occupied by at least one adult Dodongo, each one with a look of lust in its dark eyes. More were appearing every second, some fighting others to enter the small cavern and others even climbing the walls of the tunnels to get inside. One thing was sure about all of them, however. They were all after blood, and they wanted Link's.

_"Completely surrounded without any escape…except for maybe death by jumping down to my death behind me. Okay, so who's first?"_

As if answering his question, one male Dodongo took a few steps closer to Link and stopped just a short distance from the Kokiri. It began to rear its head and lower its tail, a sign that it was about to breath its deadly fire. Remembering what had happened the last time, Link realized that this could be the perfect time to strike. If he could hit it while it was preparing to discharge its breath, he might be able to kill it before it had a chance to use its tail.

"Here goes nothing…" he bellowed as he lifted his sword, but he didn't have a chance to finish his sentence.

Before he could even begin his charge, something found its way underneath his foot and pushed him upward, causing him to loose his balance. He tried to regain his stability but because he had shifted all his weight to a single foot the ground near the crater's edge suddenly gave way beneath him. He tried to reach out and grab the rim of the hole, but his fingers were too far out of reach.

As he felt himself fall into the rift, the last thing Link remembered seeing was the snapping face of the baby Dodongo that had surfaced and caused him to fall, rapidly fading in the distance…

"I don't understand. What do you mean that the young fairy will guide him? Are you referring to Navi?"

"Yes. The one called Navi will be the one most likely to guide the boy of destiny to the right path. She has felt the aura of the task and has accepted its responsibility. I only aided in showing her that aura, nothing more. As I said, I cannot teach magic to the one called Link, but I might help him to the path. I have done so by helping Navi witness her chosen mission."

Kaepbora Gaebora didn't know what to think about this unexpected information, but he decided to try anyway. "But how can Navi help him when you can't do so…? I'm very confused, _Faria Garuia_. If you can't teach the young boy magic, how can he even learn it? The only way to learn magic is for someone to teach you…"

"Are you familiar with _Magi-Con_, Old One?"

When the _Faria Garuia _said that name, the Owl's feathers shuddered violently down his back. His wings flapped uneasily and his legs nearly lost their ability to make him stand. "Mage-Bounds? Unfortunately, I am familiar with them. Why…wait, are you suggesting…that Link…?"

"It isn't certain," the _Faria Garuia_ said gently, "but it is possible the young Link is a _Magi-Con_."

Kaepora nearly stumbled back and landed on his tail feathers. Link, a Mage-Bound? That wasn't possible, was it? Mage-Bounds were people that gained magic through growth and development, without any assistance from teachers of magic or the like. Mage-Bounds tended to be some of the most powerful wielders of magic in the land, and also some of the most dangerous. All it took was a single event of some high emotional caliber to awaken a Mage-Bound's power, and if used incorrectly that power could create devastating results.

Before being an Owl, Kaepora Gaebora had once been a _Magi-Con_. And it wasn't something he liked to think about.

"Why didn't you tell me about this during our first meeting?" Kaepora demanded. "Why didn't you warn me about this possibility…?"

"If I did, then it would've been a near certainty that Link would've never learned magic. Any worries would've obstructed any chance of him awakening his abilities, and I'm sure that isn't what your visions required."

The Owl couldn't help but agree with the _Faria_'s words, but still…

"But you could've at least warned me about his potential without directly telling me he was a Mage-Bound! I would've kept a closer eye on him and…"

"That, too, would've aided in the certainty of him never learning magic. The one called Link must experience a surge of emotions as never before felt in his entire life. Right now, I can feel his isolation, his misery, and his desires. Already his powers are awakening, but they haven't emerged completely…and this was all because of a fit of cruelty I have never seen in someone so young."

The Owl wanted to scream at the _Faria Garuia_, scream his anger towards her and let her know his displeasure in keeping some of the truth from him. But he managed to keep from letting go of control over himself, although he nearly lost that control when he heard about the "fit of cruelty," something he never expected to hear about Link.

"But why haven't his powers awoken completely?" he asked, trying to restrain his anger. "Why are they still lying buried?"

"Because his powers are far more powerful than any Mage-Bounds before him. This boy of destiny will have the power of the gods. To awaken such power requires an enormous flow of emotions, a flow that might possibly end up destroying his soul. We can only pray that he accomplishes such a task."

_"By the Three Goddesses…"_ Kaepora shuttered. _"What have I done…allowing him to go into that cave without me…?"_

And one question still remained unanswered: what did Navi have to do with this?

"W…w…what happened? Am I still alive?"

Link sat up surprisingly easily, and he felt nothing painful except for maybe his old wounds from the Bomb Flower blast. He had landed on the ground right next to the burning lava pit from a profound drop and hadn't sustained any new injuries! He didn't even seem to be bruised from the fall! What was going on?

Deciding to find out, Link took his hand and struck it hard against the ground next to him. To his complete amazement, his fist didn't strike sold rock but instead sank slightly into the ground before halting, buried a little ways in the soft soil. Link yanked his clenched fist out effortlessly, although it was covered with a thin layer of black dust.

"Well, that's interesting," Link noted as he stood up, keeping his eye on his fist. "The soil's as soft as a leaf bed. It must've broken my fall! But why's it so soft? Maybe it's this heat or something, 'cause this soil is a little hot…but even that doesn't explain why I don't have any new injuries. Huh! Maybe I really _am_ dead…"

Just then, the ground shook.

The tremor was brief, but it was enough to get Link's attention. It reminded him somewhat of the Bomb Flower blast in the main cavern, but it wasn't this abrupt. It was accompanied by a loud and just as hasty crash sound, and then everything stopped. Link's mind raced like the wind, trying to figure out what had just happened.

Being willing enough to presume, Link guessed that the sound resembled a giant _step_ made by an equally giant _foot_!

_"But that's impossible…isn't it…?"_

His mind stopped thinking when the ground shook again.

_"Isn't it…?"_

Another colossal thud.

_"Three. Just one more to confirm. Please, no…"_

A fourth one.

_"Confound it…"_ Link grimaced before turning around.

If Gohma had won a prize for most terrifying creature yet encountered, then King Dodongo would be her biggest challenger. The first thing Link noticed was its sheer size. It towered a size that seemed to dwarf the skeleton found in the main cavern in the mine, and its head did its part to belittle the enormous skull Link had destroyed. However, its resemblance to a lizard was all that linked this enormous behemoth to its smaller Dodongo children.

Unlike the adult Dodongos Link had seen, King Dodongo walked on four fully developed legs, each pulsing with muscles that rippled underneath scales. Instead of green skin, the giant boasted a deep gray all over except for several key spots. Its shoulders were covered with a strange green substance that looked like throbbing crystal, and its underbelly was completely pale except for red and green rings that bordered it. The biggest "key spot" were its eyes, a deep green that glowed with an undeniable hunger.

Its arsenal of weapons wasn't lacking, either. Its three-toed feet were equipped with flat yet deadly looking claws. Several spikes were arranged in a row upon its back, and a gigantic horn grew from its armor-like head. Its teeth were undoubtedly lethal, but two of these teeth stood out, _literally_, by being longer than all the rest and protruding from its bottom lip like swords.

And Link was willing to bet that King Dodongo had a fiery breath stored within its enormous mouth. His teeth clenching together tightly, he tightened his grip on…air?

_"My sword! My sword! I dropped my sword!"_

But Link didn't even have time to look around for his weapon, for King Dodongo suddenly stopped his thunderous march towards the Kokiri and emitted an earsplitting roar. The blast was so overwhelming that Link fell on his back, shy of landing in the nearby pool of lava.

In a panic, Link struggled to stand up, but before he was even halfway up King Dodongo had a surprise waiting for him. Link stretched out his left hand for balance…and nearly jumped with fright as an enormous tongue of flame flew right past him. He remained frozen, unable to move, and could only watch as the wall of fire engulfed his left hand. The fire receded quickly, but not the shock.

To the Kokiri's utter horror, his left hand had been completely burned. The skin was burned to a crisp red and the blood didn't even drip because it had dried so quickly. There was no feeling in it for a few moments before the pain arrived, forcing Link to cry out in pain and press his wounded hand against his stomach, where he wrapped it in his bloodied shirt. This only caused more pain, however, but Link fought it through gritted teeth and tears.

_"No!"_ he wanted to cry but could only think. _"If I must die, I will _not_ die like this! Not like _this_!"_

King Dodongo apparently didn't respect Link's wishes, for he didn't give the Kokiri time to dawn on the pain. Instead he drew breath deeply again and allowed a column of fire to soar straight towards his prey. Link, however, despite his suffering, was ready this time and jumped to the side and avoided from being burned alive. Deciding not to stick around and remain an easy target, Link stood up and ran in the direction opposite from King Dodongo.

The mighty leader of the Dodongos could only slowly yet heavily give chase…

Ah, at last!

He had waited so long for such a meal, and today he was about to have his desires come true! The Hylian had fallen straight into his lair, something he had only wished would happen; he hadn't expected his wish to come true completely according to his aspiration! But it had, and now he would indulge in something he had waited ages for.

Since the creature had entered the Great Mountain he had been afraid that his children would find it and claim it first, but he had had high hopes that this Hylian would find a way to him. After all, it had killed the two creatures given to him and three of his own children, so it wouldn't have given up easily. And that would make this treat even more worthy for his taste buds to savor.

And once he's finished with this delicious morsel, he will allow his children to roam the Great Mountain in search of the Stone Eaters that banished his kind from their ancestral home…

Wait, The Hylian is running away! But where can it go? This lair is where he had lived ever since it had claimed dominance over the Dodongo race, and no living thing has left its confines. No, this Hylian will be his and there was nothing it could do to save itself.

_"A way out! A way out! Oh, please, let there be a way out!"_

But Link's silent prayer went unanswered as he scrambled away from the giant beast behind him. The walls of the caver were smooth and vertical all over, offering no possible way for Link to scale them. The hole in the ceiling was far too high for him to jump, and there were apparently no other openings he could use.

In short, he was trapped.

With pain racing up his left arm like liquid fire, Link sprinted as fast as he could, hoping he might outrun the brute until he could formulate some form of plan. But the underground cavern wasn't as big as he had thought, and he soon found himself at the end of the cavern. Because the lava lake was positioned right in the center of the room and King Dodongo was leisurely making his way towards him with his thundering footsteps, all Link could do was turn left and run that way.

King Dodongo, slow as he may be, wasn't about to let someone get away that easily; so when Link looked back to make note of the lizard's progress, he wasn't surprised when he saw King Dodongo preparing another breath of fire.

_"Oh, here goes…!"_

The blast was quick yet predictable, so Link managed to roll away as he ran to avoid getting singed by its fiery touch. The sting in his burnt hand pulsed even harder, forcing tears to stream down his cheeks like trickles of rainwater. King Dodongo, a little peeved by his miss, sent another blast towards his prey. Link moved to dodge the blast again, although the back of his shirt was scorched by the attack. His back sent messages of pain to his brain, but they couldn't compare to the pain in his hand so he completely ignored his new scars.

Just then, as he noticed King Dodongo about to make a third blast, Link's foot caught on something. His eyes darted down and managed to spot the bleached skeleton of an unidentifiable creature buried in the ground, but he didn't have time to think before he lost his balance and went tumbled to the ground. He managed to duck in a way that allowed him to roll forward slightly, but this only agitated his burnt hand further. Even so, it did manage to hide him from King Dodongo's third attack.

Link tumbled around several times before coming to a stop. His eyes were slightly dizzy from the experience but he didn't allow that to stop him from getting up so he could continue running. When he stood up he realized he had reached another wall that forced him to turn left yet again. He was about to go down that direction when he noticed something affixed to the nearby wall. He rubbed his eyes with his right hand to make sure he wasn't hallucinating; he wasn't.

All over the wall and along the floor were clumped dozens of Bomb Flowers, perched there like dark seeds waiting to be sown.

Forgetting about the approaching brute behind him for a moment, Link ran up to the nearest flower and hovered over it for a moment in amazement. When he remembered King Dodongo, he grabbed the deadly plant by its grassy tuff. Luckily, the bracelet Darunia had given him was on his right hand, so it should still work with his left hand out of commission.

_"Maybe I can use this thing to distract him…or maybe I could even blind him. Killing him with this is too hopeful, and that's going to get _me_ killed!"_

Taking a deep breath and clenching his grip on the Bomb Flower tightly so it wouldn't slip like last time, Link yanked with all his might. He felt the power of the bracelet coarse through his veins like a solid wind, granting him forbidden power so that he may live. His left hand throbbed even harder with his feat of strength, but Link could care less. Within moments he had the heavy pod in his hands, ready to be used as a weapon against the mighty behemoth.

Link, after holding the Bomb Flower for a split second, turned to face his opponent. By now, King Dodongo was facing him directly and slowly advancing. For some reason the giant lizard was no longer using its breath as a weapon, but Link didn't use precious time to contemplate this. Instead he gripped the Bomb Flower firmly in his hand, held it in a position ready to be thrown, and yelled at the top of his lungs:

"Here you go! Try some of this!"

He then threw the Bomb Flower with all his might, using only his right hand. The black pod soared through the air like a dark raven, ready to spread its shadow of death to all it touched. When it landed, it fell shy of King Dodongo's body, but that didn't matter. When the monster passed over the thing, it would explode in its face…

Wait a moment! Oh, no! The fuse! Link had forgotten to check the fuse! It wasn't alight! It hadn't ignited like the first time he had picked a Bomb Flower! Now it was just sitting there, like a harmless overgrown insect that would sting only if it were bothered.

_"Great!"_ Link thought, starting to get frantic. _"Unless he steps on that thing it's not going to do anything! Better hurry and get another…hey, what's that? Is that…?"_

What was it trying to do? Kill them both?

The Hylian was obviously a smart one, for it had stopped its frantic retreat right before the cluster of deadly growth that he was careful to avoid. He had injured himself badly once before when he had accidentally set off one of those terrible plants, so he rarely went to that corner. Oh, sure, he wanted to kill the Hylian, but he didn't want to _destroy_ it!

And now the Hylian had thrown one the deadly plants, probably in an attempt to kill him. But as luck would have it, the plant hadn't been set alight, so it was harmless unless he touched it with either flame or carelessness. All he had to do was walk past it carefully to get to the Hylian and then destroy it from a safe distance afterwards. It was that simple…

But he must hurry, for the human might try again…wait a minute, what's that smell? It was something he had never smelled before. From the power of the odor, it was coming from some small creature, but it was overwhelming enough for him to take notice. What is this new aroma's odor, and where was it coming from…?

Just then, he saw it…

"Link! Link!"

"Navi…? Navi!"

Link felt like crying. It was indeed Navi, his little pink friend, hovering by the hole he had fallen into. Her voice was shrill but he could hear it easily in the echo-prone cavern. And although he couldn't see her as clearly as he'd like to at that moment, he could easily tell she was crying. The telltale signs were her uneasy voice and her bright flickering light.

In an instant, all his worries were swept away: Malatite's death, King Dodongo, his burning left hand, everything! He was just happy to see his friend again, the friend he had feared dead, the friend he had never had a chance to tell how much he loved her despite their initial differences. The whole world seemed to revolve only around the two of them and _include_ only them. Everything and everyone else were nothing more than mere thoughts.

"Link…Link…Li-ink…" Navi spluttered loudly, unable to contain her evident joy. Link thought he noticed several tiny tears fall from her hidden face. The fey continued to stutter his name as she flew towards him, her light pulsing furiously. Link, in a state of trance, held his arms open as if welcoming a person his own size. He couldn't wait to touch her again, to listen to her commanding yet soothing voice, to rekindle their friendship once more…

VFOOOM…

In the blink of an eye, everything changed from blissful to horrific. Before Link's very eyes, a tongue of flame courtesy of King Dodongo engulfed the tiny fairy. Link's jaw dropped as he watched the fiery column conceal his friend from view before evaporating, leaving its familiar sulfuric stench behind. It was over in a flash, but the impact remained. Navi was gone; she hadn't even had time to scream.

Link felt his knees strike the soft ground beneath him, but his eyes remained on where Navi had disappeared. His face had fallen to one of surprise and disbelief. The blood in his face had been drained and his ears became deaf to the world, even to King Dodongo's roar of satisfaction at his execution.

"Navi…" he whispered to himself before tears started rolling down his cheek, this time in sorrow and grief. "No…no…no…"

He bent down and started to beat the earth with his right hand. Each blow to the ground created a small crater and chunks of earth flew into the air and into his face. He continued pounding until he finally grabbed the soft earth in his hand and scratched a ball of dirt into his fist. He lifted the clumped earth into the air and stared at it through his tear-filled eyes.

He then squeezed, forcing the dirt to flow through his fingers like a sickening, chunky blood. The tighter his grip became, the tighter his face grew until he finally threw the earth to the ground and threw both hands into the air.

"Naviiiiiii! Naviiiiiii!"

Impossibly, a loud thunder rolled in the cavern.

Something inside of him snapped.

Then he felt something else, felt it rise.

It surged through him like a snake, wrapping its unseen coils around every part of his body. It was warm, like a sun burning its rays into his heart. It possessed all that he needed: strength, vigor, perseverance, determination, and intensity. He had never felt this before, but he knew he could use it. He could use this _thing_ to suit his own purposes, bend it to do his every will and desire.

And right now, his will and desire was to _kill_…

He stood up, still crying out his pain like a wild animal. He threw away his tears with a shake of the head and bared his teeth, allowing his unyielding face to confront the monstrosity before him. He snarled and bellowed, wanting to show the powerful behemoth that if he was to go down, he wasn't going to go down quietly.

But during that moment Link didn't have a single thought about losing to this wicked creature…

"You…" Link cried in a potent tone. "You won't get away with this! King Dodongo, you are going to _diiiieeee_!"

The monster didn't seem to be intimidated by Link's threat, so it just pushed on towards its prey. Link's eyes remained affixed on his target for a moment before darting to the Bomb Flower he had thrown earlier. It was just a few steps away from being underneath the lizard's face, so if he could…

"Yes, you will _die_!"

Link then reached for _it_, trying to divert it, redirect it, and touch it. He had no experience with this new _thing_, but something locked away in his mind somehow showed him the way, showed him exactly what he needed to do. With his mental strain running high, Link managed to force the _thing_ to his right arm. There it was; now all he needed to do was…

"_Diiiiiieeeeee_!"

…let it go, and he did.

A stream of fire flew from his hand, sailing through the air like a liquefied sunbeam. The blast headed straight for the Bomb Flower Link had thrown, heading for the sleeping beast underneath the mighty King Dodongo. The tongue of flame struck the pod dead on, licking it for a moment before completely engulfing it. The flower quivered for a moment before releasing the power of its seeds in a deafening and bright explosion…directly underneath King Dodongo's face!

Link didn't look away from the blinding flash; he didn't want to look away. He wanted to watch his enemy die, watch his friend's murderer suffer for what he had done. He may be blinded because of it, but then so be it! Although he was no longer sending fire from his hand, he still kept it up as a gesture of dominance.

_"Die!"_ he screamed in his mind. _"Die! Die! Die!"_

But King Dodongo didn't die, although he came close. Amazingly, the blast didn't affect Link's eyes in the least and they quickly adjusted to the brightness changes. When the flash had subsided, Link saw what the Bomb Flower had done to his opponent.

The creature's face was completely unrecognizable. Its gray skin had been stripped from its face, exposing blood veins and white bone underneath. The giant horn on its nose had been blown off and was nowhere to be seen. Most of the creature's teeth were either missing or hanging from its sockets, and one of its eyes was bleeding green pus as if it were tears. King Dodongo was obviously in pain, as he roared loudly and angrily, allowing his enormous mouth to gape like a deadly abyss.

_"This could be my only chance…"_ Link realized.

Without taking his eyes off the suffering monster, Link reached for another Bomb Flower and pulled it free. This time the yank ignited the fuse, and Link heard it fizzle its way to the awaiting seeds in the sac.

"May the Three Goddesses forgive your wretched soul, King Dodongo! This one's for you, Navi!"

Link then threw it with his right hand. This time he used the strength of the _thing_ surging through him to throw it, forcing it to go farther than before. It sailed through the air like a demon, its burning tail itching to destroy everything it touched. The Bomb Flower flew in such a way that it seemed guided by something towards its intended target. It slowly began its descent…

…and landed directly in the thrashing King Dodongo's mouth. The beast took no notice of the small item it had just swallowed, and soon the Bomb Flower had disappeared from view. Through his rage, Link became a little unsure took a step back, not knowing what results were about to come to pass…

BOOOOM…__


	20. Reunions

**Chapter 20: Reunions**

Saria sat up like a bolt of lightning, sweat pouring down her face like rain. Her eyes were wide with fear and she had trouble breathing. All she could hear was her hoarse cough and the pulsing of her blood in her ears. She lifted a hand to hold over her jumpy heart and lifted the other to her forehead, where the sweat almost instantly glued her palm to her skin.

When her breathing had stabilized a little, she took a deep breath and an even deeper exhaling. She closed her eyes to get rid of the blurs she was seeing and then blinked vigorously. She looked down at her covered heart, then back up at her room. The sunlight was disappearing and evening was approaching, but Saria could still see Link's old ocarina sitting beside hers on the table in the middle of her house.

Although her eyes were dry, she felt like crying.

"Saria," Katl cried from above, at first annoyed to be awoken from his nap but now concerned. "What's wrong? A bad dream?"

"Worse…" Saria answered as she allowed her breathing to return to normal. "Link…he's in trouble…"

"What?" Katl fluttered down from his perch and onto Saria's shoulder, closer to her ear. "You _definitely_ had a bad dream. How could you know Link's in trouble when he could be dead for all we know? And he probably is, for no Kokiri has ever stepped out of the Lost Woods and lived…"

"Link's alive!" Saria snapped at her fairy, forcing Katl to fly from her shoulder. "I _know_ he is! But he's in trouble…I can feel it. But it doesn't feel like it's the Link I know. It's like a completely different Link…one who's cruel and coldhearted and…_wicked_! Maybe it's not even Link _now_, but Link in the future…"

"Link in the future? What nonsense! It was a bad dream, that's all. If…_if_…Link is alive, I seriously doubt he would be what you just described. Come on, Saria, do you really expect yourself to believe this…?"

But Saria had stopped listening. She was instead concentrating on the two ocarinas, particularly her own. _"Link…why don't you play my song again? I want to talk to you again, like we did yesterday. Please, Link, play my song. I want to speak to you…I don't want to lose you…"_

As the words rolled around in her mind, an image continued to plague her thoughts. It was the image of Link from her dream, just as she had described him: cruel, coldhearted, wicked…

…and…big…?

So the second blast knocked him out, after all.

The first thing Link saw was complete darkness, but as soon as he lifted his head a little he realized he was staring straight at the ground. He strained to lift himself up, but he quickly learned that the strange _thing_ that had surged through him earlier was now gone, as well as all the strength that came with it. So now he had to use pain and sweat to just use his arms, and he nearly collapsed again when he managed to get into a sitting position.

Breathing loud enough to echo throughout the cavern, Link allowed his head to droop for a few moments before he looked up…

…straight into the mouth of King Dodongo!

"BytheThreeGoddessesbyDinsFirebytheThreeGoddesses…!" Link stuttered loudly as he crawled behind on all fours, desperate to get away from the gaping mouth. He was so surprised by the cavernous jaw of his adversary that he didn't stop backing up until he struck the wall behind him. He bumped into a Bomb Flower on his right, but he hardly cared about that when the monstrous King Dodongo was about to devour…

_"Huh?"_

His face drenched in sweat, Link stood up using his weak legs and took a step forward. The giant jaws of King Dodongo didn't move an inch from where they were standing; neither did the scarred and disfigured face attacked to them. Neither did…wait a minute! The head! It wasn't attached to the rest of the body…it was just lying there, like a pulled off branch from a giant tree!

Link stared at the severed head for a few moments, gaping at how its jaws were still wide open. The pools of black blood that surrounded its dead mass emitted a putrid odor, but Link paid no attention to it. Just a little ways back lay the rest of the body, but it was hardly recognizable. The flesh had been blown apart into tiny scraps and the skeletal frame protruded through the remaining mass like sticks through a viscous sludge.

To Link's unimaginable disbelief, King Dodongo was…dead.

After gaping at the shattered carcass, Link did something he never thought he would do at a time like this.

He laughed.

"Yeeeeees!" he cried, wanting to inform the Dodongos on the upper level of his victory. "Yeeeeees! I did it! I did it! I _diiiiiiiiiid_ it! _Yeeeeeeeees_! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes…!"

With each cry of "Yes!" Link voice grew softer and less enthusiastic. He was slowly beginning to realize the true outcome of his efforts, and they weren't to his complete liking. Eventually his cries of joy became cries of pain, and all the yeses were converted into nos.

"No…no…no…no…no…"

At the shriek of the first "no" Link began to pound the ground with his fist. Every "no" yielded another blow to the soil, and each blow grew in intensity. It wasn't long before Link's eyes created tears to accompany his cries. Soon, however, he fell silent yet continued to strike the earth vigorously until he finally stopped and dropped his face half buried into the dirt.

His mouth was hidden, but his eyes weren't, and thus his howls of grief were muffled but his tears continued to flow freely. He remained in that position for an indefinite amount of time before lifting his head slightly to allow his voice to whisper loudly.

"Navi…Navi…I'm so sorry I couldn't save you…I'm so sorry…so sorry…please forgive me…forgive me…I'm so sorry…Navi…"

"Okay, okay, Link, you don't have to say it over and over again. I accept your apology, although I don't know what good it's going to do you."

_"Navi…? What…?"_

His heart racing like the north wind, Link shook his tears away and looked up. There, hovering not too far away from his face, was a pink fey with a familiar name.

"Navi!" Link cried blissfully. "You're alive! You're alive…!"

"Of course I'm alive!" Navi answered with her there-was-no-need-to-be-frightened voice. "I'm a fairy, and fairies can't be killed by fire, a natural force of the world. Although that brute's blast did knock me unconscious for a good while, and…"

"Navi…" Link stuttered, trying to fight back his growing urge of happiness. "I'm glad you're alive…I missed you so much…I really did…"

Navi "jumped," as if surprised by that remark. "You did? You missed little ol' _me_? Why, I'm touched, Link! I never thought you'd actually _miss_ me…"

"Navi," Link interrupted, not caring about the fairy's sarcastic attitude. "Let me just touch you. Let me touch you again. Please…"

The fairy remained silent for a moment, as if considering Link's plea. Finally, "Well, if you insist, sure. And…I guess I missed you too."

Navi then fluttered to Link's right arm and perched on it. The mere warmth from her glow was enough to cause Link to release hidden tears. As he sat there, allowing the fairy to just sit, he felt something tickle his right arm. He looked down and was surprised to find Navi _hugging_ his arm as much as she could. But that wasn't the thing tickling him, was it…? Then he saw them: tiny, fairy tears, streaking down Navi's face and onto Link's skin.

Navi, the unflappable and sarcastic fairy, was crying!

Link managed a faint smile. _"I guess not even Navi can hide her true feelings…"_

Just then, pain shot up his left arm, causing Link to jerk violently and jab his left hand into his stomach. It was then that he remembered his burnt hand…or, rather, the hand remembered for him!

Navi flew into the air at the jolt and blurted out, "Link! What's wrong…? By Din's Fire! What happened to your hand?"

"Burnt…" was all that Link managed before wincing and gritting his teeth to hold back the pain.

"Can you move?"

"Not very far…" Link answered without looking at Navi. "The pain's a lot stronger than before…must have been that strange _thing_ that went through me earlier."

"Strange _thing_?" Navi asked, puzzled. "Link, what in Din's Fire are you talking about?"

_"I don't know,"_ Link thought loudly as he vividly recalled him shooting fire – _fire_! – from his hand. _"Maybe it really _was_ Din's Fire…! Oh, stop it, Link! No time for stupid jokes…"_

"Uuuurrrggh!" the Kokiri cried, struggling to keep his burned hand from pulsing with fresh blood too quickly. "The pain! It's unbearable! I think I'm going to pass out…uggh…Navi…help me…get help…ouch…"

"Link…on't…he…on the…ook…ere…"

All that Link could make out were mumbled sounds that had absolutely no meaning. Maybe they once did have meanings, but his dying ears couldn't detect them. His eyesight grew darker and darker; he was growing blind through the agonizing pain in his hand. He lost consciousness not too long after he couldn't see a thing except pitch-blackness.

The last thing he saw were several strange shapes falling from the ceiling, possibly Dodongos coming to avenge their late king…

Princess Zelda stood before the giant mirror of her bedroom in complete silence, studying every aspect of her body that she possibly could. But with the imposing specially tailored dress upon on her shoulders and royal cap upon her scalp, she could only make out two features of her body: her hands and her face.

Not enough, she thought.

Releasing a deep sigh, Zelda began to remove her noble attire.

She first removed the leather belt with its golden buckle, then the necklace with its eye-catching sculpture of the Royal Family crest. She then reached for her cap, slowly sliding it from her scalp, a move that allowed her hair to be raised slightly before falling to its true length. Next came her pink apron-like shirt that had held the belt, then the white slip dress underneath. The next items were the bracelets that held her blue shirt in place, and then the blue undershirt itself. Finally she was left standing in her silk undergarments, which were the last piece of attire to be removed.

With all her clothing removed, Zelda looked again at the mirror. There she was, completely stripped of her clothing, her royalty…her image. She was no longer a princess, but an ordinary human being. There was nothing special about her other than her own individualism. She wasn't better than anyone else in Hyrule or even worse than them. All she was now was _one_ of them, a simple human being.

Ever since she had met Link, her entire world had been turned upside down. While that had been obvious from the first day she had met him, she had had no idea how much her life would change. Link was an _outsider_, someone from with_out_ the walls of Hyrule Castle. Before she had only spoken to those allowed with_in_ Hyrule Castle, and Link had changed that concept completely. Oh, sure, she loved the people of Hyrule, but there had always been a regal whisper in her ear that prevented her from actually _meeting_ and _speaking_ with them.

But Link had merely been the agitator; Ganondorf had been the catalyst. During their first meeting, Ganondorf had _threatened_ her as if she were nothing more than a mere animal! She had always lived her life in complete comfort, never once thinking about how her life would be vulnerable. Ganondorf had changed all that when he had menaces her and came close to placing a sharp blade through her heart.

I am no longer anyone special, Zelda thought as she inspected her unclad body closely. She had seen herself unclothed many times, but never with such thoughts rolling around in mind. The young boy from the forest had indeed altered her life. Had he not appeared, she might've never changed her behavior and Ganondorf might've never threatened her like he did. For better or for worse, Link had changed her.

I am now just an ordinary human being, she concluded before turning her gaze to the pile of clothing beside her. Buried somewhere in there was something that Ganondorf possibly had his eyes on.

_"But I will protect it with my life! Don't think I won't, Ganondorf! You will have to kill me before you get your slimy hands on it!"_

She then gave another brief glance at her naked self through the mirror before proceeding to get dressed for bed.

On the other side of her closed bedroom door, a daunting and chilling individual listened against the door for a few moments before snickering softly and heading for the stables…

"How is he?"

"He should be up and about any time soon, although I must say, his hand was a bit of a task to fix up."

"Will it be okay?"

"Oh, yes! This boy is a lot stronger than he looks. Several days from now he should be able to take off the wrapping. It'll be a little stiff then, but some exercise should bring it to functioning like new again."

"When can we leave? I know this is a little rude, but we're in a dreadful hurry and need to get going as quickly as possible…"

"What? Completely out of the question! You can't allow him to go traipsing around with a hand like that! He'll need to rest while his hand his bandaged up or else he could lose it entirely. I doubt you want that to happen."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Absolutely definite! If you won't take him somewhere peaceful and relaxing, then he'll just have to stay here. End of story!"

"Well, I guess I could take him to Kakariko Village. It's relatively quiet there, although I can't make any guarantees."

"Good. I'm counting on you. This young lad just saved our lives, and I don't want him to lose a hand because of carelessness. You take good care of him, you hear?"

"I'll do my best. I give you my word."

Link thought he got the gist of the conversation he was overhearing, but his aching mind still had some blanks that needed to be filled about its complete essence. He strained his eyelids to open, but they put up quite a fight to stay closed. He groaned as his stiff limbs fought against his urge to sit up. When he finally managed to maintain a sitting his position, his eyelids finally gave in and opened, allowing a hazy world to be seen.

"Look, he's awake already! This boy is incredible!"

Link thought he only faintly recognized the first voice, but he knew he knew the second voice.

"Yes, this boy is very special."

The blurred form of Kaepora Gaebora eventually became clearer, and Link lifted his hands to stroke the sleep out of his eyes. But his left hand didn't move with his right for some reason, and Link was forced to use his right hand for both eyes. When they had been rubbed, Link looked down at his left hand. It was wrapped up in a brown, warm, and soft material that felt quite comfortable, especially since there were burn marks underneath it. A long strand of the material had been looped around his neck and his arm, creating a sort of a sling for his left hand to rest on.

"Where…where am I…?" was all Link could ask.

"You're safe, Link," the Owl answered, causing the Kokiri to turn to him. "You're back in Goron City, all in one piece."

"And a hero to our people," the recognized voice added. "I can't thank you enough for what you did, and neither can Big Brother. He's very anxious to know if you're all right."

_"Who is that…?"_ Link thought before turning to the voice's owner next to the Owl. He nearly jumped with surprise. "Malatite! You're alive!"

The Goron was indeed alive, although he definitely wasn't in the best of conditions. He, too, had some of the brown material wrapped around him, only more severely. There was some of it around his stomach, his arms, and even across one of his eyes. The Goron seemed lucky to even be alive, which stirred a little guilt in the Kokiri's heart. Malatite had taken a greater extent of the hardship of the quest, when Link had done most of the work. Link should've taken the harsher beating, not Malatite, especially when the Goron had been injured because of his own clumsiness.

"Yes, I'm alive," the Goron admitted, "but barely. I never thought a Goron could survive such a fall when not rolled up, but I guess my bones are stronger than I gave them credit for. But I'm glad I managed to get to you when the others brought you in. I was so slow in making it back to Goron City that I thought you were dead by then."

"What…?" Link questioned, blinking uneasily. "Can someone please tell me what happened? How did I get here?"

"I can answer that," Navi replied, suddenly flying out of nowhere and in front of his face.

The fairy then proceeded to tell her view of the story. She had entered the mine not long after Link had killed the two Lizalfos – Navi had to explain that the Lizalfos were the lizardmen – and would've never known where to look if it hadn't been for that Bomb Flower blast. She had hurried back to the main cavern and, drawn by a soft moan, found Malatite, bleeding but otherwise okay. Malatite had told him all he could about his and Link's encounters, and that was when he had noticed the tunnel once hidden by the giant skull.

Navi had asked Malatite to go back because he wasn't going to be much use with his injuries, and Malatite couldn't help but agree. Navi had flown down the tunnel as fast as she could and arrived in the middle of Link's battle with King Dodongo, where the monster had hit her with his fire breath and knocked her out. When she had woken up, King Dodongo lay dead and strewn all over the cavern. She met up with Link for their teary reunion –Navi left out any mention of "teary" – and Link passed out because of the pain of his left hand.

That was when several Gorons, including Darunia, dropped down into the cavern…

"…and here you are." Navi finished her tale with a proud smile.

The four in the room remained silent for a moment before Malatite spoke again. "But there's one thing I and I think everyone here would like to know. How did you kill King Dodongo? Not even the Almighty Five could accomplish such a feat. Two of them died in the attempt to rid Death Mountain of him. So how…?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you," Link interrupted softly as he looked at his right hand. "_I_ don't even know the answer to that." When he looked up again, he noticed Kaepora's eyes looking at him with a gaze that seemed to suggest the old Owl knew…yet didn't _want_ to know…

"You're all right! Thank the gods!"

Everyone in the room turned to the room's door to find Big Brother Darunia standing there. Gone was the majestic stature Link had seen Darunia possess during his first meeting with the Goron. No more were his fiery eyes and tightened arms that displayed his rippling muscles. Now all that was left was a smiling Goron with somewhat of a slouch and a contented air around him.

The leader of the Gorons marched up to the Kokiri with his arms rocking back and forth like flimsy branches in a strong wind. When he was beside Link, Darunia's smile widened and he used one of his enormous hands to give Link two powerful slaps on the back. All Link could do was grit his teeth and try and hide his tears so he didn't show Darunia how much those slaps actually hurt. He was still groaning behind his teeth when Big Brother spoke up.

"I can't thank you enough, Link. Your actions have been extraordinary. Malatite and the little fairy told me everything, from you slaying those Lizalfos or whatever to the death of King Dodongo. I couldn't believe it at first, but King Dodongo's carcass was all the proof I needed. You are indeed remarkable.

"Now that King Dodongo's dead, the rest of the Dodongos won't survive…unless there's another King Dodongo somewhere within that breed, but I seriously doubt it. They'll eventually die out, leaving those delicious rocks for us to excavate. We've already sent a mining team down, and I doubt they'll encounter _too_ much trouble with the Dodongos disillusioned."

Darunia's smile then widened even further. "I'm so happy with you and I'm going to give you what you wanted: the Sacred Stone."

Link was still trying to hold back the pain of Darunia's slaps, but he forgot about them when the leader of the Gorons opened his free hand to display a magnificent red stone. Unlike the emerald Link had in his pouch, which was somewhat round and square in shape, this Spiritual Stone was more elongated and thinner. But, like the Spiritual Stone of the Forest, the Spiritual Stone of Fire was also partially surrounded by a golden frame. It shone with brilliance similar to the emerald, if not equal to it. There was no doubt in Link's mind that this was what he had been looking for.

With his right hand, Link reached out and gently took the Stone from Darunia's enormous palm. He then looked at the Goron's small eyes and said, "Thank you, Darunia."

"Please, call me Big Brother. And don't mentioned it, because you earned it…unlike that man in black."

Link's heart nearly skipped a beat. "What did you just say? Man in black? What man in black?"

Darunia's face suddenly changed; it went from blissful to angry in a quick, smooth, and chilling transition. "Many days ago – I can't remember how many – a man dressed in black came to our city and demanded that we'd give him the Sacred Stone. Of course, we were surprised to see a man at all in Death Mountain, and even more surprised about his knowledge of the Sacred Stone. He appeared not long after that boulder had sealed the mine, and after we refused to give him the Stone the Dodongos started their vigorous breeding. 

"Something in the back of my mind always told me that he was the one responsible for our problems, but I didn't have any physical evidence to prove it. Yet even now I feel he was the one who did all this. All I really know is that he simply demanded the Stone, while you risked your life for us. I never thought I'd be giving the Sacred Stone to a human, but these are strange times, indeed."

Man in black. Link's heart pounded furiously as his mind raced to the obvious conclusion: that person could only be Ganondorf. So he _did_ know the location of the Spiritual Stones other than the Kokiri Emerald. How could he have been so stupid? Why didn't he think of this before he left Hyrule Castle? All of this chaos was too suspicious to just be circumstantial! If Ganondorf could create a creature like Gohma to kill the Great Deku Tree, then was it any less difficult to block a mine and bring a banished race back to life?

Then had Ganondorf visited the _third and final _Spiritual Stone…?

"Say, Link," Darunia suddenly bellowed, interrupting Link's thoughts, "how would you like to become Sworn Brothers, like I am with the King of Hyrule?"

Deciding not to dwindle on the latest problem he had to face, Link decided to ask a question that had itched in his mind for some time. "But how are you a Sworn Brother of the King of Hyrule when you haven't even met him before? The Goron race is secluded, remember…"

"I didn't meet him," Darunia answered, "but my ancestors did. _They _met the King of Hyrule and became his Sworn Brother. The title is passed down from generations to generations, although nowadays we don't even see each other. So, do you want to be come a Sworn Brother of the Goron race? All that's required is for you to simply give the oath."

Link pondered the offer quietly for a few moments before replying, "Sure, why not?"

"Great. Now repeat after me: _I, with the gods as my witness, hereby swear that I shall become a Sworn Brother to the Goron race. I will answer any cry, any request, and any call to the best of my abilities so that I may give aid to my brothers in need. I will accept any assistance from my brothers should I require it. I will live with the knowledge that I have a family other than my immediate kin, and I shall find them if I have no one else to turn to and will always be embraced. I, with the gods as my witness, hereby swear that I am now a Sworn Brother to the Goron race. _There, you are now a Sworn Brother."

Link repeated the pledge perfectly, although he almost stumbled on the last sentence when he heard Navi whisper in his ear, "A little melodramatic, isn't it?"

"And now, Sworn Brother," Darunia said with a sly smile. "How about giving your own Sworn Brother a great big Goron hug?"

Link's eyes darted to the Goron's arm muscles. _"With _those_ arms? Are you crazy?"_

"I think I need some air," Link suddenly stated. Before anyone could say anything, Link jumped off his bed and headed for the door, leaving an Owl, a fairy, and two Gorons in complete bewildered silence…

Midday next day proved to be quite a scorching hour, so Kaepora decided that he, Link, and Navi would head out for Kakariko village in the evening. To pass the time, Link walked around Goron City, getting to know some of the Gorons he had only yesterday saved from complete starvation. A few still refused to believe that such a small boy had slain King Dodongo, but most of the Gorons worshipped him close to the status of a god. Several gave him more hard slaps on the back, and one or two even tried to give him a hug like Darunia. He was careful to avoid those as politely as he could. 

Not once during his stay did Link ask Kaepora about the strange fire that had escaped from his hand. He didn't know why, but Link felt that asking the Owl about such a thing would introduce him to something he didn't want to know about. Even so, he sometimes felt the wide-eyed gaze of the Owl piercing his mind, trying to force him to tell everything that had happened.

Finally, when evening rolled around and the heat had subsided a little, Kaepora Gaebora, Link, and Navi stepped outside of Goron City and prepared to fly to the village closest to Death Mountain's base. Darunia, Malatite, and several of Link's devout worshippers were there to see them off.

"Goodbye, Sworn Brother," Darunia said, shaking Link's hand furiously. "And thank you again for what you have done. Are you sure you don't want a Goron hug?"

"Sorry," Link answered with an uneasy laugh, "but doctor's orders. I have to keep this hand as still as possible, and things like hugs could damage it."

"Then I wish you luck on your journey, and may the Three Goddesses always smile upon you. And here's something for you."

Darunia then held out his palms, producing from seemingly nowhere the sword Link had lost in the cave. "I picked it up when we rescued you, and I thought you might want it back. I'm only giving it to you now because…well, I don't really know. It just feels right, I guess."

Smiling at Darunia's cheap sense of humor, Link gladly took the sword and replaced it in its sheath. Just then, the Kokiri remembered something. "Hey, let me give you this bracelet you gave me back…"

"Oh, goodness, no!" Darunia protested. "Keep it! We Gorons have no use for such a trinket. It was made for Hylians and seems to work perfectly for you. And it will help you do more than pick Bomb Flowers. Consider it a parting gift from me."

Then it was Malatite's turn to say goodbye. Link hadn't seen the Goron doctor all that day and still felt somewhat guilty about Malatite's near-death experience. He hoped Malatite hadn't avoided him because he had nearly killed…

"Here, Link," Malatite said as he held out something towards the Kokiri. It was a sack, about the size of the bag that carried Link's ocarina and two Spiritual Stones. From the rocky bulk on its surface, Link could tell many "things" were inside it.

"What is it?" Link asked as he took the bag.

"It's a bomb bag, filled with bombs…but don't worry, don't worry! Those are perfected bombs, the doctored seeds of the Bomb Flower. The only way they'll explode is if they're lit. And don't worry about accidents igniting the bombs, because that bag is made from a lining of a Dodongo's throat, which is virtually fireproof. In fact, this bag is made from the very throat of King Dodongo, so consider it a trophy for your brave deed. I spent all day making it and I'm glad I could give it to as a going away present."

Malatite then smiled and added, "And don't worry about that blast that nearly killed me. I accepted the risk involved in helping you, so it was entirely my fault, not yours. Don't be hard on yourself for such a small thing. I'm still alive, am I not?"

"I guess you are," Link said, smiling back. He took the bomb back and attacked it to his belt, alongside his other pouch and his slingshot. He was starting to have quite an assortment of items on his person! "I just wish I could give you all something in return…"

"You already have!" Malatite beamed with pride. "You've saved our race from extinction, and you also have my friendship, and that's worth more than all the Sacred Stones and bomb bags in the world. So leave Death Mountain with pride, for you are a hero and nothing less."

Malatite then gave Link a final slap on the back, forcing Link again to grit his teeth to hide the pain…

"Ahem," Kaepora suddenly cooed loudly. "Link, I don't mean to be rude, but can we please go now? We have things to do…"

"Remember!" Malatite boomed, pointing a finger at the Owl. "You promised to give this boy some rest, and you had better keep your word."

"I will keep my word, but I want his rest to begin as soon as possible. I feel time is grown short and unless we don't get going we might lose even more than time."

"Very well," Malatite agreed before returning his gaze to Link. "Link, best of luck to you, and may your rest be relaxing and peaceful."

"Th-th-thanks…" Link managed through his teeth as he fought back the impact of Malatite's slap…

Nightfall had become the new master when Link, Navi, and Kaepora arrived at Kakariko Village, although there was still enough twilight for Link and Navi to see the village properly. Since they hadn't managed to obtain a good look during their first visit to Impa's hometown, they took another and more engrossing observation.

The houses of Kakariko Village immediately distinguished itself from the houses of Hyule Castle New City in that they weren't grouped closely together. They were also far simpler and more unpretentious, which probably reflected the village's rural lifestyle. The soft sounds of unfamiliar animals could be heard all around the village, and at the far end of the village stood a tall building with four strange panels that turned around in a circle. Its purpose eluded Link, but since he was going to be in Kakariko Village for several days he would most likely learn its use.

When they touched down in the middle of the village, Kaepora fluttered to a nearby rooftop and then turned to the two below him.

"Link, you know I don't really want to do this, but I also don't want your hand to be permanently disabled. So here's the compromise of the situation. I'm going to fly around Hyrule for the next several days and see what I can find about the third Spiritual Stone. You will do your best to allow your hand to heal. I'll return here every three days until your hand is healed, then we can set out together. How does that sound?"

Link and Navi agreed to the Owl's plan almost immediately.

"Good. I'll begin the search immediately then. You try to find some place to sleep and rest. I'll return here three days from tomorrow. Farewell, Link, Navi, and take care of yourselves."

With those final words, Kaepora Gaebora took off into the night and was soon lost from view.

After watching the night sky for a few moments in vain for signs of the Owl, Link turned to Navi and asked, "So, where do you think we should try? I don't have any money for the inns, so we can rule those out."

"I guess we'll have to ask someone around here if we could use stay in their homes. It's a little rude, but unless you want to sleep outdoors that's what we're going to have to try."

Link nodded in agreement, although the truth was he could've _easily_ slept outdoors. He had done this feat so many times in the Lost Woods, though those times were often unpredictable. He had lied down in one place and often found himself in another spot the next morning. Such a thing wouldn't be good for his burnt hand, so that possibility wasn't…well, possible.

Link sighed. _"I wish Malon was here. She would help me out. But I guess we're just stuck here asking for people I don't even know…"_

Suddenly, the world went black. Link nearly jumped when everything around him went from nightly darkness to complete darkness, but he soon realized that his eyes were being covered by something pushing against his face. He reached with his right hand and felt these _things_ covering his eyes, and found they were small hands…

"Guess who?" spoke a familiar voice.

At first, Link was too stunned to say anything, but he quickly recovered and gave his answer in the form of a question.

"Aww, you're no fun," the playful voice uttered moments before the hands were removed from Link's eyes. Link blinked once and spun around to confirm his answer. He had, indeed, replied perfectly, but he was still amazed to see who it was.

"How are you, Fairy Boy? What you doing in Kakariko Village?" Malon asked as she threw her red hair back with one of her hands.****


	21. Link's Vacation

**Chapter 21: Link's Vacation**

"It's beautiful up here."

"Yes, it is. I'm glad you think so."

Link sighed as he took in the breathtaking scenery of Kakariko Village and the surrounding countryside as the morning sun peeked over the horizon. Malon followed suit moments later. They were sitting atop a small ledge affixed to the exterior of the windmill – the tall building with spinning slats Link had wondered about earlier – just below the spinning fan above their heads. The ledge, Malon had explained, was actually a leftover from the windmill's construction. The builders had used it to help attach the fan blades and had left it where it was in case one of the blades fell off for any reason.

Malon just used it as a place to pass the time.

"Whenever I'm in Kakariko Village, I always come up here to watch the sunrise. The sunrise is never the same twice, and it's also a place for me to forget all my worries if only for a little while."

"I can see why," Link said as he focused on a distant field of wildflowers swaying gently in the wind. "I guess I was lucky to run into you last night, otherwise I would've never found this spot."

Link had indeed been lucky to run into Malon…or for Malon to run into him. Either way, he had found a place where he could spend the night. With hundreds of questions flowing from her mouth, Malon had taken Link and Navi to the house she and her father Talon were staying at. Talon had been surprised to see again the young lad who had woken him back at Hyrule Castle, but he had gladly agreed to help Link and had paid the home's renter the required fee for a third person. Malon had wanted some questions answered then, but it was then that she had noticed his bandaged arm and had proceeded to help him, even force him, to rest for the night.

But, being Malon, she always had a catch. Early the next morning she had woken Link and Navi and had almost dragged them both to the windmill, where they watched the morning's sunrise. And now that she had caught them off guard, Malon continued where she had left off last night.

"Speaking of last night," Malon said, turning to Link, "how about telling me what you're doing in Kakariko Village and how you got your arm all strapped up like that? And what about back at Hyrule Castle New City? Did you get to meet Princess Zelda like you wanted? And how about explaining how you found my dad? He doesn't want to talk about that for some reason…"

_"She's the same as ever,"_ Link thought with a smile before speaking. "Whoa! Whoa! One at a time! Give me some room to talk. I guess I'll start at the beginning, from where I left you…"

Talk about timing! As Link spoke, his eyes drifted towards her neckline, where he saw something he hadn't seen there before: a necklace. The necklace wasn't an eye-opener compared to the ones he had seen at the Market Square; it was simply a flimsy golden band that was thinner than some small flower stems. But it did have one thing that caught Link's attention: the small red jewel hanging from the golden band in a common hook.

It was the jewel from his sword that Link had placed in Malon's hand just before he had left her.

This probably answered a nagging question that had entered Link's mind ever since he encountered Malon last night: why wasn't she angry with me leaving her?

All of a sudden Link realized something: he couldn't tell just Malon everything that had happened to him! Oh, sure, he hadn't promised anyone he _wouldn't_ tell anyone else, but Link was smart enough to think long-term. Who knows how Malon would react if he told her about his quest given by Princess Zelda, his journey to Death Mountain, his affiliation with the Gorons, and his slaying of King Dodongo? It was the same reason he hadn't told her about Gohma during his first meeting with Malon, and now he had to apply the same principles before Malon reacted in some unasked for manner …

"What's wrong, Fairy Boy?" Malon asked as she lowered her head to look at Link's eyes, which were now affixed downward and staring at the ground. "Are you sick? Is that hand of yours giving you trouble?"

"No," Link answered, still keeping his eyes to the ground. "I just…don't feel like talking about that right now. I'm sorry if that offends you, but I'm going to have to keep that stuff from you for now."

That was when Link turned his head to meet Malon's gaze. The farm girl's eyes blue were wide and filled with tiny ripples from the sunlight, like a set of two small pools. Link at first thought she was about to cry, but he soon realized there were no tears in her eyes, just the dawn's tricks of light. The two's gazes remained affixed for a long, silent moment before Malon finally spoke.

"Okay, I understand. If that's what you wish, then that's fine. I'll just wait until your ready, that's all."

She then turned away from Link and looked up at the red-orange sky. Although she hadn't said anything stating it, Link felt he had hurt her feelings in some way or another. He quickly came up with a compromise.

"But I can tell you why I'm here in Kakariko Village. I'm getting some rest for a while so my hand can heal properly…and Kakariko Village is the closest place we knew of where I could get some rest."

Malon again turned to face Link, this time with a curious look on her face. "We…? Oh, yes, you and Navi. I see, so you're getting some rest. I don't know how you could get such a severe burn that requires rest, but I'll wait until you're ready to tell me before I ask. And I guess you made a good choice with Kakariko Village…although there _are_ better places one can choose to relax, like…"

Suddenly, Malon's face lit up with a smile and she stood up, rocking the rickety ledge below them. "Say, I have an idea! Why don't you come to Lon Lon Ranch with me?"

Link nearly slipped and fell of the ledge. "What…?"

"I was going to tell you later, but I guess now's a good time as any. My dad and me are leaving for home this afternoon, which is another reason I got you up so early. But if you need to rest, why not come to Lon Lon Ranch? It's a very peaceful place in the middle of the countryside, and there are only a handful of people there. You won't have any trouble getting relaxed. And besides, I want to be around when you're ready to tell me everything. So what do you say?"

Leave Kakariko Village? Without Kaepora Gaebora's consent? What would the Owl say when he returns three days from now and finds him and Navi gone? He would probably be furious and have some sharp words when he found them. On the other hand, however, Kaepora _did_ want them to relax, despite his better judgment. And when Malon left, there would be no place for him to sleep unless he asked Talon for rupees, and he couldn't do such a rude thing to a kind man.

And besides, it would be a rare opportunity to be with someone his own size and age…if age mattered to a Kokiri, that is.

With a deep sigh, Link gave his reply. "Sure, I'll come with you."

"Splendid!" Malon cried happily before sitting down again. "This is fabulous! I'll have someone my own age to play with for a long time! I'd better go tell dad you're coming so he can prepare for the journey. You can stay here as long as you want, just be careful coming down."

Malon then reached for the ladder the two had used to climb onto the ledge when she stopped and leaned her face a little closer to Link's cheek. "By the way," she uttered softly as she gently grabbed with two of her fingers the red jewel on her necklace, "I never did thank you for this beautiful trinket. You have no idea how much it means to me, how much comfort it gave me when you left me for whatever reasons you have. Even then, I knew you cared about me…and I thank you for that. Thank you…"

Malon then gently placed a kiss on Link's cheek before completing her sentence, "…Link."

Malon smiled before she disappeared down the ladder to find her father. She didn't notice that a stunned Link's face had grown redder than the first light sky above. Link was very lucky that Navi, who was underneath his cap, was fast asleep at that moment, or else she would've made his face turn an even deeper scarlet…

_"Great! _Just_ great! Of all the things that could've made the situation even worse, this had to be the one that happened."_

Kaepora ruffled his wing feathers slightly and shook his head violently as a way of showing his frustration. He may be an Owl now, but he could still show emotion, and right now he felt like striking his fist against something. But since he didn't have a fist, all he could use was what his natural instincts taught him.

How else could he react after learning that Link was gone?

He had been searching for any information on the third Spiritual Stone for roughly three days and had come up empty on anything useful. In fact, the only piece of information he had was what Link had told him during the trip from Death Mountain to Kakariko Village.

That the Spiritual Stone lay underneath the "tears of the heavens."

That could mean practically anything, of course, and it took Kaepora a day and two and a half days to figure that out. Because he was an Owl, he was forced to resort to eavesdropping and some old forms of mind reading, but nothing useful about the Stone surfaced. And his visions didn't yield anything other than the usual.

Then, on the third day of searching, he learned about _them_!

Through what information he could gather, rumors were spreading about how a large Gerudo force was camped somewhere near Hyrule Castle New City. Some dismissed it as the visiting King of Thieves' traveling guard, but others believed it was part of an invasion force. Also no one at Hyrule Castle was apparently concerned about this, and that bit of information had made Kaepora uneasy.

If the rumors were true, then Ganondorf might try to take Hyrule Castle any time now. After half a day of thinking, the Owl had decided to return to the palace with Link, where the young boy might've persuade Princess Zelda to convince the King of Hyrule about the possible intentions of the Gerudo. And there might've also be the chance that Zelda had discovered the hiding place of the third Spiritual Stone.

But upon his return to Kakariko Village, Kaepora's plans were dashed. Link and Navi were gone, and they hadn't left any clue as to where they were headed. To top it all off, Kaepora didn't talk to Link about him being a Mage-Bound, which was probably the Owl's biggest mistake.

_"How could I leave a Mage-Bound run free like this? Why didn't I at least mention it to him? But now he's running around free with the powers of the gods! Unless I find him quickly, he might hurt himself or those around him. I can only pray his abilities haven't fully awoken yet…"_

As usual, right when he needed them, his visions failed to yield the information he needed.

_"Why does my power have to be so unpredictable?"_ the Owl grumbled through his beak as he took off to the skies.

"Rise and shine, Fairy Boy! It's time to get some fresh morning air!"

Link barely stirred from the bed. He just shifted slightly under the covers, causing the young farm girl standing over him to place her hands on her hips and tap her foot impatiently.

"Come on, come one!" Malon persisted with a stern face. "We've got a lot of things to do today, and…"

"I thought I was supposed to relax…" Link managed to mumble from under the bedcovers.

"This _is_ relaxing!" Malon cried, throwing her arms into the air. "Relaxing is getting some exercise, taking in the beauty of nature, and doing some fun stuff. Lying in bed all day makes only a small part of relaxing!"

"But this is so…comfortable…" Link pleaded. He still hadn't even lifted his face from under the sheets, but he did reach out with his right hand to hug the pillow his head was resting upon. "I haven't felt anything this comfortable in my entire life…"

Malon reached out with her hand and roughly scrubbed Link's blond hair across his scalp. "Sometimes comfort has to be sacrificed for the better scheme of things. A wise friend of mine told me that."

"And who was that?"

Malon stopped scrubbing Link's head and thought for a moment with her eyes turned up before answering, "I don't know…but that's not the point! Just get up before I drag you out myself!"

"But…" Link began when Navi drifted from Link's cap lying on a nearby table and hovered above the comfortable Kokiri.

"Just do what she wants, Link," Navi uttered with a yawn. "If you don't, she'll continue to talk and I won't get any peace while I sleep."

"Huh!" Link grumbled. "So I can't sleep longer but you can…"

"Hey, _you _were the one who wanted to come here, not me!"

"But that doesn't mean…"

"Excuse me," Malon suddenly blurted in an eerily kind voice. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I didn't bring you here so you can just sleep and argue. If you don't get up by the time I cross this room and get your clothes, I will make you feel pain far greater than your burnt hand! How does that sound?"

The deafening silence that filled the room lasted for a very long moment before Link finally spoke.

"You're bluffing."

Malon stamped her foot. "It was a good try, though. Come on, please? I'm not asking for much! Just please get up! Please?"

Although his face was hidden under the covers, Link could feel the piercing gaze of eyes that were pleading the Kokiri to get up. He had come across such eyes with Saria many times, and they weren't something a girl usually resorted to unless she was desperate. And when shed used those kinds of eyes, a boy couldn't help but do whatever she wanted.

In other words, Link had no choice.

"All right, all right, I'll get up."

Malon's face brightened with a smile. "Thanks, Fairy Boy. You're so sweet!"

_"That's my biggest problem, isn't it?"_ Link thought to himself as he struggled to lift the sheets off his head. When they were finally off, he sat up and yawned, allowing Malon and Navi to see what he looked like after his first sleep in a bed with comfortable accessories.

His hair was a mess, like a dry bush that had been beaten severely. His face was twisted into the form of a grouch, and he couldn't stop scratching the side of his head for some reason. Navi was a little surprised by his appearance, but Malon gave him her warm smile, anyway.

"So, I can definitely see you enjoyed your little sleep," the farm girl giggled. "But now that that's over, why don't we…?"

"Malon, could you please turn around for a moment?"

Link's request caught Malon off guard and she was about to ask why when she remembered that Link was naked under his sheets. Even now, some of the Kokiri's bare chest was protruding from underneath the sheets…not too much, but enough to make a young girl blush.

Which is exactly what Malon did, and her attempt to hide it was unsuccessful.

"S…s…sure," Malon stuttered as she turned around. "Your clothes are over there." She then pointed to a chair with his clothing and items draped over the back.

Had Malon been facing Link, she would've seen him give her a faint smile. But all she got was the soft and gentle word, "Thanks."

Malon blushed even more and again tried to hide it from Link, but to no avail. The Kokiri smirked as he thought, _"Eye for an eye…or should I say a blush for a blush?"_

Before Link had arrived at Lon Lon Ranch yesterday, he had realized he didn't know what a ranch was. Malon had merely only mentioned that her father Talon was the owner and that it produced the best milk in the land. Other than that, Link had had no idea of what awaited him when he and Navi reached the ranch.

When the small troupe consisting of Link, Navi, Malon, and Talon had arrived at the ranch, the first thing that had blown away Link's mind was that they were already on the ranch! Malon had giggled at Link's confusion and explained that her father owned a good deal of surrounding countryside so he could have plenty of rich grass for his cows and horses. The mention of "horses" had been the second thing that caught Link's attention; after all, he had seen them only on rare occasions, and the fact that Lon Lon Ranch had a lot wasn't something he wanted to miss.

Unfortunately, when the troupe had arrived at the farmhouse, the core of the entire farm, the sun was already beginning to set, and Talon wanted his daughter and guests to get a good night sleep. Malon, of course, had complained that she wanted to show Link some things before bedtime, but Talon's strictness had eventually forced Malon to comply.

While Malon had gone into the house to set up a bed for Link, Link had thought about Talon's relationship with Malon. Being a Kokiri, he had never had anything like a "father," so he found Talon odd to say the least. Meeting "adults" had been strange enough, but understanding the relationships they had with "children" might take an eternity for him to understand.

But Link hadn't had too much time to think about this concept after Malon's disappearance when Talon had turned to Link and said, "I never thought I'd see you again, but I'm glad in a way. I never thanked you properly for what you did for me…waking me up back at Hyrule Castle, I mean. I never thought I'd get so drunk that I'd fall asleep and forget about my own daughter. But you coming along…it practically saved me from getting too stern a lashing from Malon's tonge. And believe me, it can lash out with enough force to tame a tormented spirit."

Talon had smiled at those words, but his eyes had betrayed a sort of emotion that found his own words anything but comical. But he then had added,

"I hear you're the one who gave her that jewel that now hangs around her neck. She always did want to find a trinket for her mother's old necklace, and now that she's found one she watches over it like a hawk. Are you responsible for the dress as well?"

"Dress?" Link had asked.

"Then it wasn't you? The day before we left Hyrule Castle New Town, Malon dragged me to a store in Market Square and showed me a green dress that she wanted. I asked her why, and she said a friend said it looked nice. I was a little reluctant to buy her a new dress just like that, but Malon refused to leave the city without it. Girls can be strange, can't they?"

_"I'll say,"_ Link had thought without saying anything to Talon. _"I thought she _hated_ that dress! She nearly chewed me up for merely suggesting she would look good in it! Or maybe it was a different dress…but why don't I believe that?"_

That was when Malon had emerged from the house and announced that everything was ready. She had then led Link to the guestroom, where Link had discovered the most comfortable bed in the world. And for some reason, his hand no longer hurt as much as it usually did.

Maybe he had made a good decision to come here, after all…

"Okay, I'm ready."

Malon turned around just in time to watch Link tighten his belt around his waist. Her blush hadn't faded completely yet, but it was definitely a shallower red than before. But Malon could care less about the color of her cheeks, because Link was finally ready to go. She smoothed out the wrinkles of her white slip dress, strolled up to the Kokiri just as he let go of the belt, and surprised Link when she grabbed his right hand. Link's face immediately grew warm.

"Okay, Fairy Boy," Malon smiled, "it's time to show you around my home. Why don't we get started before my dad finds something for me to do?"

"I guess," Link replied with a soft smile before turning to Navi, who was lying on a flower bud on the windowsill. "Navi, can you watch the…my stuff while I'm gone? Just make sure no one steals it…?"

"Whatever…" the obviously sleepy fairy answered before Malon interrupted.

"Don't worry, no one's going to steal your stuff. What's so important about it, anyway? Something valuable or something? Or is it part of what you're not ready to talk to me about yet? In any case, you don't have to worry about it, so let's get going."

Deciding he had better not argue, Link nodded before allowing Malon to drag him out of the room with an eager strength. Navi merely watched the pair disappear from view before falling back asleep. For some reason, this was the most comfortable flower she had ever slept on…

"What's wrong, Fairy Boy? Are you scared?"

"No, it's not that…it's just that…well, I've never been this close to one before…"

"Oh, is that it? You forest folk are indeed strange. Don't worry; it won't bite. Just reach out and touch it. It won't hurt you. Come on…that's it…"

With Malon's coaching to guide him, Link's right hand slowly made its way forward and, in a slow yet defining moment, touched the face of the large brown horse in front of him. The animal shifted slightly when Link touched its hairy face, but it remained calm and still enough for Link not to jerk his hand away. When he realized that the creature wasn't going to hurt him, Link started to stroke the horse, going down the animals nose and then up again.

The horse snorted at this, but in bliss, not disgust.

Malon also showed bliss, although she did so with a smile. "See? Galto wasn't going to hurt you. He may look big and tough, but he's really just a baby at heart. Here, try feeding him a carrot. He'll be your best friend if you give him one."

With that, Malon handed Link one of the bright orange vegetables. Link had seen carrots before back home, but never ones this healthy. As he took the vegetable with his right hand, he asked Malon why it looked the way it did.

"We grow our own carrots," Malon answered. "I guess we just want to keep our horses as healthy as possible. It may not look it now, but later on this year Lon Lon Ranch will be packed with people. It's the farm's biggest business - other than our milk, that is – and we want our horses to look as good as possible for the visitors."

She then giggled. "But that's not important. You'd better give Galto that carrot before he tries to snatch it away from you…along with your hand!"

When Malon saw Link's eyes widen in surprise, she quickly added, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding!"

With a quiet sigh of relief, Link turned his attention back to Galto. The brown horse was obviously eyeing the carrot Link had and was snorting loudly and impatiently for it. Smiling, Link gently held the carrot out…

…and felt something sting his hand as a powerful blow knocked the carrot from his hand and into a nearby haystack. Link wanted to use his left hand to cover his throbbing right hand, but since he couldn't move his left hand past the sling the task was impossible. But he soon turned around to see what had struck him; Malon did the same.

Standing behind and towering over the two children was a man. Link at first thought it was Talon, but he quickly noticed the man was too thin to be Talon, although he did have somewhat of a potbelly. He was dressed in a dirty pink shirt and slacks that indicated he did hard labor for a living. In one hand he carried a strange tool with a long handle, while his other hand – the one that had probably been used to hit Link – hovered over a bucket on the ground.

Link's eyes immediately grasped the aura of the man's face. It was an aura of disgust and displeasure, and the man's facial features were bringing this aura to its full potential. The thick moustache that slithered across the man's upper lip complemented his bushy eyebrows, which were twisted into a disgruntled curve. His nose stuck out like a fat finger pointing accusingly, and his eyes were two dark pools filled with hidden and unknown sentiment.

"What are you doing, you little brat?" the man bellowed in a scratchy voice towards Link. "Who gave your authority to feed the horses?"

Link didn't know what to say, but luckily Malon did. "Ingo, stop it! Stop being rude to my guest!"

The man named Ingo turned sharply to face Malon. "And don't think you're off the hook either, Malon. You know better than to feed the horses like that! Wait 'til your father hears about this…"

"My father," Malon interrupted with a stern face, "has had about enough of your complaining, Ingo. He told me that he's getting sick of you always grumbling when you should be working. He said that if he hears one more unjustifiable complaint from you, you would be looking for another job."

This bit of news startled Ingo for a moment, but he recovered quickly. "A fine thing for _that_ fat, lazy idiot to say. All he ever does is train his stupid Cucoos and then do real work for a little bit before taking all the credit for himself."

"Hey, remember that my father pays your salary!" Malon protested fiercely. "And he would _never_ do such a thing like that! Don't you _ever_ say something like that in my face again, or you will live to regret it!"

Ingo snarled before reached to pick up the bucket on the ground. "Say what you want. But quit stuffing these horses like that! They don't need to grow fat because of your pathetic sympathies. Now get lost before I throw you out of the stables myself…and that goes for your 'guest' as well. Get out!"

Malon glared angrily at Ingo for a moment longer before turning to Link and saying, "Come on, Fairy Boy, let's go. I've got someone I want you to meet, anyway."

With Ingo staring them down, Malon and Link headed for the door of the stable, stumbled through it, and closed it firmly behind them. That was when Link found the courage to speak.

"Who was that guy?" he asked, despite already knowing his name.

"Ingo, one of our farm's hired workers," Malon answered as she proceeded to pull Link away from the stables and towards the other side of the farm. "He's been working here ever since I was five, and I still haven't grown used to him. He's very short-tempered and doesn't like being talked back to. My dad and he get into so many arguments that sometimes I wonder why he hasn't been fired already."

As the two turned a corner around a storage hut, Link stuttered, "Well, at least he takes good care of the horses…"

Malon came to a screeching halt and turned her gaze to Link. Her glare was almost as heated as the one she had given Ingo. "Don't _ever_ say that again! Ingo doesn't take care of the horses. He takes care of them about as much as he does his own temper!"

"But…that bit with the carrot…he was worried about the horse getting fat…"

Malon's gaze cooled slightly when she learned the reason behind his statement. "Maybe, but that doesn't mean he's taking care of them. Ingo is taking care of the horses as belongings, not as creatures. He uses a strict plan that he always adheres to no matter what, mainly so he doesn't have to alternate depending upon the horses' needs. 

"Horses aren't just commodities; they need love and comfort and the occasional word that tells them they are appreciated. Ingo doesn't care about the horses the right way; he cares about them his own way. Do you see?"

Link never thought he'd hear such conviction in Malon's voice. He nodded slowly and said, "Yes, I do."

As if on cue, Malon's face suddenly brightened. "Then let's get going! I want you to meet my friend before lunchtime."

Without a choice in the matter, Link could only attempt to keep pace as Malon dragged him along faster than before…

"What do you mean Saria doesn't want to see me?"

Mido reached out with his hands and grabbed the shirt of the Kokiri boy in front of him before drawing the small guard closer to his heated gaze. "Repeat what you just said to me, and give me a good explanation why!"

The Kokiri that Mido was threatening – his name was Bori – shuddered violently, unable to speak at first. After all, he was in the grasp of Mido, the self-proclaimed leader of the Kokiri, and he didn't want to say anything that might offend the red-haired bully.

"S…S…Saria doesn't want…to see…_anyone_…Mido," Bori managed before finding a more stable voice. "Not just you. She says she wants to be alone until she does something important…"

"Important? What's so important that she doesn't want to see me?" Mido demanded.

"How would I know?" Bori answered, shaking his head slightly. "She didn't tell me. She just asked me not to let anyone disturb her…"

"And that's all you're doing?" Mido uttered with a snarl. "Just standing guard here for her, like a forest spirit that has nothing else to do? What fool do you take me for?"

"Hey," Bori tried to protest, "Standing guard here isn't all I'm doing. I practicing my ocarina…at least I was until you appeared…" Bori suddenly stopped speaking, realizing he had just said something potentially wrong.

Mido's snarl slowly turned into a sneer. "You're lying. This is just a ploy to make sure I never get near Saria. I'm smarter than you, so I can see through your lies. I'll give you credit for acting, but that's not all I'm going to give you."

"Mido…" Bori pleaded, beginning to sweat profusely. "It's the truth! I swear, Saria told me…"

"I'll deal with you later," Mido suddenly blurted angrily before throwing Bori to the ground in front of him. The poor Kokiri landed on his back with a soft thud upon the grass. He didn't move for a brief moment before staring up at the sneering Mido, who continued, "But first, I'm going to see Saria. And don't even think about stopping me, because you can't!"

Before Bori had a chance to even move, Mido dashed in the direction of Saria's house. It wasn't too far a walk to the house – he and Bori had been within a stone's throw away from it – so Mido reached within a matter of moments. He didn't even take the time to knock on the side of the doorway before entering and speaking.

"Hey, Saria, it's me, Mido. I'm here to see you…Saria?"

Despite the fact that it was almost noon outside, Saria's house appeared dark and forbidden. There was little movement within, and Mido immediately found that strange. Usually Saria would greet _anyone_ that came to her door, no matter who it might be. So her not even bothering to greet him was indeed peculiar.

He took a step inside the gloomy home…and immediately spotted Saria, sitting upon her knees on her bed, staring out the window. She remained absolutely still, not even bothering to turn around and look at her "guest."

Wondering what was going on, Mido took a few more steps inside and uttered, "Hey, Saria, what's the matter? Aren't you even going to greet me…?"

"Please go away."

Those three words that came from Saria were short, yet they were enough to freeze Mido where he stood. A sudden chill crept down his back, despite the fact it was hot inside the house. The hair across his body stood up on end like millions of soldiers prepared for the worst circumstances…and Mido couldn't help but think _he_ was about to face such circumstances.

"Saria…" he began, but he stopped when Saria's head slowly turned around to face him. 

The young Kokiri girl, who once had an air of mystique and charm, now appeared foreboding and baleful. All the cheery emotion that had one been found in her eyes were gone, leaving two pools of emptiness staring straight at Mido. Her lips were twisted into an indifferent frown, and the shadows that stretched across her face seemed to give out a silent yet apparent warning.

"I said," Saria uttered in a flat yet frightening tone, "go away. Now."

Without thinking, Mido turned around and left the house faster than he thought he thought he ever could. He ran past a shaken Bori, who was just getting up from the ground, and forgot about him the moment Bori left his sight. He had only one thought, and that was to get as far away from Saria as possible.

He didn't know why he wanted to get away from her, but he couldn't help himself.

He ran until he reached his own house, which wasn't too far from Saria's, and collapsed against the wall. As he panted and gasped heavily, more from fright than from exhaustion, he looked back in the direction of Saria's house, wondering what had happened to the Kokiri he loved.

Meanwhile, Saria turned her head back to face the window, where she looked up at the blue sky above. As she did, her eyes were once again filled with emotion and sentiment, and the coldness and firmness in her face melted like ice in the sunlight.

As she stared at a small series of clouds in the distance, a single tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm sorry, Mido…" she whispered, allowing the tear to trickle into her mouth and onto her tongue. The droplet's salty taste couldn't compare to the bitterness Saria had felt after telling Mido to go away. "I'm sorry, but I have to be alone. I have to…Link, please. Wherever you are, call me. Connect with me again. I want to make sure you're still you. Please, Link, please…wherever you are, play your ocarina one more time…please…"

She was just glad that Katl – as well as all the other fairies of the Lost Woods – had gone to hold a second ceremony in memory of the late Deku Tree. If he had been with her at that moment, he would've asked her to stop crying.

Unfortunately, at that moment, nothing could stop her from doing just that.

"Link…" she managed through her sobs. "Where are you…?"

"There she is, right in the middle of the pen!"

Link squinted hard to get a good glimpse of the "friend" at which Malon was frantically pointing. It didn't take long for him to find her, and he could see her clearly, despite the distance between him and her.

She was smaller than the ones he had seen – a term people outside the Lost Woods would use was "younger" – and yet she seemed the most energetic. While the others were colored dark browns or pale blacks, she wore a coat of a passionate red that seemed to entice all to look at her. She didn't do much despite her vigorous aura; she just stood still and nibbled at the grass beneath her, allowing the wind to boast her beautiful mane.

As he looked at the young horse, Link couldn't help but feel a strange sense of delight. "She's beautiful. What's her name?" he asked as he leaned against the fence of the enormous pen. It was more like a field than a pen, actually.

"Epona," Malon answered. "She's probably my best friend in the entire world. I have other great friends, of course, but Epona's always there for me. She's different from other horses, somehow, like she's almost human. I don't know how to explain it, but it's like having a really, really close relationship with someone who will never let you down and will always be there for you. Have you ever had a friend like that before?"

Link gave Malon a brief glance before answering, "Yes. She was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. She was always there when I needed her, to comfort me when I was sad, to smile with me when I was happy. I don't know what I would've done without her. I guess I never took the time to really appreciate what she's done for me. And now that she's not here…I don't know. I really don't know."

Malon eyed Link with her curious eyes, making no attempt to sound demanding or excited. "I see. She must've been really special. Can you tell me her name?"

"Saria…" But that was as far as Link got before he fell silent. Now that he thought about it, he really missed Saria. What was she doing right now? Was she thinking about him? Or had she forgotten about him already? He really wanted to see her again, but until he found the third Spiritual Stone, that was impossible…

"Hey, Fairy Boy," Malon suddenly uttered. "What are you thinking about?"

"It's nothing," Link answered, although he knew it was anything but nothing.

"Okay. If it's nothing, how about I introduce you to Epona?"


	22. When Words Fail

**Chapter 22: When Words Fail**

Three days.

No, five.

Seven!

Six?

_"Confound it, how long have I been searching for that thing?"_

After a few moments longer of thinking, Ganondorf finally gave up. It wasn't important, anyway. The only thing that mattered was actually _finding_ what he was looking for. Still, it was somewhat frustrating that he had been searching for it for the Three Goddesses know how long and hadn't even found a clue as to its whereabouts!

As he trudged down the hallway of the castle, he glanced to his left at a nearby tapestry hanging from the wall. It depicted a portrait of the King of Hyrule with his now-deceased wife by his side and Princess Zelda as a baby in the mother's arms. The illustration was colorful and well balanced, and the artist who had created obviously had obviously poured his heart and soul into showing the kind of people he thought the Royal Family was.

It made Ganondorf sick to his stomach.

Turning away in disgust, he began to think of other possible places where the thing he was searching for might be.

_"Let's see. Royal treasury…searched that place from top to bottom. King's bedroom…doubt a fool like him would even _consider_ protecting something of value. A secret vault I have yet to find…too crude, and what I'm looking for is anything _but_ crude. Entrusted to someone of great reliance…no, they wouldn't give it to anyone outside the Royal Family…confound it, where else can the blasted thing be?"_

As he turned a corner, Ganondorf's eyes spotted another tapestry. The same artist who had made the first tapestry had undoubtedly done this one as well, because this one depicted the exact same scene as before. This time, however, it focused more on the child in the dead queen's arms, the child princess Zelda. The artist had even taken the opportunity to decorate the baby in a radiating glow…

Unable to stand it anymore, Ganondorf took a knife from his belt and slashed through the picture with a single stroke, making sure the blade went through Princess Zelda's face.

_"It's not like you're going to miss one of these things,"_ he snarled in disgust as he sheathed his knife and stormed off.

"I _have_ to find it," he muttered angrily under his breath, "and soon! Sooner or later, that fool of a king is going to throw me out of this place, and I can't do anything until I find that blasted instrument! Ugh, if only…"

He then stopped speaking and continued his march towards his room.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Positive. Absolutely positive. It's ready."

"Hope you're right, because this might damage it further…"

"That won't happen, I'm sure. Come on, let's just do it."

"Okay, then…"

Sighing, Malon reached for the bandage sling around Link's shoulder and began to undo the knot that held it in place. The two of them were outside in the meadows where the cows grazed during the winter months. The lush, green stalks had actually helped Malon to calm down, giving Link one of the more peaceful moments he had experienced during the past few days of his stay at Lon Lon Ranch. Lying there in the grass, Link had realized his burnt left hand no longer hurt, and he now believed his could take off the bandage.

Because a Goron had tied the knot, Malon's small fingers had some difficulty to undo the enormous sling. Link used his right hand to help her, but even then it still took them quite a while before the knot finally loosened. With delicate care, Malon withdrew the sling from Link's shoulder, leaving the bandaged hand free from its small prison.

"Well?" Malon asked as she held the sling in both her hands, ready to redo it if necessary. "How does it feel?"

Link didn't answer immediately, but instead began to flex his arm a little. It felt stiff after being in the sling for a long time, but he also noticed that moving his arm didn't create a painful response from his hand. Deciding to take a small chance, Link slowly twisted his bandaged wrist around. He felt nothing.

"It doesn't seem to hurt anymore," he finally said, but the answer wasn't completely justified. He couldn't move his fingers through the dressing, and his wrist only had limited mobility. The only way to really find out was to take the bandage off. "I think we can take the bandage off now…"

"You sure about that?" Malon asked. Her usual, quirky humor wasn't found in her voice; she was obviously concerned about Link's hand. "I can redo the sling, but re-bandaging your hand will take some effort on my part, and that might damage it further or even permanently. So are you sure about this?"

Link looked at his bandaged hand for a few moments before finally looking into Malon's eyes and saying, "Yes."

Only giving a reluctant nod in response, Malon turned her attention to Link's hand and began to unwrap it. Like before, the knot was difficult to undo, but Malaon managed to undo it a little faster this time. She then proceeded to unwind the white, thin strip of cloth, one layer at a time, slowly and gently. Link merely watched in silence. He wanted to do something to help, but this was a one-person job, so all he could was watch.

When all the bandages had finally been removed, Link looked closely at his left hand. The skin was a little pale, but otherwise didn't seem to have any visible scars. Nothing seemed to be deformed, and it didn't seem to have lost anything important. Still, he was prepared to feel pain when he slowly drew his fingers inward, into a gentle fist.

Like his arm, his fingers felt stiff. Other than that, he felt no pain at all. He released his fingers again. Again, no pain. He smiled a weak smile.

"Malon, I think…"

He stopped speaking when Malon suddenly reached out and gently grabbed Link's left hand with both her own. She caressed it gently, probing it with her fingers and flexing it softly. Link, surprised and flushed, looked up to face Malon, only to find she was concentrating solely on his hand and her long red hair hid her eyes.

"Malon…"

Before he could continue, Malon reached with her left hand and picked up Link's right hand. Keeping her eyes down, she placed both of Link's hands side by side, as if comparing them against one another. Her hands continued to lightly caress them, causing Link's face to redden further.

"You have beautiful hands," Malon whispered softly. "Very beautiful."

"Uh…" was all that Link could manage through his blush.

That was when Malon looked up and looked directly into Link's eyes. Her eyes were so wide that Link couldn't even find anything to say. In fact, he was starting to feel a little funny, as if expecting Malon to do something unexpected…

"Does it hurt at all?" she asked suddenly.

"N…n…no," Link stammered.

"That's good to hear," she said before she suddenly tightened her grip on Link's hands and stood up from her kneeling position. She then used her grip on Link's hands to pull him upward as well. Both kept their gazes firmly affixed upon one another. When both were standing, Malon smiled faintly.

"Why don't we get back to the house?" she said. "My dad's making some egg-on-toast for lunch, so…" Then she stopped speaking and looked down.

"Malon, what's wrong…?" Link asked before Malon suddenly looked up again, her smile this time a little more defined.

Link, unable to move or say anything, simply watched as Malon took Link's separate hands and brought them together, holding them together with her own hands. She then took a step forward, bringing her face a little closer to Link's. The Kokiri, unsure of what was going on, didn't know what to do except stare.

"Link, I…"

Now Link _knew_ something was going on. Malon only called him by his real name when she was experiencing something really emotional. But what emotion was possessing Malon's feelings right now? Could it be…?

Just then, Malon took a step back and said, "I have to go make sure Epona has enough hay and water. You can find your way back to the farmhouse, right? I'll meet you there."

With that, Malon released Link's hands, turned around, and ran off, leaving a stunned and confused Link standing in the pastures.

"Well, that was interesting, wasn't it?"

Link nearly jumped when he heard Navi's voice. He had forgotten she had been lying under his hat all the time. Moments later, the little pink fey left the comfort of her hideaway and fluttered in front of Link's face. "So tell me, what do you think?"

Link's cheeks were now redder than the sunset from last night. "About what…?"

"You know what, Link," Navi sighed. "Haven't you been noticing what's going on with that girl? Are you blind? Or deaf? Or both? Even _I_ can see what's going on, and you're asking me as if you have absolutely no clue! Come on, Link, think about what's happened with you and that girl since you got here. Just think for once, why don't you?"

Link, realizing that Navi was probably right, released a deep sigh before sitting down on the grass again. He looked up at the sky for a moment and mumbled something probably even he didn't understand. He then reached into his pouch – he had decided to carry it today – and pulled out his ocarina.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Navi asked.

"I need some atmosphere if I'm going to think," Link answered before putting the ocarina to his lips and playing it.

"Hey, I didn't mean _just_ think! You don't have to sit here and…hey, wait a minute. Isn't that that song Malon sang a few days ago?"

Link nodded as he continued to play.

"How did you learn that? You couldn't have been playing the ocarina with one hand…"

"It comes naturally to me now for some reason," Link said when he paused his playing. "I can't explain it, but now I can play the ocarina very easily now. I think I'm finally understanding what Saria told me."

"And what's that?"

"The ocarina's alive."

Link then continued to play the song Malon had played. He figured it was the best thing to help him reflect upon the past few days, because, after all, he wanted to focus his thinking on his time with Malon. He played her simple song almost flawlessly, as if he had known all his life.

As Navi again disappeared under Link's hat, muttering something under her breath, Link continued playing and reflected upon his time with Malon, from the beginning to the strange encounter he had just had with her…

…"What's wrong with her? Why isn't she coming?"

Malon smiled at Link's question, as if she had expected Link to ask it. "Epona is very wary of strangers," she answered. "She even avoids many of the workers on the farm, including my dad. The only people she seems to be comfortable around is me and mother…uh, when she was alive, that is."

Link, who was standing next to Malon at the outskirts of the enormous pen where Epona was kept, gave the farm girl a quizzical look. "Then how am I supposed to meet her?"

Malon's smile widened. "We'll try walking up her. Who knows, she might see you as a friend if I'm with you."

Link shrugged; it was all he could do. After all, disagreeing with Malon could lead to a _number_ of possibilities, and he didn't want to learn any of them. "I guess…"

"Great! Then let's go!"

Before he could object, Malon grabbed Link's right hand and pulled him forward, towards the center of the pen, towards where Epona was grazing.

The pair proceeded quickly at first, but they quickly slowed down to a slow walk so as not to alarm the horse. But Epona did manage to detect the two's presence, and stopped grazing and looked up to see who was heading in her direction. The foal took a step towards the advancing pair before abruptly stopped and taking a step back. Epona had obviously seen Malon first and then the stranger, Link.

As Malon and Link got closer and closer to the young horse, they started to take steps one at a time to make Epona more comfortable with Link's presence. In the end, however, this maneuver proved fruitless. When the pair was a stone's throw from where the horse stood, Epona suddenly turned around and ran some distance away. She stopped running when she was close to the other side of the pen.

Malon stopped walking – therefore forcing Link to stop as well – and released a sigh. "Well, that went well."

Link couldn't find anything to say in response.

"I guess I'll have to sing her over here," Malon suddenly said.

"Excuse me…?" was all that Link managed to say before Malon complied with her statement.

Without giving Link time to finish his sentence, Malon stepped forward slightly, brushed her hair behind her ears with her fingers, cleared her throat, and started to sing. As if on cue, a soft wind picked up and started playing with Malon's red locks and white dress, causing them to wave like hundreds of dancers upon a tide of air. The mere spectacle of this was enough to make Link stop talking and listen to Malon's singing.

It was one of the most beautiful things he had ever heard, right next to the music Saria could create with her ocarina. Like Zelda's Lullaby and Saria's Song – by now he knew the songs so well by memory and heart that he had given them simple names – Malon's song possessed a simple structure of notes and melody. But this song distinguished itself from those two songs by one major factor.

It wasn't a musical instrument, but Malon herself, that created the song.

 Somehow, Malon's voice seemed to give the simple song a life of its own. The notes in her voice were smooth and flowing, creating a sound that seemed to match the ocarina for elegance and perfection. It wasn't that her voice surpassed the ocarina; it just seemed to create its own level it could surpass.

Link was so transfixed by Malon's song that it took him a few moments to realize something else. Epona, the horse that had moments ago run away from them, was slowly trotting back towards them! The pony headed in the duo's general direction before heading straight for Malon and stopped just shy of the singing girl. It snorted slightly and nudged its nose softly against her stomach, as if thanking her for the wonderful melody.

Malon, while still singing, gently reached out with her left hand and stroked the animal's face. Moments later, she lifted her right hand and motioned it in Link's direction. Link, still captivated by Malon's voice, realized the farm girl was asking Link to come over. Without giving it a second thought, Link slowly shuffled over towards Malon and Epona.

When he was standing beside Malon, the farm girl looked up and turned to Link. She was sti\ll singing, but Link knew she was smiling. Then, while still looking at the Kokiri, Malon used her right hand to gently grab Link's right hand and bring it up to Epona's face. When Link's hand touched Epona, Malon let go and allowed Link to caress Epona under his own power.

Combined with Malon's singing and stroking of Epona, the situation felt almost magical…

Suddenly, without warning, Epona reared back, forcing Link to jerk his hand back and Malon to stop singing. The little horse neighed loudly before turning around and racing away like the wind. She didn't stop until she reached the edge of the pen, where she turned back around and looked at the pair she from which she had just run.

Malon, who was just as surprised as Link, chortled a little before saying, "I guess it'll take a little more time than I thought. But at least you touched her, Fairy Boy."

For some reason, Link couldn't help but smile…

…"Where are we going?"

"You'll see. Don't worry, it's not far, just on the other side of the pen."

It was nightfall; the evening of the day Link had met Epona. Din's Eye had set long ago, and Din's Blind Eye (generally called the moon) was high along its nightly path. It was a complete moon tonight. The night sounds of the farm were somewhat louder tonight, but that was probably because Link and Malon were outside with them and therefore closer to them.

"Does Talon know we're out here at this time of night?" Link asked as he felt the long grass of the farm brush past his legs. "If he doesn't, then we should go back…"

"Does Navi know you're out here?" Malon interrupted with a tone that indicated she was smiling.

_"Curses,"_ Link thought with an uneasy gulp. _"Outsmarted…"_

After a while, Malon finally stopped running and pointed to something up ahead. "There it is," she said simply when Link stopped next to her.

In the moonlight and starlight, Link saw something sitting a short distance from the pen where he had met Epona. It was a structure of some sort, shorter than the farmhouse yet definitely larger along its base. Although the darkness didn't allow him to make out any distinct features, Link could tell the building wasn't as well kept as the farmhouse. Whatever it was…

"It's a storage barn," Malon suddenly said, as if knowing about Link's wondering. "But that's not what I want to show you. It's inside. Come on."

Without questioning her gentle authority, Link followed Malon to the storage barn, trying to run as gently as he could so he wouldn't agitate his left arm. It didn't take the duo a long time to reach the barn, and when they did they made their way to the nearest door. Malon opened it easily and stepped inside, allowing Link to follow her before closing the door behind them.

Despite the confines of the barn, Link could see surprisingly well. Holes in the roof allowed shafts of moonlight to enter the structure, therefore magnifying them and creating an eerie representation of the barn's interior. Link immediately saw what the barn was storing: animal feed and products, particularly the product of which Malon made very proud mention often.

"There must be a lot of milk in here," Link said as he took a deep breath…much to his misfortune. "The stench is enormous!" He spoke his next sentence with his hand over his nose.

"Actually, the milk in here's not for drinking," Malon uttered. "The milk in here is becoming stale so we can make cheese. We never store drinking milk longer than a day, and even then only under special circumstances. No, this milk wouldn't do you any good if you drank it."

"Then what's cheese like?" Link asked, this time with his hand removed but his nose still unable to take the stench comfortably.

"Ask me tomorrow, and I'll give you some for breakfast. But enough about that. Come on, just follow me…"

"But I can't see you that well," Link stated, and his statement was true. Although he could make out the interior of the building quite well, he wasn't able to see Malon as clearly. "So how am I…?"

Before he could continue, Link felt someone – Malon, of course – grab his right hand and squeeze it tenderly. "Malon…?"

"Just let me lead you and you'll be all right," the farm girl's gentle voice assured in the darkness. "Okay?"

"Okay…" Link muttered.

Her hand felt very warm…

Malon proceeded to lead Link to the distant side of the barn, the side farthest from where they had entered the structure. They weaved between boxes of animal fodder and cartons of stale milk, making their way to a neatly stacked pile of crates that had obviously not been used for a long time and were stacked tightly against the wall. When they reached the stack, Malon stopped and let go of Link's hand.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?" Link asked.

"Not exactly," Malon's voice in the dark answered. "Just wait a moment while I…"

Just then, a loud shuffle echoed within the barn. Link focused on the pile of crates and watched as the one closest to him was moving to the side. He then noticed Malon for the first time in the darkness, and she was the one pushing the crate. All Link did was watch as the farm girl moved the crate away, and when she stopped she pointed to where the box had originally been.

To Link's surprise, a tunnel was now visible within the pile of crates.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Something that'll lead us to what I want to show you," Malon answered. Link watched as the shadowy figure of the girl headed over to the tunnel, knelt down, and began to crawl underneath it. "Come on, it's not too long of a tunnel, so don't worry about your arm." With that, she disappeared within the small corridor.

Realizing he had no other option other than to go back to the farmhouse in the dark, Link got onto his knees and right hand and began crawling into the tunnel.

Malon was right; the tunnel wasn't a long one, although not in the way Link expected. He predicted he would run into the wall of the barn after crawling a short distance, but he actually crawled a little farther than he had anticipated. This meant that he was either a poor judge of distance, or…there was a tunnel in the wall of the barn.

He thankfully discovered it was the latter option when he emerged in another room. Unlike the barn, however, this room was lit up quite brightly, and Link quickly discovered why. The room was much smaller than the barn, about the size of one of the farmhouse's rooms, and the roof was almost completely gone, allowing the rays of the moon and stars to enter in vast amounts.

As he stood up, he looked around the tiny chamber. Hay covered the floor like a small rug, but thankfully the odor masked the far worse stale milk stench. Other than the tunnel from which had just come, there appeared to be no other entrance or exit. There weren't even any windows.

Furthermore, Malon was gone.

"Malon…?" Link started when he heard her familiar voice.

"Down here, Fairy Boy."

Link looked down and immediately felt stupid. There she was, lying on her back in the straw, looking up at him with her wide eyes and her faint smile – he could make out her features more easily now.

"Lie down," she continued, "right next to me, on your back. Then you'll see why I brought you here."

Wondering what she was planning – after all, her request was somewhat unusual – Link complied. He shuffled his way to Malon's right side and slowly sat down before positioning himself on his back. Surprisingly, the hay didn't feel at all uncomfortable. In fact, it could almost rival the bed he had slept in last night.

He then turned his eyes toward Malon, whose gaze was affixed upward. "So now what?"

"Look up."

Still a little confused, Link did so. What he saw was…the full moon, perfectly framed within the collapsed roof. This caught link off guard, as he didn't expect to see such a flawless picture of a natural phenomenon. It was like a something ordinary had been placed into something else ordinary, and the combined effect created something extraordinary. There was just no other way to describe it.

He gaped at this "picture" in stony silence, unable to say anything…

"It's beautiful, isn't is?" Malon suddenly said without looking away from the sky. "I come here every time the moon is full, come here to see this wonderful creation of the Three Goddesses perfectly bordered by this collapsed roof. For some inexplicable reason, the moon is always framed by this hole just right when it's full. I sometimes watch it for half the night."

"But why watch the full moon here?" Link asked, although he thought he already knew why. "Why not watch it outside or something…?"

"Because it doesn't compare to this," Malon answered. "I mean, look at it: the natural occurrence of the full moon framed so beautifully by a collapsed roof. It's like you can find splendor in both worlds of man and nature and keep the best parts of the entire picture. If you look at it for a while, I'm sure you'll understand sometime."

Link thought he understood what Malon was saying, but something else suddenly came to his mind. He couldn't shake it off for some reason, so he had to get it off his shoulders. Tearing his eyes from the beautiful frame of the moon, Link turned to Malon and said, "Why did you bring me here?"

"To show you this beautiful scene," the farm girl answered.

"Is that the only reason?"

Malon remained silent for a moment before she finally responded, her eyes still looking up but her attention given fully to Link. "You're the first person I've ever shown this to, do you know that?"

Link gaped slightly at this. "I am? But what about your other friends you said you had…?"

"How can I explain this? You see…this thing I'm showing you, it's like a well-kept secret. A secret you don't want anyone to know except for yourself. Everyone possesses some secrets like this, and they only share them with those whom they deeply trust. My friends…they're good friends, but they're not friends I trust enough to share my secrets with them. Do you understand?"

Link nodded, but asked, "Then why trust me? Why show this to me? You don't even know me that well, and yet you show me this the first opportunity you get. Why?"

This was when Malon turned her head to face Link. In the moonlight, her eyes were shimmering pools of unknown emotions. "Because…there's something special about you."

Link nearly jumped up in confusion and surprise. "Excuse me…?"

"Something about you, something that I can't put my finger on. I didn't notice it when we first met at Hyrule Castle New City, but I've been noticing it ever since. I noticed it when you stayed with me for as long as you possibly could when my father didn't come back. I noticed it when you gave me this jewel to assure me that you never forgot me. I noticed it when my father came back and told me that someone who looked exactly like you made him remember his daughter. I noticed it when we met in Kakariko Village. I noticed it on our trip to the ranch. I noticed it when I tried to introduce you to Epona.

"And, yes, I'm noticing it now."

Link couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was Malon being serious? Or was this some sort of joke? But that strange glimmer in her eyes quickly told Link that Malon wasn't joking around.

"Malon…" he started before pausing to find the right words to say. "Do you even know what 'it' is? And don't you think you trust me a little too blindly? I mean, what if I didn't think too fondly of this thing you wanted to show you? What then…?"

"Link…" Malon said his real name! What did that mean? "I know this seems a little silly, but I just…_feel_ that I can trust you with my secrets. I don't know why or how, but there's something special about you. This 'something'…I have no idea what it is, but I can feel it in you. And for some reason, I know it's enough for me to trust you with me secrets."

She then smiled weakly. "I hope…maybe someday you'll find something in me to trust me with your secrets…"

That statement nearly made Link break down, but he managed to keep his voice in a straight tone as he said, "I hope so too…"

After that, Link didn't know what happened. The conversation between him and Malon probably stopped there, but he couldn't remember clearly. The next thing he knew, it was morning, the sun beating down on his eyes and forcing them to open. As he squinted and looked around, he realized he was still inside the small room in the barn. He must've fallen asleep…

Just then, he felt something shift against his chest. He looked to see what it was…and found it was Malon! She was sleeping right next to him, her head lying against his chest and her right arm wrapped around his waist! It was then that Link suddenly realized his own right arm was tucked underneath Malon's neck. He and Malon were in the position they had been in back at the inn in Hyrule Castle New City!

Link felt his face grow very hot, and it wasn't because of the sun…

He decided to try and slip out from the awkward position – after all, he felt somewhat embarrassed – but before he could Malon suddenly sighed softly and tightened her grip on Link's waist. And despite the fact that he couldn't see her face, he realized she was smiling a sad smile, as if saying:

_"Not this time. Don't leave this time. Please…"_

Unable to do it, Link relaxed where he was. He reached with his right hand and gently stroked her red hair, whispering, "Someday, Malon, I'll tell you everything. But not now, not when I may never see you again…"

A few moments later, he added: "I hope you're not going to sleep there the entire day!"

Malon seemed to giggle in her sleep at that…

…"Please, Malon, do I have to?"

"Yes, you do. Trust me, it won't as bad as you think."

"But I can't even…"

"Just…do it. If you do, I'll never ask you to do anything like this again. Promise. Just do this one thing, please."

Link sighed and agreed with a single nod of the head. With him being in the mood he was in right now, he didn't feel like watching Malon put on her "pleading-girl" look, or even worse: her "right-now-or-else" look! Either way, it wouldn't be pleasant…

It was the afternoon of the day Link had woken up with Malon by his side in the barn. Luckily for the two of them, both Talon and Navi had slept in so both thought that Link and Malon had left the farmhouse sometime in the morning and not last night. Link was especially relieved because he didn't want to hear any of Navi's speeches.

The little fairy seemed to be sleeping in a lot ever since they came to the farm. Maybe she was just glad to be closer to her natural element, nature itself. City life was too confining and restricting. Link had to admit that he preferred Lon Lon Ranch to Hyrule Castle, and it had nothing to do with the two girls who just happened to live in their respective places.

At least he thought so…

Malon had spent the rest of the morning with Link, singing to him the song she had used to lull and lure Epona the other day. Link, with his creative mind, called it Epona's Song. Malon had explained that when she was about three or so, her mother, who was still alive at that time, had sung this song originally as a lullaby for her Malon. After her mother died, Malon forced herself to memorize the song so she would never forget her mother. Nowadays, Malon uses the song to calm Epona because, Malon had explained, Epona sometimes feels more like a daughter than a friend. So what better way for a "mother" to calm her "daughter" than to sing the same song her own mother used to sing?

Eventually, Malon had sung the song so many times that Link knew the song in his head as well as he knew Saria's Song and Zelda's Lullaby on the ocarina.

Unfortunately, he had had no idea what Malon had planned for him…

Now they were outside again, and back at the pen were Epona was kept. Like yesterday, Epona was standing within the middle of the pen, grazing.

"Okay," Malon said with her innocent-looking smile. "Go ahead and do it."

Link rolled his eyes and grit his teeth together. "I just know I'm going to regret this…"

Taking a deep breath, Link vaulted himself over the fence into the pen, which alerted Epona to his presence. The foal watched the young Kokiri as he took a step forward, cleared his throat, and did what Malon wanted him to do.

He sang Epona's song.

It had to be the worst sound he had ever heard, even worse than when he was starting out on the ocarina. His voice was far from the smooth and soft tone Malon's voice was. In fact, it was the complete antithesis. The notes sounded scratched and out of tune, and despite his best efforts he managed to over exaggerate almost every single note. It was probably the most embarrassing thing he had ever done.

Epona didn't even move. She just stared at the person who was producing the awful, unfamiliar sound.

Without even finishing the song, Link stopped. "Okay, there. I did it. Are you happy…? Malon?"

But Malon wasn't listening. She was on the ground, howling with soft yet undeniable laughter. She was laughing so hard that nearly ran out of breath several times. Her legs were flying through the air like a violent wind, and her hands were clutching her stomach in a vain attempt to stop her breathlessness.

But that wasn't the worst part of it. Before Link could even turn red, he heard another sound of laughter…underneath his hat! How Navi managed to creep in there he didn't know, but now he knew that he had _two_ witnesses to his embarrassing escapade…three, if he counted Epona, who wasn't doing anything but stare.

Link was willing to bet, however, that if Epona were able to, she would've laughed as well…

…"Malon! Come down from there! You'll get hurt!"

"Nonsense, Fairy Boy! I've been climbing this tree since I was five. It's all right."

"Then at least let me come up with you. I can climb trees as well…"

"No!"

Malon stopped climbing the tall oak tree and looked down. She was standing on quite a high branch, but the path from where she stood to the ground was completely clear of other branches, which allowed her to see Link clearly.

"Why not?" Link asked.

"You know why. You're arm's still not healed, and you're not going to damage it further."

Link couldn't argue with that logic, but he could still argue with Malon's climbing of the tree. Since he had lived in a forest all his life, he could tell several things about trees that other people can't. Like how old and brittle they were.

"Malon, how long has it been since you've climbed this tree?"

Malon took a moment before answering, "About a year, probably…"

"Then you've been away too long," Link interrupted. "This tree's changed since you last climbed it. It's old and weak and probably won't even hold the weight of a squirrel for much longer, let alone yours."

Malon smiled. "Oh, come on, don't be so cautious. You don't have to worry about me like that…"

"Please, Malon. I really think it's unsafe. Remember you saying you trusted me? Why don't you trust me now and listen when I say it's not safe?"

This made Malon's face jerk with surprise. She did say that, didn't she? So why wasn't she trusting him now?

But before she could consider that thought, the branch that Malon was standing on suddenly emitted a loud crack. Both Link and Malon turned to watch helplessly as the branch beneath the farm girl's feet snapped and fell to the ground. Malon reached out to grab the branch just above her, but her fingers weren't quick enough to secure a tight-enough hold, allowing Malon to fall straight to the ground in shocked silence.

"Malon!" Link cried before making a move.

With lightning speed, the Kokiri positioned himself underneath the falling farm girl and outstretched his right arm. He instinctively tried to do the same with his left arm, but the cast wouldn't allow him. But he didn't flinch in the least from his spot until he felt Malon's weight crash into his single arm and into his chest. Both youth collapsed onto the ground, with Malon lying across Link in a cross-like fashion.

For some inexplicable reason, Malon had missed Link's left arm, so he felt no pain whatsoever from the impact. But before Link could even realize this, Malon suddenly scrambled off of Link and planted herself on her knees and helped Link get onto his. Both of them stared at each other during a moment of silence, stunned at what had just happened.

"Link, are you all right?" she cried.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but what about you? You're the one who fell…"

"How's your arm? Is your arm hurt? Tell me, did I hurt your arm?"

That was when Link realized his arm wasn't hurting at all. "Uh…no, it's actually not hurting at all. But Malon, are you sure you're okay? You just fell from a tree and…Malon? Malon?"

Malon wasn't listening any more. Instead she was crying with her face buried in her hands. And from the breathing difficulty Malon was having, she was practically bawling her eyes out, as if she had committed a terrible, unredeemable sin. As she cried, she managed to say something through her tears.

"I…I…I'm sorry…I can't believe…what I just did…I should've…I should've trusted you…but I didn't…I'm sorry…I could've hurt you…I could've…your arm…I nearly…Link…I'm so sorry…sorry…"

"Malon…" was all that Link could say before he decided not to say anything. Words would've work here. They were meaningless. But actions…that was a different story.

In the gentlest manner possible, Link shuffled his way up to Malon on his knees. He then reached with his right arm, wrapped it around Malon, and drew the sobbing farm girl into his chest in an attempt to soothe her. Malon, realizing Link's attempt to comfort her, in turn wrapped her arms around Link's body and kept her face buried in Link's shirt.

Link then began gently rocking the crying girl in his arm side-to-side and whispering things in her ear to calm her. "It's all right. It's all right. We're both okay, so it's all right."

Although she didn't stop crying completely, Malon did seem to subside a little because of Link's comforting…

Link stopped playing the ocarina and sighed. These and many other memories had flooded his mind. The time they both watched the sunrise on a hill under the shade of a tree and Malon had fallen asleep on his shoulder. The time they had managed to sneak some treats for the horses behind Ingo's back. The time they had played hide-and-seek and Link found her hiding where she had shown him the framed full moon. The time Malon had picked up Link's bomb bag and caused Link go to nearly faint with horror.

Now Link understood what Navi meant…but was it really possible?

"It took you a while," the fairy suddenly said as she flew from underneath Link's hat and into his face. Her shimmering light indicated she was a little more than frustrated. "You've been playing that song for like forever, and I was about to come out and tell you stop! So did you 'remember' enough to understand what's going on between you and that girl?"

"Yes, I think so," Link answered. "But I don't know how it'll work out, Navi."

"What do you mean?"

"Look," he answered as he held up his left hand. "My left hand is healed now, so we should head out and find that last Spiritual Stone within the next few days, and maybe even find Kaepora. And besides, Navi, I'm a Kokiri. I never 'age.' When Malon grows up, I'll still be this tall. How can such a thing work out under those circumstances?"

He also neglected to mention the reason waiting for him back in the Lost Woods…

Navi hovered silently for a moment before replying, "I don't know. I must admit, I never thought I'd hear something like that coming from you. You're growing up, Link…if a Kokiri can do such a thing. But you can't deny that Malon feels something for you. And you can't just leave her like last time. You won't have a small jewel from your sword to give her this time. This time, you have to say goodbye properly."

Link tightened his mouth and nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess you're right. How long do you think that'll take?"

"Who knows?" Navi answered. "But it can't be too long, because as you said, we'll have to leave pretty soon. Maybe you should tell her tonight that you're going to have to leave in two days or so. That'll give you a day or so to say goodbye, and that should be enough. Sound good?"

Link stood up and put his ocarina back in his pouch. Navi followed his face by keeping level with it. Link looked at his small friend for a long moment before saying, "It sounds good, but whether it will work is a different matter. I guess there's only one way to find out. Come on, let's go. Malon is probably waiting for us back at the farmhouse."

With that, Link headed for the farmhouse with Navi following closely behind.

The first thing Link noticed was strange was the fact that several horses were outside the farmhouse. There had never been more than two horses located outside the farmhouse, and rarely at this time of the afternoon. The second strange thing he noticed was that there were loud noises coming from within the house, noises that sounded like it came from a large group of people.

Link began to wonder, _"What is going on?"_

He soon found out when he reached the front door and stepped inside. The largest room of the farmhouse, which happened to be the room connected to the front door, was filled with people, all of them adults. Everyone was drinking, eating, or talking, and all with an enthusiastic air. Two tables had been set up with rows of food and beverages, including the egg-on-toast Malon had said Talon was making for lunch. No one seemed to notice Link's presence.

"What's going on…?" Link started when Talon suddenly appeared out of nowhere and smiled with his twitchy mustache.

"_There_ you are, my boy…oh, I see you've taken off that cast of yours. Wonderful! Just wonderful! Now you can take a more active part in our little party than before. You're going to love this, Link. You'll be thinking about this day long after it's over. Now let me just go get Malon…"

"Excuse me," Link blurted suddenly, "but is Malon here? I thought…well, that doesn't matter. But Malon didn't tell me about this…"

Talon suddenly made a gesture for Link to shush, glanced around quickly, then leaned in close towards Link and whispered, "Girls are strange things, my boy. They'll tell lies so they can hide what they're really thinking. I wouldn't be surprised if Malon did lie to you a little. She's been here for quite some time, getting ready for this little party…"

"You're finally here!"

Link and Malon turned to find Malon standing right next to them. Talon was surprised by the possibility that his daughter had listened to their conversation. Link was surprised by what he saw. Malon's red hair had been braided into a single long strand that draped behind her back. She was wearing an odd paint on her lips that made them look redder. But Link was most surprised by what she was wearing: the green dress upon which he had commented back at Markest Square in Hyrule Castle New City, the same dress she seemed to make clear she hated.

Talon abruptly made himself erect, coughed, and said, "Well…I'll, err…leave you two to do what you want. I'll…go get things going." With that, he disappeared into the crowd.

"I think I'm going to take a snooze," Navi, who had been following Link the entire time, suddenly said. "I'll see you later, Link." She then, too, disappeared.

When her father and Navi were gone, Malon strolled up to Link. She walked with a graceful stance Link remembered seeing Princess Zelda use. "Well?" Malon said with a smile. "What do you think?"

Link didn't know what to say, so he said the first thing that popped into his mind. "I…thought you hated that dress."

Malon's smile suddenly faded. "Is that all you can say? Is that all…?"

"No!" Link quickly added, hoping he hadn't offended her. "No, I think…you look…beautiful, to say the least. It's just that…I'm surprised. Back at Market Square, it didn't seem like you…liked that dress."

"Maybe it did," Malon stated, her smile returning, "maybe it didn't. The only thing that matters is that I'm wearing it. And thanks for the compliment. You look handsome yourself."

Link didn't know what to say…mainly because he looked exactly like what he usually looked like. He wasn't wearing anything fancy, just his Kokiri attire and the pouches containing his ocarina and the two Spiritual Stones. Why was Malon suddenly acting like this? Was it because of this party? Or was it something else…?

"Attention, everyone!" Talon's voice suddenly boomed. Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and turned to the host of the party, who was standing in the middle of the room. "I think it's time we livened this party up a little bit. What do you say to some dancing?"

Virtually everyone applauded at this idea…everyone, except Malon and Link. Link didn't know what to think about the request; Malon just continued to stare at Link. Moments later, the sounds of musical instruments started to echo across the room. Link recognized the sound of the ocarina, but he couldn't figure out the other instruments. Malon didn't give him a chance to.

"Link, would you care…to dance?" she asked.

Link nearly jumped from surprise. First of all, Malon was _asking_ Link if he wanted to do something, not _forcing_ him like before. And to dance? The request by itself was strange. But Link saw something in Malon's eyes that seemed to plead him to say yes, as if it meant a lot to her if he did.

So he gave in. "I guess…but I'm not very good at dancing, so…"

"You can learn as you go. We have the entire day. Dad's parties usually last until late at night. So you don't have to worry about that. So shall be…Link?" She then extended her hand.

Sighing, Link took her hand with his. "Why not?"

With that, Malon led the Kokiri to the area that had by now been designated as the dance floor…

Link's first few dances were nothing to talk about. In fact, they were something to forget. He constantly tripped over his own feet and several times stepped on Malon's toes, but luckily Malon was an understanding girl who didn't let it get to her. Still, their first few dances were arguably just as embarrassing as Link's attempt to sing.

In between dances, Link and Malon ate some food and chatted. They also sometimes conversed with some of the adults, although this wasn't too often. No matter what they did, however, Malon always stuck close to Link. Link quickly realized that he and Malon were the only children at the party, so he understood why she wanted to be near him. Still, there had to be some other motive behind her actions…

As the day progressed, Link's dancing improved. The band that amazingly played nonstop only played fast-beat songs, so Link had a more or less consistent beat to learn from. Even Malon started noticing his improvements, and her smile seemed to widen with each accomplishment.

But that was before the band started playing a _slow_ song…

It was deep into the night yet not yet midnight when the song was played. The initial intensity of the party had now been quelled, so Link saw why they would play a slow song. But did that mean he had to _dance_ to it when he was used to fast songs? For the first time that day, Malon made the decision for him.

"Come on, I really want to dance to this song."

"But I don't know if I'll be able to do slow…"

"You'll learn."

And so Link gave in. Malon dragged him to the middle of the floor where other couples had assembled. They then got into the regular position: arms around each other, bodies close to each other, and all the rest of it. Then they danced Link's first slow dance.

But Link noticed something different about this dance. The position he had used to dance with Malon before felt…peculiar, more personal than before. The movements they performed to keep in tempo with the music seemed more natural and flowing and far less hectic. And what was this feeling that Malon was enjoying herself a little more than usual?

"Malon…" he began to ask her something, but he didn't have time to finish. Malon stopped him by placing her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. Link blushed, of course, because Malon hadn't done this with the faster dances. He also didn't know what to say.

"Link," Malon said as they continued to dance. "I just want to say this now before I become scared. These past few days have been some of the best days of my life. I just wish you can be here forever, but I know you have to go soon."

"Malon, how…?"

"…did I know? You said yourself that you were taking a vacation to rest your hand. Now that your hand is better, you're probably going to go sometime. I understand this, really I do. I'm just want you to say goodbye this time."

Link immediately knew what she meant. "Malon, I wasn't going to leave you this time without saying goodbye, I swear…"

"But are you going to leave without telling me your secrets?"

This caught Link off guard, and it took him a long moment to answer. "I…I can't. I just can't, Malon. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. I wish I could come up with a good reason to tell you why, but the only good enough reason is also something I can't tell you. I…I'm so sorry…"

"Don't be," Malon uttered. "I don't know why, but I trust you. I trusted you ever since we met, and I trust you right now. I have this feeling that…I'll always trust you. Maybe someday, you'll be able to tell me everything. For some reason, I believe in that. Someday, Link, someday. But for now…"

Malon then tightened her arms around Link, drawing the two so close together that they practically touched. "…just stay here and let me have this moment. Let me have this moment before you go. Please…"

Link silently smiled as he, too, tightened his grip around Malon. He lifted one of his arms and pressed it gently against Malon's head, stroking the loose strands of her hair that had escaped the braid. He would give her this moment…because, for some inexplicable reason, he wanted it as well.

Talon was right.

He'll be thinking about this day long after it was over…


	23. Tears

**Chapter 23: Tears**

Kaepora Gaebora wanted to wretch as he tore his beak into the field mouse he had just caught. Oh, sure, he was an Owl, and he had grown used to the taste of uncooked flesh in his lifetime of being an Owl, but right now he had no motivation or desire to enjoy the mouse, leading to a disgust in the small creature's taste. He was in a very bad mood right now, and he would remain in that mood until he found Link.

And even then he might still be very angry…

"Foolish boy!" he mumbled through his beak for the hundredth time. "How could he just wander off like that? Leaving like that without even leaving a sign of where he was going? For all I know, he could be dead! And my powers won't even help me! Why do they have to be so unpredictable? And why can't they help me at the most critical of times…like _now_? When I get my claws on that boy, he is going to…"

Then he remembered the fact that Link was a Mage-Bound, a _Magi-Con_, and he fell silent. His temper could wait. He had to locate Link before he did anything related to his Mage-Bound powers. Mage-Bounds were very unpredictable with their powers, and since the _Faria Garuia_ said that Link possessed the power of the gods, Link could be especially dangerous.

By Din's Fire, why didn't he tell Link about his powers when he had the chance? Why? Why…?

Because it was a good idea not to at the time, he realized.

But that was then, this was now.

And the situation was getting worse every day.

Although his visions wouldn't yield Link's location, they did show a dark future concerning Hyrule Castle. Kaepora knew it had something to do with the Gerudo and Ganondorf, but he had no idea what the desert tribe had planned. And according to his magic, something awful could be avoid if and _only_ if he intervened. The "if" had a deadline, of course, which made the situation even more of a burden. He had to find Link, but he also couldn't let the darkest of circumstances befall Hyrule.

That was the vow he had made when he wasn't an Owl, and he had carried that vow over as an Owl. He would ultimately do what was best, despite his desires and, sometimes, his better judgment.

Oh, _why_ did Link have to leave him…?

The morning was a crisp and fresh one. A brisk, cool wind made the warmth of the sun seem tame and timid. The fields of Lon Lon Ranch danced in a wave-like waltz that was captivating and mystical. Morning birds sang their accompaniments for those who were privileged enough to listen to them. The signs were right for a good day, and yet emotions other than happiness were also present within the natural mixture.

Link was feeling one such emotion, and that was sadness.

It was two days after the party during which he had danced with Malon, and the day he would be leaving her. He had no idea whether he would leave her forever, but because of who he was he couldn't rule out the possibility. He was a Kokiri, she was a Hylian. The two worlds were never meant to cross each other, yet they did because of a remarkable and probably cruel twist of fate.

But did that mean he never had to see her again…?

Link didn't know, although she prayed to the Three Goddesses that he wished he did…

He was at the edge of Epona's pen, alone, leaning against the outside of the fence, watching Epona graze. The young horse seemed a little less energetic than she usually was. Maybe that's because her "mother," Malon, was also acting a little less energetic today.

When the slow dance between them had ended last night, Malon had held him for a few moments longer before finally and reluctantly letting him go. Her eyes had been filled with glassy pools of feelings that she couldn't suppress at that moment. Before Link could've said anything, Malon had turned around and left the room, making her way to her room, where she had spent the remainder of the night. When she had done that, he didn't know if he had done something wrong. The possibility had haunted him that night and he couldn't sleep at all.

The next day, however, Malon had changed into her old self again, as if the previous night hadn't even happened. The two of them had spent the rest of the day, yesterday, doing basically what they had been doing since Link's arrival on the farm, only with Link's hand healed he could do a lot more than before. By the time the afternoon had arrived, Link had started to think that last night had been nothing more than a bizarre mistake of some sort.

But Malon had proved him wrong that evening, last night. She had said goodnight early that evening, so she had gone to bed earlier than Link. After Link had spent some time with Talon, getting ready for the journey ahead, he had decided to hit the sack as well. When he had passed Malon's bedroom, he had heard the faint, gentle, muffled sound of crying. The only person it could've been was Malon. It was then that Link had realized that Malon's feelings for him were far from a mistake.

Now here he was, ready to leave but not ready to say goodbye to Malon. He once wished he could take her with him, but that would be selfish and stupid and dangerous. Where he was going, he might never come back. He couldn't do that to her. Not Malon…

He gazed at Epona for a moment longer before realizing something: he hadn't attempted to call her since his embarrassing singing attempt. He knew Epona's Song by heart on the ocarina, yet he hadn't tried it out yet. What was wrong with him…?

_"I wonder if it will work?"_ Link wondered as he reached for the ocarina in his pouch.

He gave Epona and then the ocarina a good, long stare before he finally raised the instrument to his lips and started to play Epona's Song. By now, he believed he could never play the songs he had learned as good as the original composers. In other words, he believed he couldn't play Epona's Song as good as Malon could sing it. But he was surprised to find himself coming awfully close to the sound of the original song. The notes were soft and elegant, and his rhythm was, for lack of a better word, perfect. He could feel the energy of the song flowing through the instrument…and through him, as well.

He played the song with his eyes closed to feel the full affect of the song, so when he opened his eyes he was surprised to find Epona standing right in front of him on the other side of the gate. He froze in amazement as the young horse lifted its head up, as if asking Link to take the honor of touching her. Even Link stopped playing the ocarina, the horse remained where she was and still presented the privilege.

_"By Nayru's Love…"_ Link thought as he lowered the ocarina from his lips. _"I've done it…"_

Deciding to take the chance, Link gently reached out with his right hand and touched Epona's face. The young horse didn't even flinch when he felt the Kokiri's hand. This was very different from the first time he had touched her. This time, he felt a connection with the horse, something he had never felt with a creature of the forest before. Was this the mutual feeling that people had with horses? Was this why horses allowed Hylians to ride on their backs?

If it was, he thought he understood…

"Just a pity you weren't here to see this, Malon," Link said out loud.

"What do you mean, Fairy Boy? You think I would miss something like this?"

While keeping his hand on Epona, Link turned around and found Malon standing behind him, smiling her usual smile. He smiled weakly back.

"How long were you standing there?" he asked.

"Since you started playing your ocarina," she answered as she walked up to him, stood next to him, and started to pet Epona. "You know, during your entire time here, you didn't get the chance to play your ocarina for me. But now that I've heard you play my song with it…and that you've managed to get Epona to come to you, I don't think I need you to play it for me. That alone was enough."

She petted Epona for a moment in silence before asking, "So when are you leaving?"

"Sometime after lunch," Link answered.

Without looking at Link, Malon nodded and uttered, "I'll make sure I say goodbye this time."

"Malon, I said I was going to say goodbye…"

"Not you, me. I know you're going to say goodbye, but I also want to say goodbye. They are two different things that make up one thing, and I want to make sure my half is fulfilled."

Link couldn't find anything to say in response.

Lunch seemed to come and go quickly. After eating a hearty portion of steak and vegetables, Link prepared himself for the journey ahead. He made sure he had all his pouches with his ocarina, the two Spiritual Stones, and the bombs. He made sure he had his slingshot and his sword. He made sure he had his hat with Navi, who was sleeping, underneath it. Finally, he made sure he had the bag of supplies given to him by Talon.

It was time to go.

Since Lon Lon Ranch stretched far beyond the farmhouse, Talon decided to give Link a ride to the edge of the farm. Link accepted the offer willingly. With the noon sun in the sky, Link, Talon, and Malon headed for the edge of the farm in the horse drawn cart. Talon chatted a little about how he was going to miss Link, but Link and Malon remained pretty quiet throughout the journey.

After a while, Talon finally stopped the cart, stating that they were at the edge of the farm's property. Link took the farmer's word for it, because he didn't know the difference between the land the man owned and the land he didn't own and there didn't appear to be any marker that indicated which was which.

"Well, here we are, Link," Talon said. "You sure you don't want me to give you a ride to a nearby town or something?"

"No, thank you," Link said as he jumped off the cart and onto the soft ground. "I can manage. If you'll just give me directions to the nearest village…"

"Sure thing," the farmer said and pointed northward. "In that direction you'll come to a small stream that's an offshoot of the Zora River. Just follow that stream westward and you'll come to a village soon enough." Talon then jumped off the cart himself and grabbed Link's hand firmly. "It was a pleasure having you over as my guest, Link. I hope I made your visit here worthwhile."

"And I thank you for being my host," Link uttered. "I really enjoyed my time here and hope…" He then stopped. He wanted to say that he hoped to come back sometime, but he didn't know if he was ever going to, so he said something else. "…that I will never forget you and Malon."

"Oh, I'm sure you won't forget us," Talon said with a smile. "We're pretty hard to forget." He then looked up at his daughter, who was still in the cart. "Malon, aren't you going to say goodbye to your friend?"

Malon nodded slightly before climbing off the cart and striding towards Link. But she then surprised both the Kokiri and her father by saying, "Link, can we do this alone?"

Calling him by his real name again. Link hesitated before saying, "S…s…sure thing. Hold on a moment." He then carefully removed his cap with Navi still sleeping in it and placed it gently on the ground so he wouldn't wake her up. He then turned to Talon and said, "Be right back."

"Sure thing," Talon said as he watched Malon and Link walk a short distance away from the cart.

When Malon felt they were far away enough, she uttered, "Okay, Link, this is far enough."

The two then stopped and turned to face each other. They stared at one another in silence before Link finally asked, "Okay, Malon, why did…?"

"This jewel," Malon interrupted Link as she reached and grabbed the red jewel hanging from her necklace. "It means a lot to me, Link. When I found it after you left me in Hyrule Castle New City, I new we would meet again. I vowed that I would repay you somehow, and I hope that your visit here was enough."

Somewhat confused by this strange speech, Link said, "Malon, my stay here was terrific. You have no idea how much fun I had…"

"I know. I have no idea how you enjoyed my stay, so I don't know if it meets my expectations. That is why I want to give you something to make sure you will never forget me. This jewel of yours will forever remind me of you. I want to make sure you will never forget me…never."

"Malon, I would never forget you…"

"I just want to make sure. Please, Link, let me do this for myself. I want to make sure. Please." Her eyes glimmered like lakes of pure water in the sunlight. It wasn't the face that girls made to get a boy's attention. It was a face that was genuinely asking him a favor. It was probably the most powerful and sincere thing a girl could do. Link couldn't help but accept.

"Very well, Malon, whatever you wish."

"Thank you. Here you are."

Malon then stretched out her right hand and showed Link something in its palm. It was a small, thin band of silver with a separating catch. Link immediately recognized it as an earring.

"It was my mother's," Malon said. "She lost the other one as a child, yet she for some reason always loved this one despite its simple design. When I was young, she gave it to me and told me to give it to someone I truly care for. I'm sure she would want me to give it to you."

Link smiled faintly and said, "Thank you…but I'm afraid I don't know how to put it on…"

"Here, let me do it for you."

Without any hesitation from either Malon or Link, Malon took the single earring and pierced it on Link's left ear. The thin piece of metal that sank into his flesh stung a little, but Link refused to flinch. When Malon was finished, she stepped back, overlooked her handiwork, and smiled.

"Perfect. I wish I had a mirror so I can show how handsome you look."

Link blushed. "Well, I, err…thanks for the compliment, I guess."

Link's words were followed by a long moment of silence. The two of them just stood there, staring at each other, as if they wanted to do one more thing but were unable to think of anything. Link wasn't sure why he felt very uncomfortable, and he was also unsure of why Malon couldn't find anything to say. Saying goodbye shouldn't be this hard, should it?

As Link tried thinking of something to say, Malon suddenly turned her gaze to face the ground. He could also see her face grow increasingly red. Was she trying to hide something from him?

"Malon…?"

Without warning, Malon rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Link so compellingly that Link's return hug was more of a reflex to her own embrace than a response. The force she exerted as she crashed into him nearly caused Link to lose his balance, and immediately he could hear a soft, muffled cry coming from the farm girl.

"Malon?" Link repeated. "What's wrong?"

"Don't forget me," was all she whispered as she buried her face in his shirt. "Just please don't forget me. That's all I ask."

Link felt his heart sink like a stone thrown in water. Something was wrong here, something was very wrong. He didn't know why, but Malon wasn't supposed to act like this. She was too young to behave in this manner; Link may be a Kokiri, but his time outside of the Lost Woods have taught him about age and how people were supposed to act at certain ages.

This wasn't right. How old was Malon? What did she say during his time at the ranch, that she was eleven years old? And yet here she was, acting like someone much older. Malon was…growing up. And she was growing up far too quickly. How he knew that, he couldn't tell, but he knew. Something inside of him knew.

And that something also knew something else: _he_ was also growing up too quickly. But his Kokiri heritage told him that was impossible; the Kokiri never age, so how could he grow up? He had been a Kokiri for…how long? Couldn't he even remember? Had it been that long already? Or had it not been long enough?

He was changing. Through growing up or not, he was changing. This quest…it was turning him into something, something he never thought he'd become. This mission, given to him by Princess Zelda, was transforming him and everything around him. Whether he liked it or not, for better or worse, he was changing.

By the Three Goddesses, what was he changing into…?

Unable to do anything else, Link finally answered Malon's request. He had answered it before, but he answered it again. "I won't forget you. I promise."

He then felt tears from his own eyes stream down his cheek. Some of them were falling in recognition the goodbye between him and Malon, but others were falling for another reason. They were a kind of silent prayer, a prayer to the Three Goddesses for protection. Protection for both him and Malon. For him on the remainder of his quest, and for Malon against whatever was going on inside her heart right now.

He prayed that latter prayer because he felt Malon didn't deserve to grow up. She didn't deserve it. Not now…

"You didn't even wake me! How could you do something like that?"

Navi hovered angrily in front of Link's face, her pink glow shimmering furiously. Ever since she had woken up and discovered they had left Lon Lon Ranch without her knowing, she had hammered Link all day for it. Even now, with evening setting in, she still wouldn't shut up.

"You really should've woken me up, at least when you said goodbye! I never got the chance to say thanks to them for the lovely time I had, and…"

Link had been traveling for the Three Goddesses knows how long, so he wasn't in the mood to listen to Navi's pointless griping. He focused his line of sight on the livid fey and declared, "Navi, it's not the end of the world, okay? So do you have to babble on about it all day?"

"Don't I have a right to?" the fairy fumed. "Can't I express my feelings as much as I want?"

"Okay, I'm sorry, but don't put all the blame on me. You were the one who slept more often than usual…hey, that's something interesting. Why _did_ you sleep so much at the ranch? You took practically every chance you got to take a nap. Why is that?"

Navi's flickering glow suddenly stabilized, and the fairy turned her back to Link. It took her a few minutes to finally answer. "I…I don't know. I guess it was just so comfortable there…so relaxing, far more relaxing than anywhere I've ever been, even the Lost Woods. Maybe it was the atmosphere, maybe it was the hospitality, or maybe it was the fact that I felt I had no duties to uphold there. Malon practically 'borrowed' my responsibility of watching you, so I had nothing to do except…relax."

The fairy then turned around and faced Link, her anger apparently completely gone. "By the way, how did it go with Malon? Did she take the idea of you leaving well?"

Now it was Link's turn to be silent for a few moments. "She…she already knew I would be leaving soon," he finally answered. "She took it quite well because of it, although she was still a little sad at me leaving. She gave this earring as a parting gift."

"Earring…?" the fey asked before Link pointed to the item on his ear. "Oh, is that what an earring is? Interesting. Looks like nothing more than a piece of metal stuck through your ear. Does it hurt…stupid question, guess not. It was nice of her to give it to you, I suppose. Still, it doesn't seem to be anything special…"

But Link knew Navi was wrong. The piece of jewelry meant a lot to him, as much as Saria's ocarina. She had given to him out of friendship, but not just any friendship. It was a friendship based upon something special that they both felt. They weren't friends simply because they liked each other; they were friends because they shared something that surpassed simple explanation. He had felt such a bond between Saria, and now he had felt one between Malon.

He remembered what had happened after they had hugged at their parting. Malon had taken Link's hand and the two had walked slowing back to the patiently waiting Talon. There, Malon had said goodbye one more time before climbing on the cart. Talon had said goodbye a final time as well before also jumping back onto the wagon. Link had replaced his hat on his head with Navi inside, and he had then watched the wagon make its way back to the farmhouse.

During the entire time the wagon had been in sight, he could feel Malon's eyes looking back at him…

"Link!" Navi suddenly screamed to get Link's attention from his trance. "Where are we heading, by the way? You never told me that."

_"I wonder why?"_ Link thought grumpily before saying, "We're heading for the nearest village along a small river Talon told me about. We haven't reached that river yet, so we might have to sleep in the open tonight."

Link thought he heard Navi sigh. "Any idea how much farther before we get to that river?" she asked.

"None."

The sky that night was somewhat cloudy, barring any of the stars from shining their light onto the world. Even the lonely master of the night, the moon, could barely illuminate the world through the thick carpet of clouds. Thus, the plains where Link and Navi were camping out for the night were gloomy and thick and not very inviting.

To brighten the mood, Link had made a fire with carefully bunched dry grass as fuel and a stone and his sword as the igniter. It did make things slightly more lighthearted, although it couldn't eclipse the gloominess of the night completely. Hoping to take his mind off the uneasiness that surrounded him, Link nibbled some of the provisions that Talon had given him: cheese, bread, and other assorted simple foods. He decided to nibble them because he didn't know how far he was from the nearest village. Navi, who wasn't hungry, didn't have anything to eat.

The night wore on, but sleep didn't set in for Link. Maybe it was the murkiness of the night, or maybe it was something plaguing his mind, but either way he couldn't fall asleep. Navi had fallen asleep easily – probably because she was a fairy and was used to sleeping outside in all kinds of weather – so Link was forced to think of a solution by himself.

His first idea was merely to think until he felt sleepy. _"Two Spiritual Stones down, one to go. Ganondorf has been to two of them, so there's a strong possibility he's been to the third. I just wonder how he knew where they were? Pity I can't ask him…no, don't even think about that. I had just better watch out for anything he might've left to 'guard' the third Stone._

_"And Kaepora…maybe it was a mistake to leave him without telling him where we went. But can't he use his magic to find me…? But he said it sometimes doesn't work, and he probably would've found me by now. So I might have to find the last Stone without him. I wonder what he's doing right now? Could he have found the last Stone already?_

_"Speaking of which, I wonder how Princess Zelda's doing? I hope nothing's happened to her. But she looks like a strong woman, and she's got Impa by her side. So Ganondorf shouldn't try anything funny…at least I hope so. Then again…"_

His idea unfortunately fell flat.

So he decided to try another idea: to play himself to sleep. He slipped his ocarina from his pouch and placed its mouthpiece upon his lips. Link then thought about what song he should play. Zelda' Lullaby was too sacred and should only be used for when he needed it, he thought. And Epona's Song was too fresh in his mind, so it wouldn't be challenging enough.

So Saria's Song it would be…

_"Link, you can't be like that…you just can't be. You are not like that. You will never be like that. Please say that you aren't…that you'll never be like that. Please, Link, please…"_

The thought circled through Saria's mind endless times, oftentimes so loudly that it forced Saria to shed tears in response. She sat on her knees on the floor, her face buried in her arms, which were resting folded upon the surface of her table. She seldom looked up from the pillow her arms had become, and when she did she quickly hid her face once more.

She thanked the Three Goddesses that Katl wasn't there to see her, because she had become consumed by her fear.

Her fear that Link had become a cold, cruel person.

She had remained in her home ever since she had had that disturbing vision, and refused to come out. Mido was one of the few Kokiri to have seen her like this, and he had only seen her once. She had sent Katl away because she didn't want her fairy to be shamed by watching over her in such a state. She didn't leave even to eat; she survived by nibbling on stale food she kept around the house or food that had managed to enter her house thanks to determined Kokiri.

How the other Kokiri were reacting to her seclusion she didn't know…or care. She was determined to wait until Link finally played her song again. Then…

Wait…

There! There it was! Saria looked up and at the ceiling, as if watching something hovering above her. But she knew what it was, and it wasn't something she could see. She couldn't see it, but she could hear it in her mind. It was something she herself had given life to. It was what she had been waiting for.

It was her song.

Tears of relief and joy started to stream down her face. _"Link…you're playing it…thank you…please, don't stop now, don't…!"_

Like Malon with Epona's Song, the song didn't sound as good as it did when Saria played it, but Link thought it sounded good enough. He managed to find the rhythm, the beat, the melody, and everything else almost perfectly. How he wished Saria could hear him play it…so she could have the satisfaction of realizing that her belief was true.

The ocarina was alive, and it was helping Link to play the song.

_"I should fall asleep after playing this for a while," _he thought as he continued playing effortlessly. _"Or maybe I should switch songs every once in a while…"_

_—Don't you dare! —_

The entry of Saria's voice in his mind was so sudden that Link nearly jumped up and stopped playing the ocarina.

_—No, Link, don't stop playing that song! Please, just continue playing it, please—_

Unable to do otherwise, Link continued playing the song. He remained silent in his mind for a few moments before finally gathering the courage to think.

_"Saria…? Is that you?"_

_—Yes, Link, it is I—_

When he heard those words, Link couldn't help it. His eyes suddenly released tears and his lips curled into a smile, making his playing a little difficult. But he continued to play, not wanting to let this moment go.

_"Then it _was_ you…back at Death Mountain. I played your song, and I heard your voice. Saria…I can't believe I'm talking to you again. I missed you so much…"_

_—And I missed you, Link…you have no idea how much I worried about you…how much I…—_

Just then, Saria fell silent. Link waited a few minutes before thinking, _"Saria, are you okay?"_

_—Yes, I'm okay. I…just got a little overemotional, that's all. It's nothing—_

_"Saria, what is this? How is it that we're talking like this? What is going on?"_

_—It's difficult to explain. The song you're playing right now is a melody I learned from listening to the spirits of the forest. If you play it, you can actually communicate with the spirits. If you know the song well enough, you can actually sense when it's being played. That's how I knew you were playing it. The real reason is far more complicated than that, but that's the best explanation I can give—_

_"I see."_

There was a brief moment of silence before Saria broke it.

_—So, Link, what has happened to you? Have you fulfilled the wishes of the Great Deku Tree? —_

Link hesitated. _"Yes, I have…but I'm doing something else right now, something I believe I must do."_

Link expected Saria to react angrily, but she didn't.

_—Oh. What is it you're doing? —_

With that Link, tried to explain everything as best and quickly as he could. He told Saria about Princess Zelda, Ganondorf, and how he had to find three Spiritual Stones so that the Sacred Realm and the Triforce could be protected. He excluded anything that wasn't necessary, like his battle with King Dodongo and his time on the farm with Malon. He did, however, state that he had two of the Stones with him and he just needed to find the third one.

_—So you just need to fine the last one—_

_"That's right."_

_—Any idea where it could be? —_

_"I only have one clue, and that's that it's found underneath the 'tears of heaven.' Unfortunately, I don't know what this mean."_

Saria then remained quiet for a minute before resuming.

_—Link, I think I know where to find it—_

Link nearly choked on his mouthpiece when he heard that. _"What…? You do…? How…? How could you know something like that…?"_

_—Calm down, calm down, and let me explain. Remember that I once spoke to the Great Deku Tree often? Well, he once told me about the Kokiri's Emerald and how it was one of three keys to the power of the gods. He told me where to find the other two, as well. One was entrusted to the Goron race of Death Mountain, and the third – the one you're looking for – was given to the Zora race of Zora's Domain—_

Link tried his best to contain his surprise and excitement, but it was difficult. _"Zora's Domain…I'm heading for a river that's an offshoot of something called Zora's River. Is Zora's River found at the end of that river?"_

_—Hmm, possibly. I'm not sure which end it would be, but I assume it would be at the starting point of the river. The Great Deku Tree often mentioned that the Zoras were entrusted with keeping the Sacred River of Hyrule pure, which meant they had to take care of the source. Whether or not these two rivers are the same, I don't know. But I suppose it's the only lead you have—_

_"I guess you're right. I'll head in that direction and see what I can find. Thanks, Saria."_

_—Please, Link, don't mention it. I'm just happy to hear from you again. I've waited and waited for you to play my song again, and now that you finally have…words can't describe how happy I am right now—_

_"Saria…will I be able to call and talk to you like this all the time?"_

_—Yes, Link. You can talk to me any time like this. Whenever you want to talk to me, just play my song—_

The two Kokiri spent the remainder of the night talking to each other through their ocarinas, as if to catch up on all the time they had missed since the day Link left the Lost Woods…


	24. Curtain of Blue Shadows

**Chapter 24: Curtain of Blue Shadows**

"Hey, Mido! Mido!"

The Kokiri bully stopped and, with an irritated look on his face, turned to face his fairy Dakt hovering over his shoulder. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Dakt answered. "I'm just wondering why you're in such a bad mood today. You've been acting like a complete gruff all morning, and I thought it would wear off by the afternoon. But it's nearly evening, and you still look like someone's knocked you to the ground and mocked you in the process."

Mido stared heated at his fairy for a moment before uttering, "Leave me alone, you little insect." He then turned to storm away.

But Dakt quickly fluttered in front of his charged Kokiri's face. "Hey! Don't you talk to me like that! I'm your fairy, and I have a job to do! Now tell me what's going on…"

"A job to do?" Mido asked cynically. "A _job_ to do? You idiot, your job died with the Great Deku Tree! All you're doing is staying with me out of respect for him. You call that a job? Now leave me alone before I pluck your wings from your spiny little body and use them to pick my teeth!"

Dakt's light began to flicker uncontrollably. "What…? How dare you…! How could say something like that? I've been with you since the beginning of your existence, and you threaten to take my wings and use them to clean your disgusting teeth? I thought I meant more to you than that…"

"Hey, listen!" Mido's face was now growing red and the pupils in his eyes were dilating to unimaginable proportions. "I am not in the mood to talk about our silly friendship right now! In fact, I think our friendship had just reached its end. And do you know why? Because the mere sight of you _sickens _me! You are nothing but an annoying pest these days; I just wish I could take you and shove you down a fox burrow where your ugly mug could remain hidden from the rest of the world!"

Dakt, unable to believe what he was hearing, tried to say something but Mido wouldn't allow him. "And if you think I'm going to apologize for what I've just said, you can't be more wrong! Everything I've said is true! You hear me? True! So now that you know how I feel about you, why don't you just fly away and cry in some tree somewhere? Or better yet, why don't you go tell the Great Deku Tree…oh, wait, that's right! He's _dead_! So now what are you going to do? Spit it out!"

Mido's words were so forceful and so harsh that Dakt couldn't do anything but hover for several moments. When he finally did move, he didn't say anything. Instead, he just turned around and started to fly away into the sky. Mido, who was still red in the face, yelled at him.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going? Come back here, you little pest! I haven't finished with you yet! Come back here right now or I'll crush your wings and use them to fertilize my garden!"

But Dakt didn't hear him; either that, or he refused to heed Mido's threats. The fairy simply continued to fly higher and higher until he was lost amidst the blueness of the sky. Mido maintained his screaming fit for a while after Dakt disappeared until he finally lost interest and strength to continue doing so.

But he hadn't lost his moodiness, the exact same moodiness Dakt had asked about. He had fallen into this temper because of a name he had once thought he'd never hear again: Link. And even worse, the name was associated with the person he truly and deeply loved: Saria.

It had been two days since Saria had snapped out of her depressing fit. It had been some kind of miracle: just like that, Saria had left her home feeling happy and full of life, as if her melancholy had been nothing more than a dream. But Mido couldn't forget the cold stare she had given him when he had tried to see her that day, so he knew it was no dream. Still, when Saria had returned to her old self, he believed he could once again pursue her heart.

But then came yesterday…more specifically, yesterday evening. He remembered it clearly: Mido was looking for Saria so he could talk to her, but he couldn't seem to find her in any of her usual favorite places. When he did find her, she found him sitting in a tree, sighing to herself dreamily. She was so entranced by something that she didn't notice him. So Mido decided to creep up to the base of the tree so he could surprise her with his presence. That was when he heard Saria say that dreaded name:

"Oh, Link, I'm so glad you're safe. And once you're home, everything will back the way it was. Hurry home, Link. Hurry home. I can't wait to see you again."

Mido had long thought Link was dead, since any Kokiri who left the Lost Woods died…not that Mido admitted Link was a Kokiri. Still, Mido had believed Link to be out of his life forever, leaving Saria all to himself. But when he had heard Saria speak about Link returning, he thought it was a cruel joke being played upon him. Was Saria right? Was Link coming back? If he was, then he was going to take Saria's affection away from him again.

He had gone to bed with an amazed and confused mind, and had awoken this morning with a grumpy disposition. That temperament had only grown as the day had worn on, and now Dakt's nosiness had escalated it to a breaking point.

"Link!" he screamed at the top of his lungs in a rage. "Why can't you just die? Why can't you just stay out of my life? Why…?"

"Mido, that's enough!"

_"No! Please, no!"_

But Mido's silent plea was unheard when he turned around to the familiar voice behind him. There, standing with her hands on her hips and her face tightened with a demand for an explanation, was Saria. She didn't look too pleased with Mido, and the Kokiri bully immediately felt his face go coldly pale.

"S…S…Saria…" he stuttered uncomfortable before Saria interrupted.

"And I suppose you can come up with an explanation after what you've done? First you chewed out Dakt, your own fairy, and now you want my friend Link to die?"

Mido couldn't say anything in response, prompting Saria to continue.

"I can forgive you for what you said about Link, because I know you never liked him in the first place. But what you did to Dakt is unacceptable. Saying such things to a fairy, especially your own fairy, goes against everything we Kokiri were raised to believe in."

Saria's fairy, Katl, then jumped in. "I agree. Dakt can be just as much of a bully as you, but he has feelings like everyone else. Even he doesn't deserve such a lashing. And I don't even know if he'll come back after what you said."

"What?" Mido cried, as if for the first time realizing that idea. "How can you say that? Dakt will come back. He's my best friend…"

"Think about it, Mido!" Saria yelled angrily. "You practically threatened him, and you said yourself that your friendship was over. I don't know about you, but if you ever said something like that to me, I'd believe you. And do you know why? Because that's just the kind of person you are.

"Look at yourself. You're nothing but a bully who's destroying himself with his own temper. I know I've called you a bully before, but this time I hope you'll listen to me, because this time you've done something that proves it: you've lost your fairy, your supposed 'best friend.' "

 Saria softened her expression a little, but not her tone of voice. "And I hope you're happy, Mido, because now that you no longer have a fairy, you're no longer a Kokiri."

Mido's head jerked in shock and disbelief. "What? No…"

"Afraid so, Mido. A Kokiri needs a fairy, and now that you don't have one, you're not a Kokiri anymore."

"No!" Mido fell to his knees but kept his eyes affixed upon Saria. "No, that's a lie! It's not true! I _am_ still a Kokiri! You _know_ I'm a Kokiri! Even without a fairy, I'm still a Kokiri…"

"And I suppose you thought Link was a Kokiri when he didn't have a fairy."

That unsettling statement sent a chill down Mido's spine, despite the fact the sun was still visible in the evening sky. His skin turned pale, and his face even paler. He felt his strength drain from his muscles, and he found it difficult to breathe. He tried to tell himself that Saria was lying, but he knew she'd never lie. He could even see the sad truth behind his hypocrisies and contradictions.

Saria realized that he understood, and she continued, "Now that you finally know who and what you are, Mido, I hope you'll understand just what you've done, not only to Link, the other Kokiri and Dakt, but to yourself. It's a hard lesson, I know, but it's one you should've learned a long time ago."

Her voice then softened as well. "I'm going to leave you now so you can reflect upon what you've done. When you're ready, come by my house and we'll talk. Goodbye, Mido."

With those words, Saria turned around and left, with Katl not too far behind.

Mido, now all alone in the middle of a field outside Kokiri Village, buried his head in the ground and started to cry his eyes out. All he managed to mumble through his bawling were two words:

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"

To whom he was uttering those words – Link, Dakt, Saria, or himself – only he knew…

"For the love of the Three Goddesses, Link, how much farther?"

"For the last time, Navi, I don't know!"

Navi was starting to get so impatient that Link wondered how he managed to put up with her at all. The two of them had been traveling for two days straight since the day after they had left Lon Lon Ranch, and over an entire day following water. They had found the offshoot of the Zora River the morning after Link had spoken to Saria, and Navi had suggested they go westward to find the town Talon had mentioned.

Link, naturally, decided to go against the flow – literally! – and head eastward so they could find Zora's Domain, along with the third and final Spiritual Stone.

Through either bad luck or destiny, they hadn't encountered a town on their way upstream. Navi had tried to remain patient, but she had started to complain soon after the pair had found the place where the offshoot joined with the actual river. The actual Zora River was a magnificent wonder – it was enormous in breadth and flowed with a crystal-colored surface that shone with a mirror's clarity; in fact, there didn't appear to be a single piece of debris on or in the river – but Navi had unwittingly decided to do everything in her power to make sure Link didn't enjoy any of it.

By the time evening was setting in on the second day after Link had talked to Saria, Navi's complaining had spiraled out of control.

"Well, you _should_ know. You're the one who wanted to go on this journey in the first place. We might've discovered how long it would take to find the river's origin if he had stopped in that village downriver Talon told us about, but no. You had to be the brave warrior who decided to get himself lost because he wouldn't stop for directions…"

"Navi, shut up!" Link cried out. "We're not lost! All we have to do is follow the river upstream and we'll find Zora's Domain! It's that simple! Now why don't you just quit whining and…?"

"I'll quit whining when I feel like it!" the fey asserted. "Unless you tell me how long it's going to take for us to find this place, I'm going to keep on whining! I have a right to whine, okay?"

"And I have a right to wring your little neck if you don't shut up, okay?"

Navi hesitated when Link said that. "You wouldn't…would you?"

Link smiled wickedly and twitched his fingers in the air. "Try me. Just try me."

That did it. Navi knew Link was only playing with her, but the look in his eyes told her he had had enough of her bickering. "All right, you win…for now. I'll shut up for the rest of the day, but tomorrow I'll continue again."

With that, Navi disappeared under Link's hat, mumbling loudly, "Personally, I think it's ridiculous that we're still on this insane quest. We should be back in the Lost Woods by now, sleeping under the stars or in our own beds, listening to those sounds we know and love…"

She then paused before adding, "That, or at least we should have Kaepora Gaebora with us so we can finish this thing as quickly as possible…"

As much as Link didn't want to admit it, he agreed with Navi…at least with her latter wish. Oh, sure, he did wish he were back in the Lost Woods, but he didn't think this quest was insane or ridiculous. He really thought it was important, at least in a certain respect. He had to find and collect the Spiritual Stones before Ganondorf had a chance to return to claim them and use them to unlock the door to the Sacred Realm and obtain the Triforce…

"Whatever," the Kokiri uttered to the fairy under his hat. "Just be sure to keep that promise of yours, because I'd like some peace for a while, okay?"

But Link was too late. Navi had already fallen asleep.

Shaking his head gently, Link quickened his pace of walking. Evening was beginning to turn into night, and he wanted to find a suitable place to rest. He didn't mind resting in the open, but he felt more comfortable sleeping with some form of shelter over his head. And just his luck, there wasn't a tree in sight.

But when he saw what was up ahead, he suddenly came to the conclusion his luck was changing. The ground had started to incline a little while back, and now he saw why. A long yet reasonable distance ahead of him was a rocky hill about the height of three, maybe four Deku Trees and a base of an immeasurable size. The Zora River ran straight up the hill's surface about halfway before disappearing into a ravine cut right into the side of the hill.

_"All right!"_ he thought gleefully. _"Maybe I can find a rocky ledge for me to sleep under or something. Either way, it'll feel a lot better than sleeping out here. Might even shield me from the wind."_

Link again started to walk faster, but this time he didn't stop until he was almost sprinting. He sprinted so fast that he nearly slipped on a small patch of wet grass and he ended up kicking a small wad of dirt into the river. Naturally, Link didn't pay much attention to this, but if he had glanced back he would've noticed something grab the diluted piece of mud and drag it beneath the surface before throwing it back onto the shore with an outward splash…

Din's Eye was only peeking above the horizon by the time Link made it to the rocky hill, and it disappeared completely when he reached the ravine that the river was running through. Thankfully, the moon had already risen and was supplying ample light for Link to see within the somewhat claustrophobic gorge. Stepping into the gully did take some effort on Link's part, however, but not because of the darkness. The mere sight of the chasm brought back memories of his decision to commit suicide back on Death Mountain.

The walls of the ravine were slightly below the height of the now-dead Deku Tree, but luckily the moon was in a position that gave the Kokiri enough light to see everything clearly. The Zora River, despite its large span, flowed through the gorge cleanly and allowed reasonable stretches of ground on either side for Link to stand on. By the layout of the place, Link could almost swear that the ravine was specially made for the river.

Boulders lay scattered across the ground and small juts dotted the walls, but nowhere could Link see a "suitable" ledge under which to sleep. To make matters more unpleasant, the gully didn't provide a haven from the wind. In fact, it actually _increased_ the wind's intensity by creating somewhat of a wind tunnel. It only made Link more determined to find some form of shelter within the craggy gulch. After all, he had picked up his pace to reach this place by nightfall.

Finally, he found a suitable place to rest: a large rock pillar standing partially in the river with a surface that satisfactorily blocked the wind. Thanking the Three Goddesses, Link made his way to the protected area and sat down against the side of the pillar. He carefully removed his hat from his head, along with Navi, and placed it on the ground. He also removed his sword, slingshot, and bag of bombs, but he kept the pouch with the Spiritual Stones attached to his belt.

Feeling comfortable, Link sighed blissfully before closing his eyes and shuffling his back against the rock pillar to get comfortable…

"Ouch!"

Link's yelp was followed by a quick jump to his feet and a reach for the pricked part of his lower back. He looked down and found a small, sharp rock about twice the size of his thumbnail lying at the base of the pillar. Frowning at the small stone, Link picked it up.

"Stupid rock waking me up like that," he muttered under his breath before he carelessly tossed it in the river so it wouldn't bother him again.

Link made a quick check for any more sharp stones before he finally reclined against the pillar again. He made himself comfortable and only had to wait a moment before his eyelids closed under their own will. Soon, he would be fast asleep, dreaming of finding the final Spiritual Stone and returning home…

"Ow!"

When Link felt something hit his face and hit it hard, like a forest bee sting, he awoke so suddenly that he jerked his head back and struck it against the rock pillar, causing further discomfort. It took him a while to stand up and find his sense of balance as he waited for his blurred vision to adjust itself. 

When he finally did feel stable enough to speak, a name immediately came to mind.

"Navi!"

The fairy emerged from his hat a split moment later, albeit groggy. "What…?" she managed to ask sleepily before Link intervened.

"Why did you just hit me?"

As if on cue, Navi quickly snapped wide awake. "Hit you? What do you mean hit you? I've been asleep ever since this evening. I couldn't possibly have hit you."

"Well, _something_ did!" Link uttered angrily, though not necessarily at Navi. "And it hurt like one of Mido's punches, only more concentrated, as if something had been thrown at me."

Navi took a quick glance at her surroundings – this was, after all, the first time she had been out of Link's had since the evening – and sighed in frustration. "Well, could it have _possibly_ been a rock that had fallen from this pillar? Have you ever considered that?"

Come to think of, Link at first didn't know why he _hadn't_ considered it. But he quickly realized the improbability of that possibility. "No, that's not it. Whatever hit me didn't come from above – at least I don't think so – and it was moving too fast. But it probably was a stone. Let me look around and…"

Link's tongue froze when he looked down at his feet. There, sitting next to his left foot, was the stone he was talking about. But it wasn't just any stone. It was the exact same stone he had thrown into the river just moments ago.

Unable to believe it, Link reached down and picked it up. It was moist, indicating it had been wet recently. He looked at it carefully, making sure he analyzed it vigilantly, and he finally had to conclude without a single doubt that this was the sharp stone he had thrown into the river.

He was so entranced by this curious phenomenon that Navi had to should several times to get his attention. "Hey! Link! What's going on? Why are you so affixed with that rock?"

Link explained to the fairy the peculiarity about the rock. When he finished, Navi immediately guffawed at the idea.

"Ridiculous!" she asserted. "Absolutely ridiculous! Do you really expect me to believe that a stone will fly out of the river right back at you?"

"But look at it," Link insisted as he held the stone out toward Navi. "It's wet, so it must've been inside the river…"

"Come on, Link!" Navi cried. "Maybe the stone had been lying in a puddle somewhere above you and only now slipped out. It may sound weird, but it's a far better explanation than yours. Stones jumping out of the river…"

"But I'm certain that this is the exact same stone I threw…"

"Rubbish!" Navi bellowed. "One stone had a thousand identical twins. And besides, it's dark, so you can't see _that_ well."

"But…"

"Enough!"

Before Link could respond, Navi grabbed the small stone and, with all her little might, threw the stone into the Zora River, landing the sharp pebble square in the median of the waterway. The fairy then returned her attention to Link.

"Now that that's over, I'm going back to sleep. And don't wake me because of something like this again. If another rock happens to fall on your head in the same way as before, just tell yourself it's your imagination. No one is throwing the exact same pebble at you…"

WHOOSH…!

Navi was lucky that the stone barely missed her, but Link wasn't as fortunate. The stone landed directly between his eyes, creating a soft yet deafening thud. The Kokiri, who had only concentrated on Navi's speech and was feeling tired anyway, was so caught off guard by the attack that he sank to his knees before landing flat on his face, unconscious.

Navi, shocked by what had just happened, was at first too stunned to move. When she could move, she turned around to face whatever assailant had just struck down Link with a single blow.

To her amazement, she was in time watch two pale fish-like fins disappear beneath the glassy surface of the Zora River…

_"Place upon this grave Spiritual Stones three. Three become one and one becomes the key. Past these doors lies a portal unseen. Release the lock with a soul found clean. Have in possession the sound of the light. Beware the temptation of the hearts of the night."_

Princess Zelda didn't know how many times she had read those words carved upon the front altar of the Temple of Time, but she knew she had read them enough times to burn them in her mind. In fact, if she wanted to, she could recreate the exact same shape of the words carved into the altar, right down to the smallest chips and defects of the letters.

Sighing, she remained knelt at the altar with her hands clasped together. The fragrant perfume that burned within the evening torches tickled her nostrils vigorously. She wanted to appear she was praying to the few monks and peasants who were in the Temple so as not to arouse suspicion.

It wasn't difficult to figure out by this ancient inscription that the Temple of Time was the housing of the doorway to the Sacred Realm, and therefore the Triforce. Most people simply forgot about the old legends of the power of the gods, and regarded the Temple of Time as just that: a temple. Nowadays, the Tempe of Time was used for routine worships of the Three Goddesses. Pews that filled the enormous sanctuary from one end of the room to the other were packed on worship days, and many people would approach the altars at the front of the sanctuary to pray for forgiveness of sins.

How ironic that they didn't know they were praying before the very place where the power of the gods lay, the Door of Time!

Actually, the Door of Time was nothing more than a set of wooden double doors affixed to the granite walls of the front end of the temple. Most people believed this was some sort of symbolic religious symbol, but Zelda believed the wooden doors were attached to a set of _real_ stone doors. Of course, opening the Door of Time required special keys, and Link was right now collecting those special keys.

Once he had them, she and Link would open the Door of Time and enter the Sacred Realm. Then, they would find the Triforce and get it before Ganondorf would even realize what was going on. And with the Triforce in the Royal Family's possession, Hyrule would head into an unprecedented golden age…

"Good evening, princess."

Zelda nearly died of shock when she heard that voice. She didn't die, but she did turn ghostly pale. _"No, it _couldn't _be _him_…not here…"_

But it was. Without giving Zelda a chance to recover from the initial shock, Ganondorf stood directly behind her and leaned forward, placing his chin close to Zelda's left shoulder. He grinned evilly.

"Might I ask what you're doing here at this hour, princess?" he asked.

"I could ask the same of you," Zelda replied coldly. She wasn't going to give Ganondorf any satisfaction this time, if she could help it.

But Ganondorf's smile merely widened, and he raised his head from Zelda's shoulder. "So you're going to play dumb with me again, aren't you? That isn't a wise choice, princess, especially with a Gerudo."

Zelda's heart raced in panic, but she kept telling herself that her faithful bodyguard Impa wasn't too far away. Impa was actually leaning against the wall to the princess' right, and Zelda knew she was keeping a close eye on the King of Thieves. Ganondorf probably knew this as well, and would most likely not attempt anything foolish, like attacking her.

But that didn't mean he couldn't verbally abuse her. "Are you ready to tell me what you know?" Ganondorf inquired.

Zelda tried her best not to shiver as she answered, "Just that you are the lowest of the low and a liar of the highest order."

Ganondorf chuckled at Zelda's tongue-lashing. "A big thing to say for a brat, but still quite childish." The Gerudo then moved forward and knelt down before the altar, directly beside Zelda. Zelda's heart beat faster, but she managed to keep her face stiff with indifference and her eyes gazing forward. The King of Thieves looked at her from his kneeling position and continued, "Insulting me is like believing you can hide everything from me: futile. Come now, why don't we get this over with? It'll be a lot easier on you if you just tell me what you're planning."

"You're speaking like you did the first day we met," Zelda stated. "I don't know where you get these ideas, Ganondorf, but they are starting to bore me."

"Ah, so you're still a little sore with how I threatened you, is that it?" Ganondorf spoke loudly enough for Zelda to hear, but soft enough so as not to arouse Impa's anger. "Well, I'd apologize for it, but as you just said, I'm the lowest of the low."

"I'm glad we finally agree on something."

The two then remained silent for what seemed like an eternity before Ganondorf finally made a move. Without warning, he leaned in close to Princess Zelda's face…and licked her left cheek with the tip of his slimy tongue! Zelda tried to jump up in disgust and shock, but Ganondorf was too quick for her. He grabbed her head roughly and dragged her ear close to his mouth before whispering into it.

"I know you have it, wench. You can't hide it from me."

If Zelda had believed she couldn't get any paler, she was wrong. The white color in her face went from ghostly to deadly, and her heart skipped not one, but several beats. She started to shake uncontrollably, and her eyes widened in pure horror. Ganondorf didn't directly name "it," but he didn't have to. Zelda knew what he was talking about.

And her reaction was giving away the fact that she knew he knew…

"I want it, princess. I want it now…" Ganondorf started to whisper when suddenly something grabbed the princess and jerked him from the King of Thieves' hands. Zelda, in her state of shock, already knew who it was, but Ganondorf had to look up to discover it was Impa. He snarled before standing up to face Zelda's bodyguard.

"I suggest you leave the princess alone," Impa stated as she gently moved Zelda to her side. "If you so much as touch her again like that, I will personally make sure you wish you hadn't."

_"Impa…"_ Zelda wanted to tell Impa not to anger the King of the Gerudo. Impa was indeed a skilled fighter; she used no weapons other than her hands and could take down the King of Hyrule's best soldier. But Ganondorf was far more than a soldier; he was a natural-born killer, and Zelda feared he might take down Impa with his sword…

Thankfully, Ganondorf wasn't in the mood to fight Zelda's guardian. "Very well, I'll leave your precious princess alone. But we have unfinished business, and I will see to it that it's finished."

He then turned his evil gaze to Zelda, who was still in a state of shock. "Hear that, princess? We will meet again. And be a good little girl when we do, okay?"

With those words, Ganondorf turned around with a loud flutter of his cloak and marched out of the temple.

Several monks in the temple had witnessed the scene, but they wisely kept to themselves and didn't interfere. Impa waited until Ganondorf had long left the temple before she knelt before the princess and tried to calm her down.

"Princess Zelda, Princess Zelda, are you all right?" she asked warmly yet calmly. "Did he hurt you in any way?"

Zelda had regained some color in her cheeks by now, and her shivering had lessened somewhat, but it took some energy for her to speak clearly. "Impa…he knows…he knows…"

"Knows? Knows about what?"

"He knows…that we know…about the Spiritual Stones…and he knows…that I…have…the ocarina…I have…the Ocarina of Time…he knows…"

Impa's faced gaped in alarm, but it wasn't as intense as Zelda's fright fit. "By the Three Goddesses. If he knows that you have the ocarina, then we're in serious trouble. Is the ocarina safe, princess?"

"Yes…it's safe," Zelda replied as she stroked a now familiar bulge in her dress.

"Then we have to protect it more than ever. We can't let our guard down. Ganondorf might try to get at you to get to it, and we can't let that happen. You'll have to watch yourself more closely now, because I can't be by your side all the time. Other than that, all we can do is…pray, pray to the Three Goddesses to protect us…and to bring that brave young boy back to us safely."

Zelda nodded. For some odd reason, a tear trickled down her cheek. _"Link,"_ she thought to herself. _"Where are you? We need you! _I_ need you! If you come back, I swear I'll tell you the truth! I swear I won't lie to you anymore! If you'll just come back to me…"_

Imagine.

A Kokiri with the name of Link and a fairy known as Navi one day is summoned by the Great Deku Tree to go on a perilous journey. He destroys a monstrous parasite called Gohma and her unborn children. He manages to slip past a net of security to find the Princess of Destiny. He confronts and sadistically slaughters two battle-worn Lizalfos. He accidentally lights a Bomb Flower and kills two fully-grown Dodongos. He uses an unexplainable power to defeat the leader of the Dodongos, King Dodongo, getting his hand burned in the process. He overcomes the pain in his hand and every other pain given to him throughout the course of his adventure.

And he has just been knocked unconscious by a single, tiny rock.

The embarrassing thought did cross Link's mind once as he struggled to stand up, but he ignored it. He managed to raise himself on his knees before he decided to check the area of his head struck by the rock. To his surprise, the rock was still imbedded there, as if wedged into a crack in his face. He plucked the stone from his head and looked at it, dazed and amazed that such a tiny thing could knock him unconscious. There didn't appear to be any blood on it, and when he touched the area again he didn't feel any pain.

_"Lucky me,"_ he thought sarcastically. _"Who threw this thing at me…?"_

"Link! Link! Come quick! Come quick!"

It was Navi. The Kokiri turned his head to watch the fairy appear from behind a bend in the gully and head straight toward him. Navi hovered in front of his face and fluttered around like crazy, her glow flickering in excitement.

"You won't believe what I found!" she cried crazily. "You have to see it for yourself! It's unbelievable! I never thought I'd…"

She quickly fell silent when Link held up the rock he had plucked from his face. He then said in a monotone voice, "Just my imagination, huh?"

Navi suddenly started to stutter. "Well, uh…that is to say, I…I, uh…well, I guess I…" She then gave up. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'm really, truly, honestly sorry. I made a mistake, and I admit it. But now come, let's go. You won't believe…"

"I suppose leaving me here with my new head ornament was better than seeing if I was still alive?"

Navi again started to stutter. "Well, I…maybe I…I guess I just thought…a measly little stone couldn't…you would recover and…not that I thought…" Again, she gave up. "Okay, okay, again, I'm sorry. I was so intrigued with what I saw that I thought I'd just follow it. I just supposed you were fine. After all, you've survived a lot worse than stones…"

Despite her small size, Link could see Navi's uneasy smile. "Just count yourself lucky," he said before throwing the stone away, not in the river this time but on the ground. "Now, what is this 'it' you're referring to?"

Navi grew excited again. "You won't believe it! I've never seen anything like it! And I doubt you have either! The closest thing that can compare to it is…Goron City, and even that can't hold a candle to…"

"Navi!" Link interrupted. "From the sounds of things, you haven't even answered my question. What is going on here? What's gotten you into such a frenzy?"

"You'll have to see for yourself!" the fairy stated. "Follow me! And get your stuff, because we're not coming back here!" With that, the fairy sped around the bend and out of view.

"Hey, wait!" Link yelled. "Let me first get my stuff!"

Link tried to gather his things so quickly that he only managed to grab his weapons, pouches, and hat, leaving behind the food and provisions Talon had given him. As he raced to catch up to Navi, he attempted to return his items to their proper place, albeit sloppily… 

"Well, what do you think?"

Navi's question reached Link's ears, but he didn't respond immediately. He was too awe-inspired to reply right away.

He was standing upon a section of the ground that had curved away from the side of the Zora River and _above_ it, like a natural bridge of some sorts. Just an arm's length away from the natural bridge was what Link was gaping at. He had seen waterfalls before in the Lost Woods, but never many this grand or enormous. The walls of the gully stopped abruptly and climbed to a seemingly impossible height, probably the apex of the stone hill he was standing in. The water itself cascaded over the high edge like a living thunder, rolling and tumbling with a magnificent aura about it. And yet, as the waters fed the mighty Zora River below it, they made only whispering crashes and no thundering dins.

In the inkiness of the evening and the brightness of the moon, the waterfall looked like a curtain of blue shadows…

Still, Link did eventually snap out of his trance. "It's beautiful, Navi, he said, "but unfortunate. It's blocking our path. We'll have to go back, unless we climb it and go over…"

"No, we don't," Navi said animatedly. "Watch this."

With those words, Navi zipped straight into the curtain of the waterfall and disappeared from view.

Link jerked back in shock. "Navi? Navi! Where are you? Where are you? What's going on?"

An immediate fear that the power of the water had swept her down into Zora's River quickly spread over his face, but that fear just as quickly disappeared when he heard his fairy's familiar voice. "Link! Don't worry! I'm right here!"

"Right where?"

"Behind the waterfall!"

"What are you doing there? Taking a bath or something…?"

"No! Come and see for yourself! Jump right where I flew!"

"What? Are you crazy? You can fly behind there, I can't…"

"Just do it!"

Link decided it was better not to argue. Navi's eagerness might be a little irksome, but it better than hearing her bickering. And besides, she wouldn't tell him to do something without good reason. She wasn't that kind of person…er, fairy.

Taking a deep breath, Link aimed for the place Navi had entered the waterfall, bent his knees to get a better jump, and let his energy go. He felt the coldness of the water curtain drench every pore on his body, and he half-expected to strike a solid wall past the waterfall.

Instead, he found nothing but air…


	25. Kingdom of the River

**Chapter 25: Kingdom of the River**

Because Link had no idea where ground was, he wasn't fully prepared when he struck it. The moment his feet touched something solid, he lost his balance and fell backwards, landing on his tailbone. Thankfully, the uncomfortable feeling that followed didn't last too long. He managed to stand up almost immediately, albeit to caress and soothe the point of impact.

The guiding light of the moon was for the most part gone, but the glistening of the curtain of water outside helped Link to see where he was exactly. It was a tunnel, and a very big one at that. The walls and ceiling were conjoined to form a polished, close-to-perfect arc-shaped passageway, and the ground felt as smooth as a tree leaf covered in morning dew. Even the darkness that devoured the tunnel up ahead couldn't hide the magnificent softness of the passageway. Whoever had built it had obviously put a lot of time and energy, as well as heart and soul, into it.

The new question, now, was who built it?

Before he could consider the question, a familiar pink light fluttered in front of his face. "You okay?" Navi asked.

"Yeah, I guess…"

"Great! Then let's go! You're not going to believe what's on the other end of this tunnel! Just follow me…"

"Hey!" Link yelled so loudly that the tunnel echoed several times.

Navi quickly fell silent, and then mumbled a soft, "Yes?"

"Would it be possible for you to act calmly just a _little _bit? Even for a little while?"

Navi hovered in the air for a few minutes, as if giving the question serious thought, before she finally answered, "No."

Link sighed. "Fine. Then just show me this 'thing' you're so excited about before I turn around and leave to continue searching for the source of the river…"

"Link, we don't have to do that. We've already found it."

Link's eyes grew in surprise. "We've what? Already found it? How…?"

"Just follow me and I'll explain everything!" Before Link could ask anything else, Navi turned and disappeared down the dark tunnel, releasing a girlish cry of glee as she did.

Link, confused but intrigued, shrugged his shoulders before heading down the passageway after his fairy…

Finally!

_"Thank the gods!"_ Kaepora Gaebora thought loudly, his neck feathers ruffling in relief and satisfaction. _"I finally found you, Link!"_

But his joy was quickly snuffed when he realized that his finding of Link was too little, too late.

After days upon days of searching the land and trying to get his magic to work, he finally managed use his power to find the Child of Destiny. Although his view into the future was limited, he could clearly see that Link and Navi were at Zora's Domain, the home of the Zoras. At first, he wondered why the Kokiri and fairy were there to begin with, but he then quickly realized why.

_" 'Tears of heaven!' Of course! You foolish old coot! Of _course _the Spiritual Stone would be with the Zoras! Why did you think of this before?"_

But he stopped thinking about his lack of common sense when his magic reminded him of the impending deadline he had to change the course of Hyrule's future. And now his powers revealed something else about deadline: along with Ganondorf, it had to do with Princess Zelda.

That only made things worse. If Zelda was involved, then his involvement was critical. He didn't know what was going to happen, but the possibility that the King of Thieves might harm Zelda was inconceivable. The Owl didn't like the idea of leaving Link, a young Mage-Bound, alone any longer, but with the choices he had, he might have to do just that.

When was the deadline again…?

"Four days, almost exactly," he cooed to himself.

At the moment, he was perched upon a branch overlooking the glassy waters of Lake Hyrule – he guessed that his magic was "jolted" by the sight of the water so he could find Link. The Hyrule Castle New City was a two to three day's flight away, while a trip to Zora's Domain then to Hyrule Castle would take four to five days. He couldn't take any chances.

_"Link,"_ he thought sadly to himself, _"I'm sorry, but I must find the princess and warn her. I'll come to you straight afterwards. Just please try to stay alive until then."_

But even as he spread his wings so he could begin his long journey to Hyrule Castle, he had a strange feeling he would never see Link the Kokiri again…__

Indescribable.

Ironically, that was the only word to describe Zora's Domain…well, maybe it _could_ be described, but as he gaped in amazement, Link knew any description wouldn't do it justice.

Like Goron City, Zora's Domain was situated within the very mountain, but Zora's Domain possesses a certain elegance and purity that Goron City couldn't achieve. The Kokiri was standing upon a ledge of a giant "bowl," and this bowl was filled with crystal-clear water. Unlike the step-structured basin of Goron City, the edges of this enormous lake were smooth…so smooth, in fact, that it made the lake look deeper than it really was. All around the basin, spectacular waterfalls flowed from unknown sources above and into the lagoon, and at one end of the cavern Link could see a small river snaking its way from the bowl into a tunnel.

But the most awe-inspiring sight of Zora's Domain had to be the Zoras themselves. Although Link had never seen a Zora before, he knew the creatures swimming in the lake were they. As smooth and crystal-colored as the water itself, the Zoras seemed to be roughly as tall, or long, as a fully-grown Hylian. They wore no clothing of any kind, thus showing off a powerful muscle structure that obviously aided in their swimming. Attached to their arms and the sides of their hips were what appeared to be flippers of some kind, and behind their heads grew a long, fish-like tail. This race was clearly adapted to live in water, and Link couldn't help but wonder at such a bizarre lifestyle.

"I told you, you won't believe it," Navi said with a smirk.

Link raised his eyebrows in response. "Okay, okay, you're right. I don't believe it. So this is really it? Zora's Domain?"

"It can't be anything else. Now all we have to do is find the third Spiritual Stone, and unless this race has strange traditions, it should be in the hands of the people's leader or leaders. We just have to find them."

"Should be simple enough," Link said before he glanced at the deep basin of water and quickly added, "If we don't have to swim, that is. But do you think the king of this place, or whatever, is asleep right now? It is the middle of the night, after all."

Navi hovered in midair for a moment before answering, "That is true, but it is a well-known fact that fish don't sleep. Maybe the Zoras possess that same trait. Why else are there Zoras still awake right now?"

Link had to admit Navi was right. He returned his gaze back to the basin. When he had first looked, he had seen Zoras moving around, talking, and playing as if it were broad daylight. He had even seen several perform acrobatic feats of impossible dynamics. The Zoras apparently enjoyed their aquatic lifestyle, and he couldn't help but envy them a little.

Upon this instance of looking at the basin, he quickly realized how much attention he and Navi were getting. A small crowd had started to develop near the edge of the lake near the two newcomers, and all the long, pointy faces of the Zoras were staring directly at them. A few were whispering to each other frantically, as if fearing something life threatening had made its way into their domain.

"I think we're starting to draw attention to ourselves, Link," Navi commented.

Link rolled his eyes at the fey. "You think?"

Just then, one of the taller Zoras in the group swam to the edge and climbed his way onto the edge of the basin. He straightened himself before shuffling –he couldn't walk very well with his webbed feet – his way to the Kokiri and fairy. When he was within arm's length of the two, he placed his hands on his hips, as if to appear aggressive and menacing.

"Travelers or emissaries?" he said in a surprisingly gentle voice.

Link was immediately puzzled. "Excuse me? Travelers or emissaries?"

"Are you emissaries from the King of Hyrule, or are you simple travelers who happened to find our domain by mistake? One of these is allowed to stay, while the other has to leave, and judging by what happened outside, I can't help believe you're just travelers."

_"Travelers or emissaries, huh?"_ Link pondered. _"Pretty limited choice, isn't it? Well, I don't make the rules, so…wait a minute. Happened outside? Isn't that…?"_

Suddenly, Link understood. "Hey, _you're_ the one who threw that stone at me, aren't you?"

The Zora smiled. "Yes, that's right."

"I _knew_ it!" Navi exclaimed suddenly. "I _knew_ a Zora had thrown that stone! I didn't know it was you, but when I saw those flippers I guessed it had been a Zora, so…"

Link held up a hand. "Navi, now is not the time to jump for joy about me being knocked unconscious by a pebble, okay?"

Link's tone was very mundane and a little frustrated, but it was enough to get the fairy to quiet down sheepishly. Link then stroked his forehead. The mark had long gone, but he could still visualize the stone embedded within his skull. The Kokiri gave the Zora a soft yet firm glare. "I think you owe me an apology, because it's not very polite to just throw sharp rocks at someone like that…"

"Hey, I do what I do to keep the Zora River as pure as possible," the Zora snapped, albeit it quietly. "Our people are bound by a sacred pact with the King of Hyrule to keep the sacred river clean, and I take that oath seriously. And because you threw a dirty rock in the river, I had to teach you a little lesson. Understand?"

Link gaped in astonishment. "You mean…you keep the river clean?"

The Zora nodded. "Yes, that's right."

But that wasn't what had astonished Link. "And you throw out stones? Even stones as small as the one you threw at me?"

The Zora nodded again. "Yes, that's right."

Link's tongue nearly drooped in disbelief. _"By the Three Goddesses, these guys are either truly dedicated or completely daft! Keeping an entire river _that_ clean…it's almost unheard of…"_

"Of course, we only keep a portion of it clean," the Zora added, as if reading Link's mind through the Kokiri's eyes, "so don't think we maintain the entire river, just the initial stretch of river near the source. Even we have our limits. There, now you know a little bit about us. Now again, are you travelers or emissaries? Answer before I'm forced to throw you out myself."

Link, still unable to believe that the Zora threw the stone at him because it dirtied the Zora River, managed to stutter, "We…we're emissaries, I guess. Of course, we're a lot more than that, but since you've only given us two choices, we'll call ourselves emissaries."

The Zora bowed down and glared at the Kokiri suspiciously with his deep-set eyes. "And I suppose you have proof that you're emissaries?"

Luckily, Link snapped out of incredulity with that question and nodded. "Yes, I do. I suppose you've heard this before?"

With that, Link reached into his pouch and pulled out his ocarina. He put the mouthpiece to his lips and started to play Zelda's Lullaby. By now, he was playing the instrument with such ease that it felt like second nature to him. The notes of the Royal Family song sounded so clean, so perfect, that they didn't even create an echo in the cavern. All that came from the ocarina was what everyone considered the most beautiful song in all of Hyrule.

When the Zora towering over Link heard that song, his gruffness softened and the tension in the air lessened. All he did was listen. Several of the other Zoras also felt the effect of the song. Some even climbed out of the water to get a better listen. By the time Link finished playing, he had quite a small audience for his mini-concert.

As he put his ocarina away, the Zora that had thrown the stone at him remained silent for a moment before finally saying, "The Lullaby of the Royal Family. Only a few are allowed to learn such forbidden notes, and such people are either the Royal Family itself or emissaries. By playing that song, you have proven yourself to be an emissary and not a traveler."

_"Emissaries! Travelers! Travelers! Emissaries! Don't you have something else in your vocabulary?"_

But Navi's squeamish voice quickly interrupted Link's thoughts. "Hey, what about me? Am I an emissary as well?"

The Zora smiled. "Of course. You are the companion of the emissary, and therefore are an emissary as well and not a traveler."

Navi squealed with gentle glee. Link clenched his fist. _"One more time!" _he thought agitatedly. _"Say those words one more time, and I'm going to scream so loud you'll wish I _was_ a traveler!"_

The Zora then cleared his throat. "Forgive my earlier behavior, but I do what I must for the good of the Zoras. My name is Lizel, one of the Cleansers of the Zora River. I am at your service. How may I help you?"

Link blinked in surprise. _"What, you're not going to take me to your leader or something? You people really are strange."_

"I'd like to speak with your leader, if I may," Link said. "That is, if you have a leader. If not, then…"

"You wish to speak to King Zora?" Lizel interrupted, his face suddenly jerking back in reservation. The other Zoras displayed a similar reaction. "Are you sure you wish to do that? If it's an emergency, then I guess you can speak with him, but other than that I don't recommend doing such a thing."

"Yes, this is an emergency," Link said. And he wasn't lying. He needed to find the third Spiritual Stone before Ganondorf tried to claim it, and judging from what he had experienced at Death Mountain, Ganondorf had probably been here as well. Link only hoped the King of Thieves hadn't resurrected some kind of water snakes with three heads and fifteen claws on each fin…

_"Oh, stop imagining things! You don't have time!"_

"Really, it's an emergency," Link continued. "I have to speak with King Zora soon…now, if possible. Please, I really need to see him."

Lizel remained quiet for a while before he sighed deeply and uttered, "Very well, you may speak with him." He then pointed to the ground surrounding the basin of water behind the Kokiri and fairy. "Follow this path until you get to a flight of stairs on your right. Follow that flight of stairs to the throne room, where you shall find King Zora. When you speak with him, remember to stand upon the pedestal before his throne as a sign of respect for him. And when you reach the throne room, do not go past there to the Shrine of Lord Jabu-Jabu unless King Zora gives you permission. That is all."

Link nodded, although he couldn't help but wonder who or what this Lord Jabu-Jabu was. Ah, well. He didn't have the time to find out. All he needed to do was talk to King Zora, get the third Spiritual Stone from him, and head back for the palace to Princess Zelda.

"Thank you," Link said before turning around and beginning his journey to the throne room. But he hadn't taken a few steps when Lizel suddenly passed him and walked a little ahead and along side him. "What are you doing?" Link asked.

"I'm escorting you to the throne room, of course," Lizel answered.

Link jerked his head back in surprise. "But…you just gave me directions…"

"Yes, we always give emissaries directions before we lead them around. That way, they don't get lost if they're separated from their escorts."

Link started to pray he didn't have to stay here longer than he needed to…

"Come on, dance! Dance for me! Dance!"

The only reason Ganondorf yelled as loud as he could in his room at the palace was so that anyone passing his door could hear him. The Gerudo guard he had sent for didn't need anything but the King of Thieves' baneful glare to do what he wanted. She performed every kind of dance she knew, from the wild Dance of Setting Suns to the seductive Dance of the Crescent Moon, and anyone who might've watched her would clearly see she knew what she was doing.

But that didn't mean Ganondorf appreciated it. "Come on, you wench, dance! Entertain me! Dance! For the love of the Three Goddesses, dance!"

The guard tried to appease the King of Thieves by improvising, but in the end her efforts were fruitless. In frustration, Ganondorf took the jug of wine he was holding in his hand and threw it right at the woman. Luckily, the jig didn't strike the Gerudo dead on target. It only struck her left cheek, but the blow was enough to throw the young girl off balance and send her crashing to the ground. She landed with a soft thud and almost immediately felt the cold chill of the wine soak her hair, her skin, and her clothing. But she didn't say a single word or make a single move in retaliation. She was a Gerudo, and she knew her king far too well to know when and when not to do something.

She remained motionless, allowing Ganondorf to march up to her and loom over her soaking form. "Useless wench!" he spat, although this time a lot softer. "I finally know where what I'm looking for is, and you ruin my celebration by dancing like a first-time harlot."

"Forgive me, my king," the woman asked, although the plea was obviously not sincere. Why should it be, when she already knew Ganondorf would never forgive anyone?

"Shut up," Ganondorf ordered. The Gerudo, who was looking at the floor and not at the King of Thieves, waited to feel the back of her king's hand strike her face, but it never came. Instead, Ganondorf started to walk around the woman, as if inspecting her for some unknown purpose.

"Do you know why I summoned you here?" Ganondorf asked.

"No, my king."

"I summoned you here to take a message to the other Gerudo waiting outside the city. Listen well, because I will not repeat myself, and you had better memorize every word I'm about to say. Tell my Gerudo to prepare for an attack on the city in four days time, and I want every available soldier prepared. I shall personally lead the attack. I'll arrive the day of the attack the moment the sun goes down, and the attack will begin very soon afterwards. Do I make myself clear, wench?"

"Yes, my king."

"Then repeat what I just said."

The Gerudo, albeit nervously, repeated almost exactly everything Ganondorf had said; she even left in the first-person perspective. It was enough to satisfy the cruel Gerudo king.

"Very good. And should anyone in this palace ask you who you are, tell them you are a servant of the King of the Gerudo. Now, get out of my sight and carry out this message before I decide to make you one of my personal harlots. Go!"

Without a word, the young Gerudo girl stood up and shuffled her way quickly to the door. The amount of pain and fear within her was vast, but she refused to release it in the form of tears. The big reason was because Ganondorf would punish her, but another reason was because she was a Gerudo. The Gerudo never cry, especially when it concerns their king. Despite the fact he was a cruel, spiteful man, he was still their king, and she would serve him faithfully until the end of her days.

As the woman closed the door behind her, Ganondorf sighed in bliss and satisfaction, satisfaction that the object he had been searching for, the Ocarina of Time, was nearly in his grasp. All he had to do was find that little brat and take it from her. And that he would do when the invasion began.

He turned to the spilt wine on the ground. He spat into the liquid before he mumbled to himself, "I should get some servant in here to lick this stuff up."

_"They call these stairs?"_

Link almost wished he were a fairy like Navi so he could fly over this so-called "flight of stairs." It was actually a ramp with small groves cut into the sides, and it was covered with a slick layer of water. Lizel obviously had no trouble walking up the ramp – he was a Zora, after all – and of course Navi had the convenience of flying over the thing. But Link had lost count of the number of times he nearly slipped and fell flat on his face; the number of times he actually _had_ done that so far was three.

He didn't know how long the "climb" up the stairs took, but when he reached finally found a level stretch of ground beneath his feet he didn't care. He simply sighed with relief and almost fell to his knees in exhaustion.

_  
"What a trip!"_ he thought to himself. _"I found Death Mountain easier than this!"_

"Are you okay?" the voice of Lizel suddenly asked. Link looked up to find the Zora standing over him and staring at him curiously. "You look a little flushed…"

"Who, me?" Link abruptly erected his posture and tried to look as strong as he could. "I'm perfectly fine. Don't worry about me."

Lizel smiled, although Link didn't know why. "That's good." Lizel pointed behind him. The tunnel that surrounded the wet ramp-like staircase curved a little to the right before it seemed to open up into a larger cavern. "Over there is the throne room and King Zora. All that I ask is that when you see him, you be courteous and respectful. He's going through a lot right now, and an annoying emissary is the last thing he needs."

_Gyah!_

"Okay," Link agreed almost immediately. "I'll do just that. I won't be rude at all."

"Very well then. I'll leave you to your business. Good luck to you, my friend and dear emissary."

_Ugh!_

With those words, Lizel headed back down the staircase back toward the basin. As he watched the Zora leave, Link thanked the Three Goddesses he didn't have to listen that accused word again. He didn't know why he was so crabby about it; maybe it was because Lizel was the one who had knocked him unconscious with a small stone, or maybe the stress of the quest was finally getting to him.

Either way, he just wanted to get the third Spiritual Stone and leave Zora's Domain as quickly as possible…

"Hey, Link!" Navi suddenly cooed into his ear. "Come on, let's go. We don't want to keep King Zora waiting, do we?"

The first thing Link noticed about the room was the water. It was almost everywhere. Thankfully, the tunnel led to solid ground for the Kokiri to stand upon, but the majority of the room's floor was covered in water. The liquid apparently came from a small, low waterfall from the opposite side of the room, and it flowed into two tunnels on either side. The waterfall itself was fed by an unknown source from behind a grate covering the tunnel that supplied the cascade. Link was willing to bet that this small waterfall was the source of the magnificent falls he saw feeding the basin.

Upon the ledge of the small waterfall was what Link first thought was a large block of melting ice, but he quickly realized it was a living thing. Roughly twice Link's size and obviously well stocked in weight, the creature wore a transparent yet noticeably red cape upon its shoulders. It had no visible flippers of any kind, just regular arms and legs. Its eyes were enormous and affixed on either side of its bloated head. The mouth was closed very tightly, but Link was sure it could swallow him whole. Upon the crown of its head was a headpiece of some kind, probably signifying some kind of royal status. Despite its size, it was easy to see that this creature couldn't move very easily without help.

Link didn't know how or why, but this puffy organism was King Zora of Zora's Domain.

It took the Kokiri a minute to realize the Zora hadn't even noticed Link's entrance into the room. The king of the Zoras seemed to be lost in some sort of daze, and his floppy mouth was mumbling something Link couldn't hear. The king was also shifting around his seat upon the waterfall, almost uncomfortably, as if sitting still might cause some great tragedy.

Link quickly suspected something was wrong. He didn't know why, but he knew something was wrong. And he had a good idea of who was behind it all…

"Link," Navi suddenly whispered into his ear. She obviously noticed the king's uneasiness as well. "Don't you think you should talk to him?"

"I guess."

Taking a deep breath, Link looked for the pedestal Lizel had mentioned. He found it and shuffled slowly towards it. The steps leading up to the small platform were more of those Zora-suited ramps, but thankfully Link didn't slip this time. When he was securely upon the stage of the pedestal, he politely cleared his throat to get King's Zora's attention.

"Ahem…excuse me, King Zora?"

The Zora didn't notice anything, so Link tried again, this time louder. "King Zora, pardon me, please. I really need to speak with you."

This time, King Zora directed his dilated gaze to the Kokiri. He blinked in genuine surprise when he saw Link. "Well, well, well, what do we have here? I do believe we have ourselves a Hylian. When last has a Hylian visited our beloved domain? Let me see…oh, I can't remember for the love of me. But this certainly is remarkable."

King Zora then shifted his weight until he was comfortable – apparently, at least – and continued, "Forgive me, my dear boy. I am King Zora. And what is your name?"

"My name is Link," Link answered. He decided not to mention he was Kokiri and not a Hylian so as not to create unnecessary confusion. He then pointed to Navi. "And this is my fairy, Navi."

"Pleased to meet you," Navi uttered.

King Zora kicked his legs in glee. "My, my, this is remarkable, indeed. A Hylian _and_ a fairy. Who will show up next, I wonder? Remarkable, indeed. Are you here on behalf of the King of Hyrule, my dear boy?"

Well, at least he wasn't calling Link an emissary. "Actually, I'm here on behalf of Princess Zelda, King Zora. I'm here because of a very urgent matter. I can't go into detail about it, but it's very important."

"I see, I see," King Zora said, almost giddily. He was obviously serious about whatever Link was talking about, but his mannerisms were bizarre, to say the least. "Yes, yes, I can understand that. I have never met Princess Zelda, but I heard many a tale about her. Her judgment I can and shall trust. Tell me, Link, what is it Princess Zelda wants?"

"It is the Spiritual Stone your people possess, King Zora."

Almost immediately, King Zora's gaiety stopped and his fishy face took on a more serious expression. "Spiritual Stone? You mean the Stone of Spirits? The Zora's Sapphire? The heirloom of my family and people? That is what Princess Zelda sent you here for?"

"Yes," Link uttered calmly. "As I said before, I can't go into details about why, but it is vital that you give us your Spiritual Stone. Once we have finished with it, we will return it to your care. All we ask is that you allow us to take it for now."

Actually, Link didn't know why he had just told that lie. Zelda never mentioned anything about returning the Spiritual Stones, so promising that he'll return the Spiritual Stone wasn't exactly a promise he could keep. Still, he had to say something, because King Zora's confidence in the request was evidently shallow.

Suddenly, without warning, King Zora did something Link never suspected.

He cried.

"Wha…?" Link gaped. He couldn't believe it at first, but King Zora was really crying. Lizel had warned him about not being rude, but Link was sure he had been polite. What was going on? 

"King Zora," Link uttered, trying to calm the king down. "King Zora, please, stop crying. I'm sorry if the request offended or hurt you, but please consider…"

"I don't have the stone."

Those words sent a chill running down Link's spine. King Zora didn't have the Spiritual Stone? Did that mean…Ganondorf had been here and had taken it already? Or did King Zora not even have the stone in the first place?

"You mean…you gave it away?" Link stuttered nervously.

"No, my dear boy," King Zora muttered through his tears. "I mean _I _don't have the stone. My daughter Ruto has it…but she's been missing for the past several days now, and we can't seem to find her. I would give up a thousand Stones of Spirits if I can just have my beloved daughter back. Oh, where is she? Ruto, where are you?"

Link sighed with relief when he heard that King Zora hadn't given the stone away, but a new sense of dread filled him when he learned about Ruto and her possession of the stone.

"Navi, this isn't good," he whispered to the fairy.

"No kidding," the fey whispered back.

"Do you have any idea where she might be?" Link asked. Although he was mainly concerned with the stone, he couldn't ignore the safety of King Zora's daughter. Besides, asking about the stone and not Ruto would've most likely angered the Zora.

"No, I don't," King Zora answered. He had quit sobbing uncontrollably by now, but tears were still dripping from his eyes. "And my people have looked everywhere. Some have even ventured as far as Hyrule Castle New City in search of her, but they've found nothing. We've prayed many prayers to our Lord Jabu-Jabu, but since our god is sick he cannot answer them."

_"A sick deity?" _Link thought uncomfortably. _"Sounds very familiar…"_

"Do you know someone called Ganondorf, King Zora?" the Kokiri suddenly asked.

The king's eyes grew in unpleasant surprise before they tightened in disdain. "If you're referring to that wretched man who calls himself the King of Thieves, then yes, I unfortunately know him. He arrived in my kingdom some time ago – it's been so long, I can't remember – and demanded that I'd give him the Stone of Spirits. He was a rude and vulgar man, so I refused. He left peacefully but bitter. Not long afterwards, Lord Jabu-Jabu grew ill, and then my precious Ruto disappeared. I believe it was that man who cursed our god, with his foul and evil presence."

"Or magic," Link added in a whisper to himself.

Now things _really_ weren't looking good. Ganondorf _had_ been here, and he had apparently done something to these strange yet peaceful people. But something didn't make sense. Why would Ganondorf make this Lord-Jabu-Jabu sick? He had killed the Great Deku Tree to get the Kokiri Emerald and revived the Dodongos to exterminate the Gorons and get to the Gorn's Ruby. How would making a deity sick help him at all…?

"How is it that you know of this man?" King Zora suddenly asked. "Are you a friend of his?"

"No, King Zora, I…"

Just then, Link noticed something glisten behind King Zora…


	26. A Fish out of Water

**Chapter 26: A Fish out of Water**

Without even thinking, Link hopped off the speaking platform and raced towards the gleaming object behind King Zora. The ruler of the Zoras, naturally, was surprised when he saw the Kokiri jump from the platform into the shallow pool beneath him, but that was nothing compared to the shock he experienced when Link jumped onto the waterfall the king was sitting on.

"What in Farore's name are you doing?" King Zora demanded, his gregarious tones replaced with pitches of anger and fear. "Get off! Hey, what are you…? Guards! Guards! Help me!"

Link didn't pay attention to the king's screams, but instead concentrated on the item behind King Zora. He quickly realized it was behind the waterfall's stylized grating, and it was obviously buoyant enough to float in the relatively shallow cascade because it moved left to right with the ripples.

Seeing that his hand was small enough to fit through the grate, Link reached through the metal grid with his right hand and tried to grab the item from the water. This only caused King Zora to become more hysterical.

"What are you doing? What in Din's name are you doing? Get away from me! Get away! I order you to stop this immediately!"

"Link! By the Great Deku Tree, what are you doing? Stop this before something happens to us! For the sake of the Three Goddesses, listen to me!"

But Link ignored both King Zora's and Navi's pleas. He simply continued to splash his hand around in the water behind the grating until it finally closed around something slick and hard.

"Got it!" the Kokiri cried out loud.

"Got you!"

Before Link could react to the new voice, two powerful sets of hands wrapped around his arms and yanked him off the waterfall. He felt the thing in his hand strike the metal grate with a soft yet painful clang, but some hidden instinct made sure he didn't drop it and carried it through the grid. His feet then landed in the shallow pool moments later with a splash, and it was then Link managed to see who had grabbed him.

Two Zoras that Lizel were glaring down at him, their slippery yet firm hands clamped tightly around his arms. From the looks in their eyes, they weren't too happy. Neither was King Zora, who was hopping up and down – as best as his portly body could, anyway – in a gentle rage.

"This is an outrage!" King Zora cried. "A messenger from the King of Hyrule has dared to defy and disregard the king of the Zoras like this! I demand an explanation! What is the meaning behind your rudeness and disrespect? Answer me, you – what are you again? Oh, yes – you Kokiri!"

Link swallowed uneasily before he started, "King Zora, I meant you no harm…"

"Silence!" one of the guards demanded.

Link turned to the demanding guard in puzzlement. "Excuse me? But King Zora just told me to answer him…"

"You shall answer him, but upon the pedestal. Do not speak a word to King Zora until you are allowed to do so with respect and regard." Then, as if on cue, both guards shoved Link towards the podium. "Now stand upon that pedestal, and only then may you answer King Zora!"

Link couldn't help but wince slightly. "A little strict, aren't they?" Link whispered to an anxious Navi on his shoulder.

"Just do as they say," the fairy urged. "Things are bad enough, thanks to you stupidity."

"Gee, you're very encouraging!"

"Just get on the podium!"

Deciding not to waste his breath with Navi, Link sighed before heading for the communication pedestal. The guards weren't blocking the way to the entrance to King Zora's throne room, so he could make a run for it. But then he would have to deal with those slippery ramps again, and he'd probably be caught on the second or third slipup.

_"This just isn't my day,"_ Link thought as he climbed onto the pedestal. The Kokiri then turned his gaze and attention to King Zora, who was looking very irritated, to say the least.

Clearing his throat, Link started talking. "King Zora, I meant you no harm. I was merely trying to get something I spotted behind the grating of your waterfall."

"You were?" the king inquired. "Interesting story. And I suppose you have evidence to back it up?"

"Yes, it's right here in my hand." Link then held out the object in his hand for King Zora, the guards, Navi, and him to see for the first time.

It was a glass bottle, made of a glass so clear it rivaled the cleanliness of the Zora River. A cork made of a rough material Link had never seen before sealed its neck. The bottle caught the light in the room so fiercely it nearly blinded the Kokiri when he turned it in a certain direction.

"Oh, ho, ho, is that a glass bottle I see?" King Zora asked, half-excited and half-irate. "And I suppose you have proof that this bottle came from behind my throne and not from your own supplies."

Link started to feel uncomfortable. "Well, uh…it's…it's wet…"

"So are you," one of the guards pointed out.

"Then, um…I could say that…you'll just have to take my word for it…"

"After what you did?" King Zora uttered. "Not very likely, my little Kokiri. Unless you can conclusively prove that that bottle isn't yours, you will be punished accordingly for showing such disrespect to the Zora race…"

"Hey, there's a piece of paper inside!"

Navi's sudden outburst caused everyone to turn his attention eyes back to the bottle. Sure enough, there, partially hidden by the powerful glint of the bottle, was a piece of paper, scrunched up into a careless wad.

"Interesting," King Zora noted. "There is paper inside your little bottle. Tell me, Link, does it have anything written upon it?"

"I don't know," Link replied. "But let's find out."

Without any objections from King Zora or the guards, Link grabbed the stopper and yanked it. It was wedged in surprisingly tight, but a few good turns and yanks managed to budge the small plug from the bottle's neck. Link then proceeded to dump the wad of paper from the bottle onto the palm of his hand.

Hoping that this paper would save his skin from punishment, Link unfolded the scrunched sheet. To his partial relief, there was something written on the paper. Smiling weakly, the Kokiri started to read the note.

He was partway through reading the piece of paper when King Zora spoke up. "Excuse me, but could you please read it out loud?"

"What?" Link asked before he suddenly realized the request. "Oh, yeah, sure. Sorry. Let's see here: _To anyone who reads this, please help me. I am stuck inside Lord Jabu-Jabu and can't get out. You will be rewarded handsomely once I'm rescued. Princess Ruto. PS – Don't tell my father._ And…that's it, King Zora."

Link had been looking at the note the entire time he was reading it. When he looked up again, he saw something he never expected. King Zora and the two guards were frozen in a state of shock. Their blue skinned faces had drained to a deep white, and their thin eyes were wide and hollow.

King Zora was the first to speak. "Princess Ruto? My darling daughter? Inside Lord Jabu-Jabu? Lies! You speak nothing but lies, Kokiri! Guards, get me that letter!"

Before Link could react or object, one of the guards walked forward and snatched the wrinkled letter from Link's hand. The guard then carried the letter to King Zora, who used his thin, weak hands to take the note and hold it before his face to read it. He appeared to read the note several times before he finally responded.

"It…it's not possible…this…this is surely my daughter's handwriting, but…how can my dear Ruto be inside Lord Jabu-Jabu? Why would Lord Jabu-Jabu…our patron god, our protector…why would he do such a thing? It's just not possible…is Ruto playing a joke…? No, she would never joke like this…but how…how can this be? How can this possibly be?"

As he witnessed this scene, Link suddenly came to two conclusions. First, he had discovered where Princess Ruto, the holder of the third Spiritual Stone was. Unfortunately, from what he was hearing, he also realized it was going to be some time before he would even see her and the Stone.

The Kokiri couldn't help but shake his head in frustrating defeat. _"This just isn't my day…"_

That thought was still ringing through his mind when he was back downstairs beside the basin of Zora's Domain, waiting for Lizel to return with breakfast.

After the note had worked King Zora into a panicked frenzy, the guards quietly escorted Link and Navi out of the throne room, where they apologized for their rude behavior toward him. They offered to get him something to eat, but Lizel showed up at that moment and declared that that was his honor.

Link didn't know how getting an emissary food was an honor, but the Zoras were strange enough as it was, so he wasn't going to argue.

Even before Lizel returned with Link's breakfast, the domain of the Zoras was abuzz with news of Princess Ruto's fate. Some refused to believe that Lord Jabu-Jabu had swallowed their beloved princess, while others started to see if rescue parties were being organized. In any case, Zora's Domain had gone from calm to chaotic in the span of under an hour.

And Link still didn't have the third Spiritual Stone.

Whatever Ganondorf had done, he had done it well.

"What are we going to do now, Navi?" the seated Link asked as he stared at the vast sink that was the domain. "Princess Ruto has the stone, and this Lord Jabu-Jabu has the princess. And unless the king stops crying and these people get organized, we're not going to get the stone any time soon."

"I don't know," the fairy admitted on his shoulder. "I'm fresh out of ideas on what to do."

Link sighed and drooped his shoulders before he suddenly realized he was still holding the glass bottle that had held Princess Ruto's note. He had seen bottles like this back at Lon Lon Ranch, but none this clean or burnished. He realized it might make a useful accessory for carrying water over long distances, and since no one seemed to claim ownership of it…

Suddenly, a familiar shape climbed out of the basin and onto the rim without so much as a splash of water. Link gave a sincere yet muffled acknowledgement towards Lizel, while Navi didn't say anything. The Zora merely walked up to the Kokiri and fairy and threw something in Link's lap.

Almost instantly, Link jumped up in fright at the cold and clammy thing that touched his legs. He looked down and saw a small, blue fish lying on the ground, and by the vigorous flailing he realized the creature was still alive.

"There you go!" Lizel said cheerfully before Link could ask a question. "Eat up!"

Link gaped in confusion. "Excuse me? You want me to eat that thing? Right now?"

Lizel's face displayed a confused look. "Why? Is there another way you'd like to have it?"

"Well, uh…could you at least cook it over an open fire…?"

"Good gracious, no!" Lizel exclaimed in a horrified tone. "You can't do that! If you do, you'll hurt the fish!"

Link's amazement only grew more severe. "Wha…? Let me get this straight. You eat fish raw, which ends up killing them, but you don't cook them over a fire because it'll hurt them. I'm sorry, but that just doesn't make sense…"

"We are Zoras," Lizel interrupted, "born of the water, in the water, by the water. We maintain a delicate balance with the creatures that live in and around this basin. These fish, the blue-tailed cavefish, are one of these creatures. We feed it and protect it from harmful happenstance, and they allow us to eat them when we require nourishment. We both understand what kind of balance is needed to maintain a good relationship within the waters of life. We eat them raw out of respect for their sacrifice. Cooking them over a fire would be a shame toward their race."

The Zora then made a revolted face. "Besides, cooked fish is disgusting."

_"So says you,"_ Link grumbled. "Fine, fine, fine. But I'm afraid I…uh, have never eaten a raw fish before, but I'm willing to try it. But I'm also not that hungry right now, so can I please save this fish in…um, this bottle, if you don't mind?"

"Sure thing," Lizel stated. "But you'll have to change the water every few hours, or else the fish will suffocate. Here, let me do that for you."

With that, Lizel gently took the bottle from Link, picked up the still-flopping fish, and headed to the basin to perform the task. As the Zora did this, Link's mind was filled with thoughts of roasting the little bugger once he was out of Zora's Domain. Then again, Lizel's little speech might make him not look at fish the same way again…

_"Oh, stop it, Link!"_ he thought angrily to himself. _"You've got better things to do than kill small, defenseless creatures…"_

Kill…kill…kill…

That word echoed in his mind like a bell. He shuddered as he recalled his frightening ordeal with the Lizalfos, and then how he became a mindless murderer in the blink of an eye. He glanced down at his hands. The black blood that had once slid down his skin was gone, but he could still feel its sticky wetness and dark eeriness.

He prayed to the Three Goddesses that he would never become that "person" again…

"Here you go!"

Lizel's voice broke his trance and he looked up to see the Zora handing him back the bottle with the fish conveniently bottled inside of it. Link smiled weakly as he accepted the future meal and laid it down beside him. Lizel, apparently satisfied with his deed, sat down, motioning for Link to do the same. The Kokiri complied.

"With things as they are now," Lizel started when Link was seated, "it's going to be a while before you can see King Zora again. I'm not sure if he'll even allow a rescue party, because Lord Jabu-Jabu is so sacred to him and Zora race. But his love for Princess Ruto will make his heart ache for a while. In any case, until this issue is resolved, you'll have to put your duties on hold. So, is there anything you'd like to ask me?"

"Yes," replied Link. "Can you tell me who this Lord Jabu-Jabu is?"

"Nothing easier. Lord Jabu-Jabu is our patron god and the protector of our people. He is the connection between this world and the Three Goddesses that created this world. He has chosen to take the form of a giant fish so that he may feel in touch with the people he has sworn to protect. We protect his fragile, mortal body in his shrine, and he guards our people from evil."

_"Hmm. Sounds a little silly to hold a fish in such high respect. But then again, these people might find it odd that we Kokiri held the Great Deku Tree in such high respect."_

"Sounds like this Lord Jabu-Jabu eats a lot," Link suddenly blurted out. He made that comment because of what had happened to Princess Ruto, but he almost immediately wished he hadn't said that.

Thankfully, Lizel wasn't offended. "Actually, until recently, Lord Jabu-Jabu only ate what he needed. He is a kind god and doesn't needlessly squander the precious resources of our people. But that was only until recently. For some strange reason, he is acting very differently these days. His appetite has grown substantially, and he only seems to be pleading for more. It's as if he isn't getting enough nourishment, despite all that we are giving him. Some of us are convinced that Lord Jabu-Jabu is dying, but I only feel he is sick."

The Zora then lowered his head in sullenness. "Whatever the cause of his illness is, it must've been the reason why he ate our beloved princess."

Link hesitated to give Lizel a moment of silence before saying, "I see. So how big is Lord Jabu-Jabu? The size of King Zora's throne room?"

"Oh, no. Lord Jabu-Jabu can easy outmatch the length of this basin. He is a very large and mighty god, and it's amazing that he lived on such small rations before his illness."

"I see." For some peculiar reason, Link wasn't surprised by Lord Jabu-Jabu's size. In fact, he felt like asking more questions, as if wanting to come to some sort of conclusion. "Is it possible to live in Lord Jabu-Jabu for some time, even if it were a day?"

"I'm afraid I don't know. No one has been inside Lord Jabu-Jabu, expect for Princess Ruto, of course. It might be possible to survive by feeding off of scraps of food in Lord Jabu-Jabu's stomach, but this does have its limit, even with Zoras. And we don't know when Princess Ruto sent that note. For all we know, it could've been behind King Zora's throne since day one! For all we know, although I'd hate to admit it, Princess Zora could be dead."

Link wasn't so sure about Lizel's last possibility. From what he had seen, a Zora doesn't have a place on his body to carry things like bottles and pieces of paper and writing utensils. So how did Princess Ruto have such items on her person? She couldn't have just found them inside Lord Jabu-Jabu; the only answer was that she had them with her all the time.

And this suggested one other thing: she planned to go inside Lord Jabu-Jabu since the very beginning.

_"It sounds crazy, but I can't think of anything else right now. And besides, these Zoras are just crazy enough to pull something like that. The only question is: why? Why do something like that?"_

Maybe he could find out himself…

_"No! No, Link! Don't do this again! You nearly killed yourself back at Death Mountain…"_

But wasn't it the right thing to do, he realized. Helping out the Gorons? Why should the Great Deku Tree get special attention and not the Gorons? Why should he willing risk his neck for his patron deity and feel uncomfortable with helping a race of rock-eaters to survive? The same applied to the Zoras…

_"No, no! I can't! I don't want to!"_

But it wasn't a question of whether he wanted to or not, and he knew it.

_"It's suicidal!"_

But so was helping the Great Deku Tree and the Gorons.

_"But I'm going to…to…to…get eaten, and…and…"_

Nothing. As much as Link didn't want to admit it, he knew what he had to do. Now he realized why he was asking those questions; his conscience was preparing him for another heroic escapade. Something inside of him was actually convincing his mind and body to get ready for an adventure. As insane as it sounded, he was unwittingly preparing himself for the upcoming task. He even knew how he was going to do it…or part of it, at least.

_"Do I have to go now?"_

He knew he did. A gut feeling told him time was running out, and he didn't have a chance to prepare like he did on Death Mountain. No restful night to ready himself this time. He had to go now.

"Link?" Lizel's voice entered his mind again. "Link? Are you all right? You look like you're…"

"I'm going, Lizel," Link interrupted suddenly as he stood up, his eyes tight with reluctant determination.

"Going? Going where?"

Link looked down to face the Zora and squinted. "To rescue your princess."

That statement caught Lizel off guard, and the Zora didn't have a chance to reply before Link cried out, "Come on, Navi. We're going to save Princess Ruto! If you want to stay behind, that's fine by me! But I'm going!"

With those words, Link picked up the bottle with the fish in it and headed in the direction of King Zora's throne room. Navi barely had time to yell at the Kokiri frustration and confusion before she was forced to dash after the hasty Kokiri.

"Link! Link! Wait!" Lizel called as he stood up. "Wait, please! Wait! Stop! You're not allowed to see the shrine of Lord Jabu-Jabu! Wait! Stop!"

The stairs were as slippery as ever, and Link skidded and fell as many times as before, but this time he didn't care. He was only focusing on the goal ahead, which was to make it find Lord Jabu-Jabu and somehow find the Zora princess. He also figured all of Zora's Domain would be after him to stop him from entering the shrine, so running seemed like the best thing to do.

As he slipped up halfway up the ramps, the familiar voice of Navi bellowed in his ear. "Link! What in Din's name are you doing?"

"Ask me that question when I know myself," Link answered.

"What? You don't even know what you're doing? Link, what has gotten into you? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden…?"

"I don't know! All I know is that something is telling this is what I have to do. Call it a gut feeling, if you will. Or maybe call it a warning."

Navi, whose light was now flickering wildly, fluttered in front of his face. "A warning? And what do you mean by that, might I ask?"

"I don't know why, but we're running out of time. Something's going to happen, Navi, and unless we hurry up, we won't be able to do anything about it…"

He was interrupted by another slipup on the staircase, but he quickly got up again and pressed on toward the throne room.

"You're not making any sense!" Navi declared angrily. "What's this 'something' you're talking about? Do you even know what it is? And how do you know that we can even do anything about it?"

Link didn't have an answer for any of those questions, but that wasn't the point. Unfortunately, he didn't know what the point _was_, either. His actions right now were based on instinct and impulse alone, and even now he could tell that wasn't anything reassuring.

He couldn't help but recall the feeling that got him to enter the Dodongo's Cavern…

"Link! Are you listening to me?" Navi's voice was so loud now that Link was sure all of Zora's Domain could hear her. "Link! Didn't you even hear me? Why are you…?"

"Navi, just shut up!"

It wasn't the forcefulness in Link's tone that caused Navi to fall silent; rather, it was the feeling in his voice that seemed to say, "Look, I know what I'm doing, even if it doesn't look like it! Just let me do this and you'll see I'm right!"

With Navi finally silenced, Link was free to concentrate on his ascension to the throne room, where the entrance to the shrine of Lord Jabu-Jabu lay. Of course, his constant slipping sometimes distracted him…

He reached the throne room in what felt like record time, and he didn't waste any time nursing his fall bruises or pondering whether or not to change his mind. He simply entered King Zora's throne room without announcement or invitation.

King Zora, who was apparently still bewildered by his daughter's letter, was surprised to see the Kokiri again. "What is it, my dear boy?" the king inquired through his jerky voice. "Is something the matter? Is there something you want to ask me?"

But Link didn't pay attention to the Zora king. Instead he looked around the throne room for any sign of a door or tunnel. He almost immediately located a dark tunnel entrance on the right side of the room, elevated above the small lake and draining cave by a staircase ramp. Link didn't need to ask to know that that was the way to the shrine of Lord Jabu-Jabu.

Without heeding any of King Zora's questions, Link made a dash for the tunnel. King Zora immediately grew hysterical again.

"No! What are you doing? You're not allowed to go that way! Hey, stop! Stop before I have you arrested! What in Farore's name do you think you're doing?"

Deciding to put an end to King Zora's frenzy, Link stopped on the ramp and turned to face the overweight ruler in order to answer King Zora's last question. The Kokiri made sure his stare grabbed the King's attention before he said spoke in a monotonous yet determined voice.

"I'm going to save your daughter, _that's_ what I'm doing."

The silence that followed was so powerful Link could hear the sounds of soft feet, most likely the feet of angry Zoras, climbing the staircases to the throne room. Naturally, Link took the king's stunned silence and the advancing patrol of Zoras as a cue to get moving.

Without uttering another word, he disappeared down the tunnel that led to Lord Jabu-Jabu's shrine…

The early morning sun peaking over the trees caught Saria off guard when she looked out her window. She shielded her eyes until they adjusted to the sudden change of brightness; she then stuck her head out the window and, with her eyes closed, took a deep breath. It was a morning ritual she had performed for as long as she could remember, and she never grew bored of it. Morning forest air somehow always made her feel refreshed and energized for the day ahead.

But some of that renaissance was lost when she turned her attention back to her room and saw who was lying on her bed.

It had been less than a day since Dakt had left him, but Mido was already feeling the emptiness of not having a fairy. When Saria had left Mido yesterday so he could think about his actions, he thought he would come up with some excuse for what he had done. Instead, he had come to her with eyes as empty as an open sky and a face as pale as milk sap.

It was when he had come to her, at that very moment, that Mido said two words Saria never thought she'd hear from him.

"Forgive me…"

Saria had still been a little angry with Mido then, but those words had helped ease the anger slightly. "I forgive you, Mido, but you should really say those words to Dakt."

At the mention of Dakt's name, Mido had suddenly burst into tears and rushed toward Saria, wrapping his arms around her and crying his eyes out against her chest. Unable to believe that Mido, the Kokiri bully and self-proclaimed tough guy, was crying, all Saria could do was return the hug and try to reassure him.

For the rest of yesterday, Mido and Saria had talked after Mido had finished crying. Saria had used the opportunity to explain to Mido what his attitude problems were and why he needed to fix them. Amazingly, Mido had listened intently and patiently, and had seemed to take in everything Saria had told him. When night had set in, Mido had asked Saria if he could spend the night at her house, in case he needed any more comfort. Normally, Saria would be suspicious of such a request from Mido, but at that moment she honestly believed he was being sincere, so she had accepted.

To Saria, the change in Mido's behavior was nothing short of miraculous.

As she watched Mido sleep, his dirty cheeks fluctuating with his heavy breathing, Saria couldn't help but feel pity for him. He was going through something that not even Link had experienced. Oh, sure, Link didn't have a fairy to begin with, which was bad enough, but Link never went through the process of developing a bond of friendship with a fairy and then losing that fairy.

It wasn't something she didn't even want to think about.

She had sent Katl out last night to try and find Dakt and convince him to return to Mido, and she prayed the Dakt would be as forgiving as much as Mido was sorry. If Dakt didn't return, then Mido would never be the same for the rest of his life. Not even Mido deserved something like that.

Speaking of never being the same again, Saria couldn't help think about her nightmare, the one about Link being cruel and malicious. Her ocarina conversations with him had eased that fear slightly, but that fear wouldn't leave her completely alone. Why couldn't she shake off the feeling that Link, a kind and fun-loving boy, was going to change into something horrible and repulsive?

And why hadn't he called her recently on the ocarina? What was he doing right now…?

Lizel had said that Lord Jabu-Jabu was huge, but Link never pictured the deity of the Zoras to be _this_ big!

The tunnel had taken Link to a rocky piece of ground situated next to an enormous lake, almost twice the size of the basin of Zora's Domain. From bubbles that appeared all over the lake's surface, Link could tell the source of the lake was underneath it, probably an underwater spring or something. A small outlet of the lake passed through a tunnel to the Kokiri's right, probably towards the waterfall used as King Zora's throne. And Link could also hear the distinct sound of the waterfall that hid the entrance to Zora's Domain, indicating that this lake was the source of that waterfall.

But the main focus of the lake was, without a doubt, Lord Jabu-Jabu. Just as Lizel had mentioned, the fish god was enormous. He easily outclassed the size of the Zora's Domain cavern and took up nearly the entire lake. Unlike other fish, however, Lord Jabu-Jabu actually had a defined head with a face. The beast's two, round eyes were placed at the end of its huge muzzle, which boasted a well-defined set of nostrils and a set of powerful-looking jaws that probably hid hundreds of jagged teeth. Upon the beast's muzzle were what appeared to be clothes of vibrant colors and design; they were obviously made by the Zoras themselves for their patron deity. The rest of the enormous god, the body and tail, were mostly hidden underneath the crystal clear surface of the lake.

Although Link could tell the giant fish was alive – the god was breathing very heavily, after all – Lord Jabu-Jabu didn't move at all in the lake. Instead the god simply remained still with its head before the rocky piece of ground Link was standing on. Link could also tell that something wasn't right with the giant god. He didn't appear to be happy, as if something were stealing something vital to his existence.

Whatever the case, Link had to get inside of this enormous brute to find and rescue Princess Ruto.

"Wow, this guy is _huge_!" Navi commented in awe.

Link didn't say anything is response, but instead tightened his grip on the bottle with the fish and walked up to face the Zora god, eye to eye, Kokiri to deity.

Lord Jabu-Jabu obviously noticed Link's presence, but didn't do anything in reply. He just watched as Link walked up a small flight of stairs to a stone stage that was obviously used by Zoras when they confronted their patron god. The Kokiri was so close to the giant fish that he could feel the wind flowing from between Lord Jabu-Jabu's lips and nostrils. Link could also swear he was hearing a heart beat from within the giant beast, although it was probably his own, but he couldn't tell.

Fully realizing what he was about to do, Link took the bottle with the fish and uncorked it…

"Link! Look out!"

Navi's warning came just in time. Link spun around to see something thin and long heading straight for his head and he ducked at the last moment. The thing harmlessly bounced off of Lord Jabu-Jabu's muzzle and landed on the stage with a soft clunk at Link's feet. Link, who had closed his eyes when he had ducked, opened them and found himself staring at what appeared to be a bent, polished stick.

But it was obviously more than that; someone had just tried to hit him with it.

Link stood up and turned his attention to the tunnel entrance. There, standing in front of a group of hostile-looking Zoras that appeared ready to tear something apart, was Lizel. The Zora was in such a stance that suggested he had just thrown something, and his face was filled with grit and disappointment at the same time, as if he hadn't done what he had wanted to accomplish.

And Link could guess what Lizel had just wanted to do…

"Curses, Lizel!" someone in the crown yelled angrily. "You throw the boomerang like a recently-hatched fry! If I had thrown that, I would've knocked him down and taught him a lesson at the same time…"

"Shut up!" Lizel yelled at the Zora in the crowd before turning his attention back to Link. "Link! Come here right now! You are violating our sacred laws by being here!"

"Hey!" Link declared loudly. "I'm going to save your princess, Lizel…"

"That doesn't matter!" Lizel boomed almost irately. "You are a Hylian, so…"

"Kokiri!"

"Kokiri, Hylian, it doesn't matter what you are! What you are _not_ is a Zora, and non-Zoras are forbidden to even look at this place! You are already in deep trouble as it is. Now come back before you do something that'll force us to use the harshest punishment our laws allow!"

"And then what?" Link was starting to get angry himself now. "Are you just going to let your princess rot inside your precious deity's belly? Are you simply going to leave her in here? You aren't doing a single thing to help her; I _am_! If that is a crime, then I'm guilty!"

"Link…!"

"If you must arrest me, then do so after I've rescued your princess!" Link was now starting wave his arms furiously in the air. "Arresting me now won't do anything, but letting me do this _will_! Are you people so stupid that you don't see that? If you won't let _me_ go save Princess Ruto, then who will?"

"Link, all of that will be taken care of…"

"But not quickly enough! You can't decide whether to save your princess or to leave your precious Lord Jabu-Jabu alone! Sometimes, you have to make sacrifices for the greater good, and that's what I'm doing right now! I know that this has to be done if…"

"You know nothing!" Lizel declared in a tempered voice. "You have no comprehension of how our people function as a society! You have no idea how we live and what must be done for our survival! If Lord Jabu-Jabu were _your_ god, you wouldn't be doing this!"

Link jerked his head in surprise, and then tightened his face in anger. "What…? How dare you say something like that! _You_ have no idea what I've been through! Do you hear me? I went through a living nightmare to try and save my own patron god, the Great Deku Tree, from dying! I faced one of the most frightening creatures I've ever seen _inside_ the Great Deku Tree so I could save his life! My efforts saved the life of my home, the forest, but they couldn't save _his_ life! The very reason I exist, the Great Deku Tree, is _dead_! But at least I _tried_! I didn't want to do what I did, but I knew it had to be done! Do you hear me? _It had to be done_! What do _you_ know about what must be done and what mustn't? Tell me! _Tell_ _me_!"

Link ended his speech on such a loud note that the entire lake seemed to echo with its fervor. The Kokiri then folded his arms and waited for a response from the crowd, which had grown eerily silent. All pairs of dark eyes were upon him, and no one seemed to have anything to say.

"I thought so," Link stated in a quieter yet still firm tone. "Now, I'm going to…"

"Link! Look out!"

The warning didn't come from Navi, but this time from Lizel, who was pointing frantically behind Link. Link, not knowing what was going on, turned around…and found himself staring into a dark abyss bordered by rows of sharp teeth. Lord Jabu-Jabu had opened his enormous mouth so all could see his murky throat.

So _this_ was why everyone had grown quiet…

Suddenly, a fierce wind started to pick up, but Link knew it wasn't an ordinary wind. It was Lord Jabu-Jabu sucking air. The patron deity of the Zoras was trying to pull something into his mouth!

_"What's going on?"_ Link thought frantically. _"Why's he doing this…?"_

Just then, he saw something fly by his head and into the monster's mouth. It was the fish from his bottle. Instantly, Link realized his ranting must've caused the fish to fall out of the bottle, and Lord Jabu-Jabu, with his proclaimed unusual appetite, had obviously been attracted by the smell of the fish and had gotten impatient for someone to feed it to him.

The ferocity of the wind grew quickly, and Link found it difficult to remain where he was. He tried to fight being sucked into the monstrous cavern that was Lord Jabu-Jabu's mouth (even though it was part of his original plan), but he knew he was going to lose the battle sooner or later unless Lord Jabu-Jabu realized he had swallowed the fish and closed his mouth…

"Link! Help me!"

"Navi…? Navi! No…!"

But that was all Link could get out before he watched the familiar pink light of his friend get pulled into Lord Jabu-Jabu's jaws. The fairy tried to fight the suction, but the flow was too fast for her. Her light and scream disappeared inside the god's throat within a matter of moments.

"Navi…!" Link cried out as he stretched out his hand in a futile attempt to help her. "No! Don't! Navi…!"

That moment of distraction was all the suction needed. Before he could even think, Link was lifted off the ground by the strong winds and dragged past the jaws of Lord Jabu-Jabu and down towards his throat. The world spun around so fast that Link couldn't make out anything as he began his descent into the belly of the beast.

The last thing he remembered before hitting something and passing out was the soft sound of the god's jaws clamping together shut and the world turning pitch-black before his eyes…


	27. Beauty in the Beast

**Chapter 27: Beauty in the Beast**

What was that…?

No, she didn't have to ask herself that question. She already knew what it was. Lord Jabu-Jabu was eating again, and he sounded a little impatient this time.

But there was something odd this time, something strange. She knew the Zoras stuck to a strict feeding schedule for Lord Jabu-Jabu, and she knew the schedule like the night and day. And this moment was _completely_ off the schedule she knew.

Had the Zoras started a new schedule to accommodate Lord Jabu-Jabu's strange behavior…? No. That couldn't be it. The Zoras would never so something as radical as that; it wasn't their nature.

She should know; she _was_ a Zora, after all.

Could Lord Jabu-Jabu have accidentally swallowed something he shouldn't have swallowed? Something he thought was food, or maybe even…another Zora?

Her heart started to beat rapidly at the possibility.

But it was indeed another Zora, who could it be? Was it a search party coming to find her, or was it a lone Zora who had found her message and had decided to brave Lord Jabu-Jabu's insides alone…? Or could she just be imagining things?

She didn't know why, but she had to investigate. If it was indeed someone who had come after her, she had to find this person. She knew the inside of the deity better than anyone, and she didn't want her rescuer to get hurt, or even worse. And once he was safe, he might help her get out of this place.

Who knows? He might even help her find her beloved treasure…

_Black._

_That's the only way to describe this place._

_Black._

_No?_

_Okay? How about dark? Is that better?_

_Too plain? So says you!_

_Fine, fine! How about shadowy? Does that sound?_

_It doesn't sound…?_

_What is your problem? Why are you so…? No, that's not the real question._

_Who _are_ you?_

_This is too ridiculous. I'm not listening to you anymore. You're being silly. I can't even describe my surroundings with you around…_

_What did you say? Did you just say what I think you said?_

_You _did_, didn't you?_

_Who do you think you are? Who in Din's name are you? _What_ are you? _Where_ are you? I can't even see you, yet I can hear you! All I can see is pitch darkness…_

_Hey, I can call it darkness, do you hear me? I don't care what you think! You are not the boss of me! I can call it darkness if I want…_

_Oh? And what would _you _call it, then? Blackness…?_

_Huh…?_

_What was that?_

_Evil?_

_What do you mean by that? How can you call darkness evil? It doesn't make sense…_

_Oh, it does, does it? Explain yourself, then…_

_What? What!_

_What are you talking about? How can this darkness be me? No, it's darkness, not evil, so stop calling it that!_

_How can this _darkness_ be me? What are you getting at? Who _are_ you? Who…?_

_No, what are you doing? Get back! Stay away from me! Stay back! Leave me alone! Go away! I'm warning you, stay back! Stop it! Stop it, stop it, stop it! Stay away! _Stay back_…!_

_No! No, shut up! I am _not_ evil! I am _not_ evil! I _can't _be evil!_

_No!_ I…am…not…you…

Link awoke from his dream with his eyes snapping wide open and his breath drawing in quickly and sharply. He didn't sit up because he was lying on his stomach, and this little detail made him realize something almost immediately. His eyes were wide open, but they may as well have been closed. He couldn't see anything; it was darker than the hollowed soul of the Great Deku Tree, if such a thing were even possible.

He then realized something else: his quick draw of breath had caused him to swallow some…liquid he was lying in, and it had all gone down the wrong tube. Without hesitation, Link lifted himself up with his hands and started to cough violently downward. Whatever he had swallowed, it was so thick it felt as if it wanted to stay in his windpipe. And when it reached his tongue, he felt like letting go some of his lunch as well.

Thankfully, he managed to get it all out of his throat before he could finally breath normally. When air found its way to his lungs, he used some of his strength to turn around so he could lie on his back. As he struggled to breath deeply, he collapsed onto his back…and quickly jolted upward again. The splashing sounds of the liquid he was lying in echoed in his ears.

What was this stuff? He called it "liquid" because he was sure it wasn't water. It was far too thick to be water, and it felt…thick was the best word he could think of. It didn't seem to be dangerous; else he would be dead by now. But still, what exactly was he lying in right now that he nearly choked on?

Hey, where was he, anyway…?

Just then, he remembered everything: the Zoras, Princess Ruto, Lord Jabu-Jabu, him and Navi being sucked in…

Oh.

So _that's_ what he was lying in.

It was impossible for Link not to wince at that moment. With his mind swimming with thoughts of nausea and his face twitching in disgust, Link started to stand up, slowly. He didn't know why he was standing up slowly; maybe he had unconsciously decided that Lord Jabu-Jabu's saliva would eat him alive if he moved too fast or something. Either way, his slowness forced him to feel every drip of spit trickle down his skin as he erected himself upward.

It wasn't pleasant, not pleasant at all.

And he knew that it was his own fault he had come into this predicament.

When he was fully standing up, his boots thankfully keeping the shallow sea of dribble away from his skin, he allowed the remainder of the liquid to drip down his skin before he started to think out loud.

"Okay, I'm in Lord Jabu-Jabu's stomach…or at least his throat. But wherever I am, I can't see anything. I might as well be blind. And unless I can see, I'm going to wander around in this…stuff until I drown myself in it. If only Navi were here…hey, wait a minute! Navi! Of course! She was…_Navi_! Navi! Are you there? Navi, where are you?"

The only answer he received was his own echo. He didn't think that Lord Jabu-Jabu's insides would actually allow his voice to echo, but they did. Yet his echoes were as empty as if there had been no reply.

Something was wrong. If Navi were around, he would see some sign of her – her pink light, to be exact. But he couldn't see anything, not even a distant glimmer. All he could see was the darkness, and that made his heart sink. Had Navi drowned in the sea of saliva? Or had she been carried further down the throat to the stomach?

Link didn't want to even think of the possibilities…

"Hey, Link. Think you can give me a hand down here?"

The Kokiri nearly jumped when he heard that familiar voice by his left foot. He looked down, expecting to see Navi's cherry glow, but surprisingly he saw nothing except the same bland inkiness.

"Navi, where are you? I can't see you."

"I'm right by your left heel. Just bend down and pick me up, and hurry up. I don't feeling like sitting in this stuff forever."

"Why can't you just glow…?"

"Link, pick me up!"

Navi's demand caused Link to sigh in defeat before he slowly bent down and reached around the area he believed to be his left heel. He cringed when his hands dipped into the pool of spit around him, but he braved it to find his little friend. He waded his fingers gently through the thick liquid until he finally touched the familiar body of his fairy. As carefully as he could, he scooped Navi from the saliva and into the palm of his hands.

Even then, there was no familiar glow.

"Navi, are you okay? What's wrong? Why aren't you glow…?"

He paused when he heard Navi's tiny voice starting to cough, obviously to remove some of Lord Jabu-Jabu's dribble from her lungs. He coughed for a little under a minute before she finally spoke.

"Sorry," she uttered. "I swallowed some of that stuff as you scooped me out. Anyway, thanks for getting me out. It's not pleasant to swim around in that stuff…"

"Navi, where's your glow? And why didn't you just fly to me? What's wrong?"

Navi remained silent for a moment before she finally answered, "I can't fly because this spit has saturated my wings, and as for my glow, this stuff is clinging to my body like milk sap and is suppressing my light. I'm just glad I can partially see in the dark, or else I wouldn't have found you. Your coughing and splashing helped out, as well."

"I guess so," was all that Link could say in response.

The two of them were silent for a moment more before Navi asked, "So, now that we're here, what are we going to do?"

Link could feel his face turn pale. "Well, I…uh, I guess we, uh…I guess we can do what we came here to do, which is look for Princess Ruto."

"And how do you propose we do that?"

"Well, I thought we could just…look around, I guess…but with your glow being covered up by all this spit, that makes it…you know, difficult."

"I'm sure."

Even in the darkness, Link could tell Navi was scolding him.

His mouth taut with worry and embarrassment, Link quickly tried to think of something so Navi wouldn't lose her temper. Unable to come up with anything, he sighed and said, "Fine, fine, fine. I'm sorry I got us into this. I make a mistake. It's entirely my fault we're inside a giant fish. Is there anything else you'd like to hear?"

"How about 'why don't we try and get out of here as soon as possible?' "

Link hesitated. He had risked his neck to get inside Lord Jabu-Jabu for a reason, and to just walk out only moments after getting inside seemed ludicrous. Then again, it was somewhat ludicrous to attempt getting inside Lord Jabu-Jabu in the first place, without permission or help from the Zoras. Maybe it was best to get out of this place, face whatever punishment the Zoras had in store for him, and _then_ try to convince them to do something.

It sounded like a good plan, but Link couldn't help but feel uncomfortable because of it. It was too simple and too easy, something he wasn't used to with all that has been going on lately…

"Okay, fine. We'll go. We'll just have to find our way back to Lord Jabu-Jabu's mouth and find a way to open it. Any idea which direction we need to go?"

Despite the darkness, Link could tell Navi was smiling. "Good idea. Let me see, from the looks of things, we're in a large tunnel, most likely this god's stomach tube or windpipe. From the steepness of the tunnel in _that_ direction, I'd say we'd have to go in the _other_ direction. Link, right now you're facing the wrong direction. Just turn around completely so we can head in the right direction."

"Okay."

With those words, Link started to turn around. He did what he thought was a 180-degree turn, but Navi immediately scolded him for turning around too much. Peeved, the Kokiri did a smaller turn in the opposite direction, but Navi still rebuked him for turning around too far. He made a face at the fairy in the dark, not caring whether nor not she could see it, and made a third turn. This time, he got Navi's approval.

"Here we go," Link muttered softly as he started his march through the thick sludge that wrapped around his feet, moving forward…

_SPLASH…_

She pressed on as fast as she could, making sure not to lose her sense of direction. She had done that many times before, and it hadn't been pleasant during the times she had been "lost" in Lord Jabu-Jabu. No, she wasn't going to lose herself this time, not when she had to find whoever had come looking for her.

If there was anyone looking for her in the first place, that is.

But she could feel it. She _knew_ someone was in Lord Jabu-Jabu with her. And something also told her that if she didn't hurry, something was going to happen to her rescuer. Something terrible, something awful. She could think of only one thing that could happen to someone who had entered Lord Jabu-Jabu through his mouth, and it wasn't something to think about…

Deciding to pick up the pace, she started to move as fast as her webbed feet could take her. She hesitated slightly when she appeared at a crossroad of Lord Jabu-Jabu's arteries, but she quickly chose the right path to get to the stomach…

Link scrambled to stand up so he didn't have to swallow and taste any more of the disgusting saliva. When he managed to get back on his two feet, he made a decision to shake the spit off his body, but he then remembered Navi, who had still been in his hands when he had fallen.

With a realization of shock, he discovered his hands were clenched together tightly.

Wincing, Link opened his hands slowly to allow the dribble to drop out of his hands. "Navi? Navi? Are you okay?"

A small cough and growl from his hands signaled the fay was all right, albeit really ticked-off.

"Thank goodness," the Kokiri mumbled to himself before saying louder, "Look, Navi, I'm sorry about that. I…I tripped on something, and…"

"Enough!" the fairy suddenly boomed in her tiny voice. "I've had enough of this! Link! Put me under your hat and leave me there until you get us out of here! I don't even want to see this place when I come out! I want to see daylight, do you understand? Daylight!"

"Navi, I…"

"Just do it!"

Sighing, Link took the unhappy fairy and gently placed her upon his head and under his hat. The saliva covering Navi trickled somewhat down his head, but he decided to ignore it. Navi had suffered enough because of him, and feeling some of this disgusting spit ooze down his face should compensate for that.

Still, something _had_ tripped him. What had tripped him?

It was still as dark as ever, and with Navi underneath his hat, Link could only use his right foot to search for whatever had tripped him. He found it almost immediately, just a short distance behind him. By tapping it with his foot, he discovered it felt very rickety and shaky, and also felt very stiff. The floor of Lord Jabu-Jabu's throat felt very soft under his feet, so this was very unusual.

Link backtracked a little so he could bend down and touch it with his hands. As he knelt down in the saliva, he used his right hand to scour the darkness until it found the strange item. He found it, and realized his entire hand could wrap around it. Intrigued, Link grabbed the thing and discovered it was actually made of some kind of polished wood…

"Ouch!"

Link's cry of pain wasn't too loud, but the pain certainly stung enough to warrant a yelp.

"What in Din's name?" he whispered to himself. "Something cut my hand." It was true; he could already feel a tiny stream of blood flow from his hand. "What is this thing? It's made of wood and has something sharp enough to cut skin."

Without thinking, Link took both his hands and grabbed a portion of the item where he was certain the cutting part wasn't present. He then stood in a good enough standing position before he started to yank it as hard as he could. He figured that since it was definitely not of Lord Jabu-Jabu's stomach, it could be removed.

The task proved a little more difficult than he imagined. The thing refused to budge.

"Come on, you little…" Link grunted as he struggled to jerk the item from the deity's throat walling. "Get out before I decide to cut you out with my sword…"

Then, with a quick and powerful thrust upward, the thing came free. Link, caught off guard buy this, stumbled backwards for a short distance before he fell on his backside in the sea of spit yet again.

_"This just isn't my day,"_ he groaned as he sat up. _"But at least I got whatever tripped me. What _is_ this thing, anyway?"_

He couldn't tell what it was in the darkness, but he could tell it was meant to be held in one way or another. It was certainly quite light, and yet he could tell it was very sturdy. He used his fingers trace it item's shape, and it discovered it had something of straight edge that had been bent in one direction.

Wait a minute. Could this be that thing that had been…?

His thoughts were interrupted by a soft yet deep moan. Despite the inkiness, Link looked around to see where it was coming from. He couldn't pinpoint an exact location of where the sound had come from; it sounded like it came from _everywhere_ at the same time.

Could it be Lord Jabu-Jabu…?

Suddenly, Link felt the ground beneath him start to vibrate. He stood up quickly, but he immediately wished he hadn't. In a few mere seconds, the vibrations had grown powerful enough to knock him to the ground, and they were getting stronger and stronger. Link found it a challenge just to stand up.

"What is going on?" Navi demanded from under his hat. "Why are you shaking so much?"

"D-d-d-don't as-s-s-k-k m-m-m-e-e…" Link managed through the violent shaking before he finally lost his balance and fell headfirst in the now-shaking saliva sea.

_"What is going on?"_ Link thought. _"Was this because I removed that stupid…what the…? Oh, no! No!"_

Before he could give any more silent cries, the unthinkable happened: the ground started to tip downward, towards the deeper parts of the throat. Towards the stomach. 

His heart sinking, Link quickly realized dislodging that thing must've caused Lord Jabu-Jabu to discover there was something in his throat, and now his muscles were trying to force that something into the stomach, where it could be…

_"No! No! Don't! Lord Jabu-Jabu! Don't do this! No!"_

But the Kokiri's silent pleas went unanswered. In a desperate attempt, Link tried to claw his way up the now-tilted throat passage, but the spit was now trickling down the slope along with him. The saliva was so slippery and it splashed in his face so much that Link was forced to go with it.

As the slope got steeper and steeper, Link finally managed a cry through the spit that was getting into his mouth.

"Help me! Someone help me…!"

There…she heard something.

So there _was_ someone in Lord Jabu-Jabu with her, but she quickly realized this person was in trouble. She knew something was wrong when Lord Jabu-Jabu started to twist his muscles to get food down his throat, and that cry only confirmed it. Whoever had come here was now being led to the worst possible place to die…

She couldn't allow that! She couldn't just let someone die in Lord Jabu-Jabu's stomach. Especially now, when she needed whoever this person was…

She didn't know how, but she started to run faster towards the stomach. Hopefully, she wasn't too late…

The darkness started to disappear somewhere along the way downward, but Link couldn't remember where or why. But frankly, he didn't care. Right now, he was heading for Lord Jabu-Jabu's stomach, where he would digested like a…like a fish!

_"Oh, no, no!"_ he thought. _"Please, no, no! Please, someone get me out of this! Someone help me! Please, someone help me! Someone! Anyone! Please!"_

But his cries obviously went unanswered, for just as he thought that final word, he saw where he was heading. A short distance away, the river of spit disappeared from view and became a mighty waterfall that careened into…the stomach? Link didn't know, but he knew he was going to be digested if he didn't do something…

He tried to stop his fall by clawing the sides of the throat again, but the spit was just too slippery. If he was going to stop his descend, he needed something to dig into the sides of the passage…

Everything seemed to slow down the moment he remembered the item in his hand. Realizing he was still holding it, Link lifted it up to see. Now that there was light coming from an unknown source, he discovered it was, indeed, the object called a boomerang, the one Lizel had thrown at him. And he also noticed something else: attached to one side of the boomerang was a long sliver of metal with a razor-sharp edge barely poking out.

_"So _that's_ what cut me…"_

Link quickly brushed away the thought; this was a matter of life and death, and he needed to concentrate. He grabbed the boomerang with both hands and, with all his might, thrust it into the floor he was sliding upon.

To his horror, the boomerang refused to dig into the throat wall; the saliva was making it too difficult for it to sink into the flesh. He tried again, but it didn't work. A third attempt yielded the same result. The fourth try was no better.

_"Come on, you stupid boomerang!"_ he cursed. _"If you don't get in, I'm a goner!"_

Three more tries failed to get the boomerang into the throat wall, only causing Link to grow more and more frantic. If he didn't do this, he was going to…

Just then, an idea sprang into his mind. It was a crazy one, and it was extremely risky, but it seemed like his only shot at getting out of this. He tried thinking of another plan, but he quickly realized this was all he had. It was enough to make him cry…

His heart beating with incredible speed, Link looked ahead. The waterfall he was about to fall over was approaching faster than ever, threatening to drop him into an unknown abyss. Grasping the boomerang tightly in both hands, tears streaming down his eyes, Link waited for the right moment.

_"Please…oh, please…oh, please…"_

Then, just before he went over the edge, Link took his legs and pushed against the vertical wall of the waterfall, driving him forward like a stone from his slingshot, headfirst. If someone were watching him from below, they would believe he were flying like an eagle, but to Link this was of no importance. He simply kept what was vital in view: the other side of the passageway into which the waterfall was careening.

_"Here goes nothing…Saria, help me…"_

Just a split second from striking the other side of the tunnel, Link took the boomerang and thrust it with all his might into the pinkish wall. To his complete relief, the weapon sank deep into the wall, and when he struck the wall and started to fall, he kept his grip firm on the boomerang. Thankfully, the boomerang didn't dislodge from the wall; it held firm, as if wanting to make up for tripping the Kokiri earlier by saving his life.

Link hung there against the wall for what seemed like forever before he decided to even move. He first looked at the boomerang, which seemed to be firmly in place so as to hold him for quite some time. Smiling for the first time in a while, Link looked down…and nearly died of fright.

Far, far below him, at the bottom of a long tunnel down which the river of saliva trickled, was what could only be described as a fizzy soup of a disgustingly crimson color. The liquid was obviously collected in a vast cavern, and it bubbled with a powerful surge that sent noxious fumes drifting in every direction. As the spit waterfall struck the wild liquid below, it released a gentle steam that hissed like a deadly serpent.

It didn't take a lot for Link to realize that he was hovering right above Lord Jabu-Jabu's stomach!

All he could do in response to this recognition was scream.

"Help! Somebody help me! Help!"

There! There was no mistaking it this time! The person in trouble was nearby, and she knew exactly where he was.

Her breathing and heartbeat were already racing, but she forced herself to press on…

He had only been hanging against the throat wall for a short while, but it already felt like an eternity. All the memories of him hanging over the Death Mountain chasm suddenly came back to him. His arms were started to get tired, his strength was draining like water, and the sharp blade in the boomerang was cutting into his hands. Blood dripped along his arms and into his face, and he could almost swear his weight was starting to cause the boomerang to slip out. Desperate searches for any place of safety to which he could maybe swing or fall ended fruitless, and dizziness from the fumes started to overpower his eyesight.

_"Someone must _really_ not like me,"_ Link complained as he strained to keep himself from letting go.

Despite the odds stacked against him, Link was determined not to die. He had gotten out of terrible scrapes before, and this was no different. Then again, this time he was completely alone; this time he won't have a Goron to grab him and save him from certain death.

But he was still determined. Memories of his decision to commit suicide on Death Mountain rang in his mind like a bell, and he was not going to repeat that mistake. If he was going to die, he was going to die fighting. He would not go down easily.

Deciding again to look for another place of possible safety, Link looked around the enormous tunnel that led to the stomach. But all he saw was the plain, pinkish flesh that covered the tube and the spit waterfall behind him that still emptied into the hungry stomach acids below. The wall was smooth in all directions, with no place for him to sit or stand.

This only made Link angry. "Oh, come on!" he bellowed to the tunnel. "There has to be _some _place for me to go…"

"Grab my hand! Quickly!"

Link was so surprised by the voice that he nearly let go of the boomerang. He steadied his grip before he looked upward. To his complete surprise, he found himself staring at the face of a young Zora with her – at least he _thought_ it was a she – with her hand outstretched in his direction.

"Quickly!" she begged in a sincere voice. "Grab my hand before you fall! Hurry!"

Link didn't need to be told twice. With his right hand still holding the boomerang, he reached with his left hand for the Zora's outstretched hand. He made contact with the blue creature's hand on his first try, and their hands clamped together tightly and securely. Then, with seemingly hidden strength, the little Zora started to pull Link up to a hidden ledge Link hadn't noticed before.

He was so bewildered by this sudden turn of events that he didn't notice how easily the boomerang slipped from the throat's wall in his hand as he was pulled to safety…

"Are you okay?"

Link didn't answer the Zora's question immediately. He was breathing too hard for him to care about answering questions. He just lay there on the floor, trying his best to catch his breath. His arms felt stiff and blood trickled from his palms, but he couldn't care less about those minor details. The main thing was that he was alive.

Sure, someone had saved his life again, but this time he had decided not to kill himself. That was something of which he couldn't feel more proud right now…

He waited until his breath stabilized before he sat up. He didn't know where they were, but he could still hear the eerie hiss of the steam from the stomach acid, suggesting they were in some tunnel above the stomach.

"Are you okay?" the Zora repeated.

"Where are we?" Link asked without thinking.

The young Zora's face frowned. "A stomach blood artery I forced open to save you. Boy, you're very polite, aren't you?"

Link quickly realized his mistake. "Yes, you're right, you're right," he uttered through his tiredness. "I'm sorry, really I am. I'm quite fine, thank you. Thank you very much for saving me and Navi from that…"

"Well, you _should_ be thankful, you know."

Link blinked in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"I risked my own life to save your, you know." The Zora, who was kneeling besides the sitting Kokiri, deepened her frown. "And I had to open one of Lord Jabu-Jabu's arteries to do so. You should be very grateful I didn't leave you out there to be digested by him."

_"What the…?"_

"And another thing. You don't go around jabbing Lord Jabu-Jabu with boomerangs like that. Doing such a thing is dangerous for him and could seriously hurt him."

_"I don't believe this!"_

"And another thing! When you thank me, you're supposed to close your eyes and bow your head as a sign of respect. It's only fitting for someone of my stature."

"Now wait just a minute…"

"And another thing! You must never…"

"Hey!" Link, unable to believe what kind of attitude this Zora had, screamed so loud he thought he nearly went deaf in one ear. "What's all this about? You save my life one minute, and the next you're telling me what I can and can't do! Who do you think you are?"

The Zora was obviously irate with Link's outburst, and she suddenly stood up and erected her posture before stating with a proud air, "I am Princess Ruto, princess and future ruler of the Zoras, and daughter of King Zora! And don't you ever forget it!"

What…?

It can't be…

_This_ was Princess Ruto? _This _was whom he had been searching for? This _brat_ was the one who possessed the third and final Spiritual Stone?

It was then that Link noticed exactly what Ruto looked like. She was the first young Zora Link had seen close up, but she looked almost identical to every other Zora he had seen. Still, she had some distinguishing characteristics going for her. Her eyes weren't slanted like the adult Zoras, but were wide and round with purple colorings. Her head seemed a little chubby, but the rest of her body was slender with a definite woman's build. If Link had to call a Zora "beautiful", Princess Ruto would definitely fit the bill.

The problem was, however, the princess' face was filled with a stiffness that suggested she was used to getting her own way. He could even see it in her eyes; they expected him to obey her in everything she said.

Link could already tell things weren't going to go as he had planned.

Not knowing what else to do, Link shook his hat to wake up Navi. "Navi, Navi, wake up! Look who I've found! Navi! Are you there? Navi!"

Suddenly filled with the dreaded possibility that Navi had fallen into the stomach acid – she couldn't fly, after all – Link quickly reached for under his hat…and relaxed when he felt the familiar fay in his hands. He pulled the small, spit-covered creature out into the light…and gaped in surprise.

Navi was asleep!

Had the fairy fainted during his entire ordeal? Or has she just slept through it as if it were nothing?

He wouldn't know the answers until she woke up, which could be hours from now…

"What are you doing?" Princess Ruto suddenly demanded. "Why are you staring at that ugly glob of saliva? Come on, I need you to do something for me!"

Link felt like crying again…


	28. A Change of Guard

**Chapter 28: A Change of Guard**

Noon had set in completely by the time Princess Zelda stepped into her private garden. It wasn't particularly cold outside, but she shivered as if the wind blew from the very heart of winter. She attempted to wrap her arms around herself in order to expressively warm up, but her right hand refused to move from where it had been resting ever since her recent encounter with Ganondorf, the place in her dress where she had hidden the item Ganondorf was after.

The Ocarina of Time.

Actually, she had been quite reluctant to enter her garden before this moment, for some reason. Maybe the memory of her first meeting with Ganondorf in her father's royal gardens, coupled with the encounter at the Temple of Time, made her believe Ganondorf would attack her in her own private garden…

It was silly, yes, but only half a day ago she thought it silly that the King of Thieves would ever discover she held the ocarina. She took nothing for granted now, no matter how preposterous it was.

Like Ganondorf taking over Hyrule…

The shivers returned again, and Zelda had to use only one arm again to suppress them. By the Three Goddesses, where was Link? Was he all right? Does he have the Three Spiritual Stones? Was he even alive…?

Zelda sighed, but that wasn't enough to release the swell of emotions that came attached to her thoughts of the Kokiri. She couldn't help herself; with each passing day…no, with each passing minute, she found it more and more difficult not to think about Link without thinking of him in a certain way. And she knew what that certain way was. She may be a princess, but she was also a girl, and every girl could tell when she experienced a certain "feeling" about a boy.

She sighed again, but it didn't help. Unable to carry the strain of the emotional baggage anymore, she knelt down in the grass of her garden and bowed her head, her eyes closed tightly to repress the tears in her eyes.

_"What is going on with me?"_ she thought to herself, her hands clenched so tightly her knuckles nearly turned white. _"What has he done to me? Why do I feel this way when I barely even _know_ him? What am I doing? By Din's Fire, what is happening to me?"_

Zelda wished she knew the answers to her own questions. She had only spoken and met with Link for several days at the most, and yet the feelings she had for him were undeniable. These feelings probably weren't strong enough to warrant anything serious between her and the Kokiri, but they were strong enough to force her to consider it. Were the Three Goddesses toying with her mind, or was destiny guiding her heart without her consent?

She didn't know. But there was one thing she knew was making these feelings harder for her to swallow: she had purposefully lied to Link. She had told him cruel, intended falsehoods in order to hide her own desires for the prize at the end of this quest, the Triforce. It was a prize she didn't deserve, because she was doing nothing to help Link other than wish him luck and allow him to walk the treacherous path so she could walk in his wake.

She was no better than Ganondorf…

"No! I cannot allow that!"

Zelda's scream followed the biting of her lip and escape of several tears through her tightly shut eyelids. The pain in her heart was so unbearable that she actually bent over to try and contain it. The experience was embarrassing as well as agonizing; how could one boy change her life like this? How could one boy cause her to cave in like this…?

But she already knew the answer. It was those "feelings"…

"No…" she managed to utter through the pain. "This isn't going to happen again…I will not allow it…"

Even though she was still under the intense pain of heartache, Zelda made herself a promise there and then. She made a vow that she would do whatever she could to help Link. She would do everything in her power to earn her right to obtain the Triforce. And that meant doing what she could to stop Ganondorf and whatever insane schemes he had planned. Her efforts to prevent whatever he had planned have thus far been negligible; that was unacceptable.

That was going to change. Now. Not later, now. She was going to learn all of Ganondorf's secrets and discover what exactly his plans were. She was no longer going to cower behind her royal status and Impa's safeguard while Ganondorf mocked her and broke her spirit. She was going to be the predator and not the prey, the hunter and not the hunted.

And if…no, _when_ Link returned with the three Spiritual Stones, she would tell him…no, _confess_ to him her lies and deceits. Several times before she had told herself she wasn't going to lie to him again. This time, she promised she was no longer going to lie to herself.

_"Ganondorf," she heard her tired mind cry, __"you will not succeed with whatever you have planned. I swear upon the Ocarina of Time, I will__ stop you! And by the Three Goddesses, I will__ help you…Link! I promise you, I will__ help you!"_

"Hurry up, boy! I haven't got all day! I need this done as quickly as possible!"

_"Need__ or want__?" Link's mind grumbled as he trudged through the blood-flowing river at his feet to catch up to the quick-moving Zora princess. This was the third…no, forth time she had complained about his pace, and already she was getting annoying. She hadn't even given him time to ask any questions relating to the third Spiritual Stone, but judging by her temper and brat-like persona, asking such questions would only make her even angrier, which is the last thing he needed._

Why did Princess Ruto have to be like this? Why couldn't she be like Saria or Zelda or Malon? But no, she had more in common with Mido than any other the girls he knew.

And Navi was still asleep, which was of absolutely no help. She might actually help him right now, but for whatever reason she had fallen asleep during his near-death experience back at the stomach and had stayed that way. It was just one more thing that wasn't going his way today…

Sighing in frustration, Link reached under his hat and pulled the fairy into view. Yes, she was still sleeping; she was even still covered in Lord Jabu-Jabu's spit. Her glow was slightly visible now, but the saliva still managed to contain the majority of the fairy's pink light. Navi hadn't even taken the time to clean herself up…

Just then, an idea entered his mind. It was a cruel one, to be sure, but Navi was asleep during a time she shouldn't even consider such a thing. If she had fallen asleep unintentionally, then doing this was important. If she had dozed off deliberately…well, then, this would teach her a good lesson, won't it?

Without a second thought, Link wrapped his fist gently around Navi and dipped his hand into the river of blood.

He felt a response almost immediately. Just moments after he had plunged Navi into the river, Link felt his fist snap apart and watched as a furious fay rose from the blood stream and fluttered in front of his face. He could tell she was enraged because he could see her pink glow again, and it was flickering so wildly she nearly blinded him.

"What in the name of the Three Goddesses do you think you're doing?" the fairy demanded. "How dare you wake me up like that! If that was you're idea of a joke, it wasn't funny at all! How would you like it if I…?"

"Hey!" boomed a voice so shrill and so angry that Navi's paled in comparison. "Hey, boy! What's going on? Who's this loudmouth friend of yours? And when did I tell you that you could stop?"

Navi, surprised by Princess Ruto's sudden and overpowering appearance, could only mutter, "Link, who's this?"

"Princess Ruto," Link answered drearily. "We met quite some time ago and have been walking through Lord Jabu-Jabu's blood vessels for well over and hour now. But you were too asleep to know that."

Peeved by the subtlety of Link's sarcasm, Navi muttered, "So _this is Princess Ruto. Quite a lively girl, isn't she? And I suppose you've asked her about the Spiritual Stone?"_

"No."

"And why not?"

"Why don't you ask her?"

"Excuse me?"

"I said, why don't _you ask her?"_

"Why do _I have to ask…?"_

"Go ahead. Ask her. I _dare_ you."

Not sure what to make of Link's challenge, Navi turned away from the Kokiri and fluttered over to the Zora, who had her arms folded and her face in a taunt scowl. The princess didn't even wait for Navi to reach her before she uttered, "And just who are you?"

"I'm Navi," the fairy answered, "and I want to ask you something. Do you have the Spiritual Sto…?"

"I don't have time for your questions, you little insect," Princess Ruto interrupted. "There's something I need done right now, and your friend is going to help me. Your questions are just slowing me down. So shut up and follow me. You, boy! Let's go! Now! I don't want to dawdle anymore!"

With that, Ruto turned around to press on, not even giving Navi a second look.

But Navi wasn't about to be outdone like that. "Hey! I was asking you a question, you little twerp! You can't just turn around and ignore me like that!"

"I can do whatever I want to!" the Zora stated without turning back around. "I'm Princess Ruto, future ruler of the Zoras. So I'd watch what you say, insect, because my father can punish you with just a single word. And I am _not_ a twerp, do you understand?"

Navi started to glimmer so intensely the entire blood vessel flashed violently. "Yes, you're right! You're not a twerp. You're a brat! A spoiled, pampered, wretched, little brat who can't do anything herself and forces others to do what she wants. Yes, I don't think 'twerp' is the right name for you."

This time, Princess Ruto turned around, her eyes glaring. "What did you call me, you little pest?"

"You heard what I called you!" Navi bellowed. "And I'm not going to waste my breath saying it again, because it would be a waste of good energy on my part."

Ruto's blue skin started to turn red with anger. "How _dare_ you!"

"Yes, I dare, you little twit!"

"You want to call me that again, you little gnat?"

"Of course, I do! Twit, twit, twit, twit, _twit_! There, are you happy?"

"Um, excuse me," Link uttered cautiously, "is it possible for you both to stop arguing? Time is important right now and we can't afford to waste any of it…hey, is anyone listening to me? Excuse me? Hey!"

But it was too late. Navi and Ruto were so caught up in their arguing that Link's words went unnoticed. And Link knew they were arguing because he had dared Navi. He should've known better that allowing Navi's ego to clash with Ruto's pride like this wouldn't be such a good idea.

Why did he have to open his big mouth…?

How much farther?

Drat it all, he was going to take longer than he had hoped. Even if he pushed himself to fly faster than he had ever flown before, he would only reach Hyrule Castle New Town in three or more days from now. He'd still meet the deadline, but just barely, all because of this sudden, unexpected and unwanted delay.

Kaepora banged his right claw angrily against the tree branch upon which he was perched, as if his claw were a foot being tapped impatiently. Nothing seemed to be going right for him, not even his need to warn Princess Zelda of the upcoming danger. Was destiny against him, or had he made the wrong choice in the first place?

_"This isn't right,"_ Kaepora thought to himself. _"Something isn't right. My magic warns me if I don't do this task, Hyrule will be destroyed. And yet, why do I feel as though there is a double meaning behind this truth? Why do I feel like something must be destroyed for the Hyrule's future to be secured? Something isn't right, and I'm sure it has something to do with that young Mage-Bound. Oh, Link, _why_, o _why_ did you leave me?"_

Deciding not to waste any more time trying to resolve unanswerable questions, Kaepora ruffled his feathers before spreading his wings and taking to the skies once more. The wound in his left wing, the one caused by a hunter's arrow last night, the one that had forced him to stop and delay his trip, throbbed and pulsated with every wave he made in the wind. But he pressed on, determined not to leave allow Hyrule's future to fall victim to darkness' vile touch.

If it meant starving himself in order to reach Princess Zelda, then so be it…

"Princess Ruto…?"

"_What is it_?"

Link hesitated when the young Zora interrupted him with her overpowering and irate tone. It wasn't too long ago when Navi made one final insult to Ruto's face before disappearing underneath Link's hat. Ruto had apparently wanted to make a dive for Link's hat so she could strangle the fairy where she lay, but lucky for Navi, Link then had the sense to talk Ruto out of it. So, instead of attacking, Ruto had simply given Link's hat a heated glare before turning around and storming off, ordering Link to follow her.

They had been traveling through the blood vessel for what seemed like ages, and even now, when Link had decided to break the silence by asking the princess a question, Ruto still seemed fuming. He quickly decided not to ask his original question and instead ask a more neutral one.

"Well, I, uh…I was just…wondering, I guess…why is it so bright here in Lord Jabu-Jabu? The throat was pitch black, but the stomach and this blood vessel are as bright as day…"

"It's the blood cells, boy," Ruto answered in a rather rude tone; Link was also starting to get peeved at being called "boy" by a person roughly his own age. "Lord Jabu-Jabu's blood contains a large number of cells and microorganisms per unit volume that turn food and air into usable energy. The processes these microbes perform to carry out this task releases energy and light as a byproduct. That's why any area that has Lord Jabu-Jabu's blood near it glows brightly."

Link gaped in amazement, but not because of the interesting properties of Lord Jabu-Jabu's blood. He was amazed by Princess Ruto's knowledge of such a thing. She even used words he had never heard of before. What exactly was a microorganism…?

"But believe me, this glow is weak compared to how it glowed several months ago," Ruto continued, her voice sounding a little less irate. "For some reason, Lord Jabu-Jabu isn't receiving the amount of nutrients he requires to stay alive, so the glow isn't as strong. The true strength of the blood's glow could blind someone if he's not careful."

"You know quite a bit about Lord Jabu-Jabu," Link blurted out before he suddenly clapped a hand over his mouth. He didn't want Ruto to suddenly throw a fit just because he had said something out of line…

"You're right I know quite a bit about Lord Jabu-Jabu," Ruto replied smirkly, as if she wanted Link to give her such a compliment. "In fact, I know more about Lord Jabu-Jabu than any other Zora in Zora's Domain. That's what happens when you spend a great deal of time inside this enormous deity like me. I've visited nearly every nook and cranny of our god, and I'm still learning a lot about him."

Link's eyes blinked in surprise. "You mean…you've been inside Lord Jabu-Jabu more than once?"

Ruto looked over her shoulder and gave the Kokiri an "of-course-was-there-any-doubt" look. "Of course I have, boy. I've been in here many times ever since I was little. The first time was out of simple curiosity; when no one was looking, I jumped into Lord Jabu-Jabu's mouth while he was eating. I had to go through his windpipe in order to avoid his stomach, but I managed my way through Lord Jabu-Jabu's body with no trouble at all. Ever since then, I've returned many times over the years, each time learning more and more about…"

Princess Ruto suddenly stopped and turned around to face Link. "You know, I don't even know why I'm telling you this. I don't even know who you are. What's your name, boy?"

_"Hmm. Well, at least she _wants_ to know my name," _Link thought before clearing his throat. "My name's Link, Princess Ruto."

"Link, huh?" Ruto mused. She apparently wasn't goaded anymore about Navi's snaps. "Well, you certainly have an interesting name, at least. Are you a Hylian? You certainly have their build…"

"No, no, I'm a Kokiri, actually," Link interjected, this time feeling a little more sure about interrupting the Zora princess.

"A Kokiri? Never heard of them." Ruto then turned around and continued walking again, beckoning Link to follow; Link trailed without a word. "Well, Kokiri or Hylian, I'm still surprised, surprised to find a non-Zora here. How did you manage to persuade my father to go to Lord Jabu-Jabu's shrine?"

Link's face grew bright red. "Well, I, uh…I…just…managed to persuade him to let me come…last minute kind of thing, actually. He was…you know, surprised, but he didn't try to stop me…"

"Whatever," Princess Ruto interjected. "The fact is that you're here now, and you can help me with this little task."

"Help you with a task? So you don't need rescuing or anything?"

"Me? Need rescuing?" Ruto cackled loudly in her high-pitched voice. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Link was growing more and more puzzled by the moment. "Why, the bottled letter you wrote, of course. It asked someone to come and save you…"

Ruto suddenly skidded to a halt and turned around so fast Link missed it when he blinked. The princess' face had abruptly grown pink with irritation and annoyance, and here eyes gazed at Link as if he were a threat of some kind.

"Bottled note? What bottled note?" she demanded. "I never wrote any bottled note!"

Link leaned back, as if suspecting Ruto was about to hit him. "But…we found a note inside a bottle just inside your father's throne room, and he said something about the note surely having your handwriting…"

"I never wrote anything of the sort, do you hear?" Ruto fumed so loudly Link reached for his hat and pulled it tightly over his head; he didn't want Navi to come out and argue again. "My father wouldn't recognize my handwriting if I had shown it to him personally! I don't know who wrote that note, but it most certainly wasn't me! And you are going to accept that right now! Do you understand?"

Link grinned; it was the kind of grin someone would wear if he knew he was in trouble and was trying to make the situation more pleasant than it really was. "Okay, okay, you don't have to get so angry. So you didn't write the note. We just made a mistake, that's all. But why are you being so defensive about it…?"

"Shut up and move!"

With those heated words, Ruto turned around and stormed down the artery. Link, unable to decide what to think, hurried to catch up to her. He only hoped Navi didn't have any words for Ruto later on, because the last thing he needed was needless bickering…

_"By Farore's Wind, the letter! I completely forgot about it! Stupid, stupid, stupid! You didn't have to get so heated like that…then again, he would've learned you wanted someone to come down here for…oh, stop making excuses! You know you wouldn't have lasted much longer down here if he hadn't…no, just don't think about it. Someone's here with you, and that's all that matters. Yes, that's all that matters…at least I hope so…_

_"Still, why did you have to get so angry like that? It wasn't necessary…_

_"Oh, Ruto, what in the name of the Three Goddesses is wrong with you…?"_

"Hey, Ruto…"

"Princess Ruto! And don't you forget it!"

Link winced, although it was more out of fear than disgust. "Okay…Princess Ruto, where exactly are we going?"

"To one of the main arteries. I need to get my satchel before we head to the heart."

"Your satchel?"

"Yep, it's something I bring with me every time I enter Lord Jabu-Jabu. It carries everything I need, like food and supplies. I always leave it outside the heart because I don't want anything potentially dangerous to fall into the heart's main blood pools and poison the god's entire blood supply. You know, you're lucky I was in the heart when Lord Jabu-Jabu swallowed you, or else I wouldn't have reached you in time."

The Zora then seemed to erect her posture before adding, "So you had better be very grateful to me for what I did."

Link winced again, this time out of disgust. Princess Ruto was acting like Malon, only in a way he _couldn't_ tolerate. She was altering personalities, changing between personas that resembled Princess Zelda and Mido, a sweet young girl and a spoiled pig head. It was really getting on his nerves.

Why couldn't anyone he met just have one character and stick with it…?

"Here it is!" Ruto suddenly exclaimed. Link turned his attention to the princess, who was reaching for something hanging from what appeared to be a piece of loose artery wall. It appeared to be some kind of bag with a long strap attached to it, similar to the sling bags the Kokiri used when they harvested berries. This must be Ruto's satchel.

"There we go," Ruto uttered as she slung the large strap over her left shoulder. She then started to dig into it, looking for something. "Let's see, where is it…?"

Link stopped just a footstep's distance from Ruto and asked, "So, why do you need this satchel anyway…?"

"Here it is!" Ruto abruptly cried before whipping something out of her bag and into Link's face. "Here, take this," she told the Kokiri.

Link, puzzled, took the item in Ruto's hand and held it out to get a closer look. It was a…dead fish? "What's this? Do you want me to eat this or something?"

"No, you idiot. That's a medicine fish. Its blood cleans any wound and helps them to heal faster. Just take the carcass and squeeze it gently so its skin will saturate before wiping it over the wounded area. After what your hands went through hanging onto that boomerang, I'm sure they could use a good soak."

His hands…by Nayru's Love, he completely forgot about them. He had been so preoccupied with Ruto's self-importance that he didn't even remember the cuts on his hands thanks to the boomerang's blade. Whatever happened to that boomerang, anyway…oh, there it was. It was hanging on his belt, right between his slingshot and bomb bag. How did it get there? He didn't remember putting it there…

Shrugging the thought off, Link turned his attention to his hands. They were, indeed, cut quite badly, although he couldn't feel any pain. The blood on his hands were definitely his own; Lord Jabu-Jabu's blood was slightly more watery than regular blood. The cuts could definitely use a good wash. Maybe this medicine fish would help, after all.

Sighing, Link took the medicine fish and squeezed it lightly. Almost immediately, he felt liquid surge to the fish's skin, like sponge-fungus dropped into a river. Already fascinated, Link placed the fish between his hands and started to rub it vigorously between his palms.

In next to no time, he felt pain surge through his wounds.

"Keeeeyaaaaah!"

The pain was so intense that Link dropped the medicine fish out of his hands. Luckily, Ruto was close enough to catch the falling carcass so it didn't enter Lord Jabu-Jabu's blood stream. The smile on her face was wide enough to humiliate Link twice over.

"I forgot to tell you," she uttered through her toothy grin, "the medicine might sting a little. But I guess you already know that. You know, you should see the look on your face right now."

Link merely snarled and muttered under his breath, "You little brat. If it weren't for the fact that you were the Zora's princess, I'd make you pay for that."

Link knew he wouldn't, of course; that wasn't the kind of person he was. But saying he would did help alleviate the pain a little.

By now, Princess Ruto was laughing her head off at Link's misfortune, which only made Link angrier. He wanted to say something, but he then noticed something: Ruto's open satchel. The princess, distracted by her uncontrollable laughter, had left her bag open, exposing all its contents to the Kokiri.

Inside there were a few sheets of paper, a bird feather, a piece of what appeared to be food of some sort, and a bottle half-filled with water. Other than the medicine fish in Ruto's hands, that was it. What exactly was in the bag that Ruto needed that would help them with what she needed Link to help her with? So far, the only thing she had done with it was get the medicine fish for his wounds, and she didn't seem like the kind of person to get something just to tend to the needs of others.

But the bag also indicated something else: Ruto _had_ written that bottled note. The half-filled bottle in her satchel matched the one now hanging from his belt perfectly – how did the bottle get on his belt? He didn't know. It must've still been in his hand when he was in Lord-Jabu-Jabu's throat, and he had put it on his belt without thinking. Why couldn't he keep track of these things anymore? – and the paper looked about the size of the note he had found in the bottle. The feather was probably the writing utensil, and as for writing liquid…well, Ruto could've used any liquid found in Lord Jabu-Jabu's body.

And if Ruto had, indeed, written that note, why had she flatly denied it, even grown completely defensive about it? What was wrong with admitting she had asked for help? Something strange was going on here. Either Ruto was lying, or he was going crazy from wading in Lord Jabu-Jabu's blood for over an hour. It was one or the other, but he couldn't decide which one it was…

_"Okay, okay, stop laughing. He's had enough…there, that's better. Well, at least he got the medicine fish's juices onto his hands. Those wounds weren't looking very good…but did you have to let him find out about their sting like that? Well, at least he doesn't suspect anything anymore…but what if he does? What if your little joke has…?_

_"Oh, stop it, Ruto. Now's not the time to think about that. If he knows, he won't say anything about it. He's too scared of you to even talk to you. But in any case, let's get this over and done with. He's the only person around to help you, and you can't make him _too_ scared of you. Once this job is complete, this'll be the last time you ever have to enter Lord Jabu-Jabu. The last time…never thought I hear myself say that…_

_"Okay, let's go. It's not too far, but just make sure he doesn't know that. He won't say anything. He's too busy with the aftertaste of the medicine fish on his wounds to talk to me…"_

Although the walk to the heart was a great deal shorter than the walk from the stomach artery to Ruto's satchel, Link still felt tired by the time they reached the enormous organ. His muscles felt as stiff as petrified wood, his breath heaved with the stamina of a dying animal, and his heart – heart. Go figure – his heart pounded like an impatient drum. But even though he thought he couldn't take another step further, Ruto refused to allow him to rest when they entered the fish god's beating muscle.

Link had never seen the heart of a creature before – he had heard about them from Kokiri hunters, but never actually seen one – so his knowledge on the subject was very limited. Thus, witnessing the _inside_ of a heart was even more of a mystery for the Kokiri. Roughly the size of the cavern in Zora's Domain – he couldn't really tell; it was a flimsy estimate at best – Lord Jabu-Jabu's heart was entirely painted the color of the brilliant red he had seen in the deity's arteries and veins. The heart's walls seemed to vibrate and pulse, as if an unseen force gave them life. Platforms and crevasses carved out of the heart's throbbing tissue were dotted along the wall, and a strong, familiar stench filled the enormous grotto. All over the floor of the heart were giant pools of blood, where graceful waterfalls of the liquid cascaded directly into them. 

The Zora and Kokiri were standing at the top of one of these waterfalls, where the artery they had traveled through fed the pools directly below them. Link, with all his tiredness and stiffness, would've probably unwittingly allowed the rushing blood at his feet to sweep him down the waterfall if Ruto hadn't intervened.

"Hey, get over here! I'm to your left, idiot!"

Link quickly glanced to his left, and saw Ruto standing upon one of the platforms, her arms folded with impatience and her face tight with scolding. Link, more concerned with his own safety than Ruto's temper, used the last bit of his strength to leap from the end of the artery onto the platform. As he landed, his legs quickly gave out and he collapsed out of exhaustion.

But even then, Ruto wouldn't let him rest. "Stand up! How can you do what I need you to do if you're lying down like a…?"

"Oh, for the sake of the Three Goddesses, let me rest at least for a little bit!" Link pleaded. Ruto was beginning to push his patience to the breaking point, and he didn't like it in the least. "If this task is so important to you, just tell me what it is while I rest my tired muscles! Is that such a difficult thing to do?"

Ruto glared at the Kokiri for a quiet moment before finally saying, "Okay, okay, fine. You can rest for a bit. But in return, you're going to push yourself to do this task for me. Do you hear me?"

"What…ever…you lit\tle brat," Link muttered under his breath before saying louder, "So what is it you want me to do?"

Ruto sniffed her nose in snobbish disgust before pointing to a point above and to the right of the platform they were standing on. Link, although tired, could make out exactly what Princess Ruto was pointing at. It was a tunnel within the wall of Lord Jabu-Jabu's heart, but it didn't appear to be an artery because no blood flowed from its mouth. It was quite a distance away, and didn't seem to have an accessible path leading to it.

"You see that tunnel?" Ruto asked. "I need you to get me to that tunnel over there. It's the only place in Lord Jabu-Jabu's heart I haven't explored, and I'm sure that's where I'll find what I'm looking for."

"Find what you're looking for?" Link asked through his heavy breath. "What exactly are you looking for…?"

"That's not important!" Ruto interrupted rather loudly. "What's important is that you are going to get me there. That's all I need you to do."

Link raised his eyebrows in puzzlement. "Why can't you get there yourself? You seem to be pretty proficient in getting around Lord Jabu-Jabu…"

"I've already tried, you stupid clod," Ruto snapped. "But that tunnel has no footholds or platforms to make it easily accessible, and there are no blood vessels that lead there. The only way to enter that tunnel is by scale the walls, and that's what you're going to do to get me there."

Link blinked in disbelief. "You want me to…? Excuse me, Ruto…"

"_Princess_ Ruto!"

"Fine, _Princess _Ruto." Now it was Link's turn to grow irate. "How do you expect me to get up there? How do you expect _me_ to climb up there when _you_ couldn't?"

Ruto gave Link a sly smile. "I don't know, but I'm sure you can come up with something."

When he heard that, Link gaped so widely he could've swallowed his disbelief whole. "What? You…don't know how…I'm supposed to get up there…and yet you want me…to _find_ a way up there?"

"Yes, yes, of course."

"Tell me…are…you…serious…or is this a joke of some sort?"

Ruto's smile fell into a frown. "I never joke, you foolish wart. I am dead serious about this, and you will take it just as seriously. Now get to work figuring something out before I decide to get someone else to help me."

That did it. Link's tolerance of Ruto's cheekiness snapped in two, and his temper shortened to the size of Navi's wingspan. He wasn't going to take this anymore…it was just too much. This ungrateful little brat had given him nothing but grief since he had met her, and she was apparently enjoying it. That was going to stop! Right…this…minute…

No, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute…what if he…? She wouldn't approve…but was it the only way? Yes. So will he do it?

Yes…

Forgetting his fatigue, Link stood up and shuffled his way to the wall of the deity's heart. He used one of his hands to feel its surface; just as he had hoped, the heart's wall felt soft yet firm, just like the stomach wall. Smiling, Link turned around to face Ruto, who was still scolding the Kokiri.

"Princess Ruto," Link uttered, "I think I've found a way to get you up there, but I just need to confirm something. The wall of Lord Jabu-Jabu's heart…it feels very soft, but is it strong?"

Ruto jerked her head back in gentle surprise. "What do you mean? Of _course_ it's strong."

"Excellent," Link mused before breathing in a deep sigh, as if preparing for an incredible feat of some kind. "Then everything is ready."

The princess blinked rapidly. "Excuse me? Ready for what?"

"You'll see," Link answered, his smile still folding firm. "I just need you to do two things for me. First, I need you to get on my back."

Now Ruto was really confused. "Why?"

"You'll see."

With those words, Link knelt down and motioned for the princess to get onto his back. Ruto, unable to argue the bizarre request, strolled over toward the Kokiri and gently climbed onto his back. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, Link stood up and allowed the Zora to wrap her feet around his waist.

"There. Are we comfortable?" Link asked.

"Hardly," Ruto answered curtly. "But what was the second thing you want me to do?"

Link's smile turned into a toothy grin. "Three words: Hang…on…tightly!"

Before Ruto could ask what that meant, Link reached behind him and drew his sword from its sheath before taking his boomerang in the other hand. He then took a deep breath before breaking into a run towards the edge of the platform in the direction of the tunnel. Princess Ruto screamed for Link to stop, but the Kokiri paid no heed to her, even when she tried to choke him with her arms.

As Link reached the edge of the platform, he made one of the biggest jumps he had ever made. Ruto shrieked in terror as the two sailed through the air alongside the heart's wall, but just as she was about to scream a second time, Link made his move. He took the boomerang in his left hand and, with all his might, sank it into the wall next to him. He immediately started to pivot around the boomerang because of his momentum, but as he reached the top of the swing, he plunged the sharp blade of his sword into the wall.

He stopped swinging instantly, leaving the Kokiri and Zora hanging by a boomerang and a sword against Lord Jabu-Jabu's heart.

Ruto, after recovering from the shock, immediately started to cry out in anger. "By Din's Fire, Farore's Wind, and Nayru's Love, what are you doing, you idiot? You nearly got me killed! How could you do something so stupid? And on top of all that, you're hurting Lord Jabu-Jabu by piercing his heart wall! I demand…no, I _order_ you to get me down right now!"

But Link wasn't listening. Instead, he gathered up his strength so he could swing upward on his sword. When he gained enough momentum, he removed his boomerang from the wall and then returned it to the wall when he reached a higher point. He then did the same with his sword, and continued to alternate as he climbed upward. It was tiring, yes, but he was determined to make it to the tunnel just to spite Ruto, who was still screaming her head off.

"How dare you! You're just hurting Lord Jabu-Jabu even more! I order you to stop this immediately! Do you hear me? Are you even listening? Stop this at once and get me down! If you don't, I'll order my father to have you fed to Lord Jabu-Jabu for _real_! Get me down! _Get me down_…!"

The climb took longer than Link thought, and he was dead tired by the time he reached the lower lip of the tunnel, but he dared not show his weariness in front of Ruto. He wanted her to see just how much he didn't like her.

Ruto had been nothing but a hindrance to his climb. She didn't stop screaming or yelling even once during the entire climb, and she had done everything she could to persuade him to stop his ascent. She tightened her grip around his neck, punched him in the stomach with her fists, rocked up and down against his back, and even bit his ear with her razor-sharp teeth. To say the experience was unpleasant was an understatement.

Through this entire ordeal, Link had only grown more and more determined, but he had also started to collect a great deal of anger. He couldn't wait until he had the opportunity to express it.

In her face, no less…

When they reached the lower lip of the tunnel, Link used one final swing to grab the lip and haul him and Ruto into the tunnel. He crawled a short distance into the tunnel before standing up and stretching his sore and fatigued muscles. He breathed to heavy sighs of relief before returning his weapons to his person.

It didn't take long for him to realize Ruto was still on his back.

"How dare you! How dare you do such a thing to Lord Jabu-Jabu! And how dare you drag me into it! When this is over, I'm going to make sure…well, I don't know what I'm going to do, but you're not going to like it! I'll make sure of _that_! Now, I order you to put me down this instant…"

_THUD…_

Link had complied with Ruto's request, but not in the way she had wanted. Link just took his arms and shoved her backwards off his back, as if she were nothing more than a bag. Ruto, surprised and enraged by this treatment of her royal character, stood up to confront the Kokiri.

"You really are pushing your luck, aren't you? If I didn't need you to get me down from here, I'd throw you off this tunnel right now so you could break your little neck from the fall. I just wish I could see your face when you…hit…the…"

Ruto fell silence when Link turned around. His kind, gentle face was gone, replaced by a look of dark hostility and menace. He glared at the princess as if she were nothing more than an insect that needed to be disposed of. It was so eerie that even Ruto couldn't say anything in response to it.

"Princess Ruto?" Link asked in a plain voice.

"Y…y…yes?"

"Shut…_up_!"

When he emphasized that last word, Link took his right hand and slapped it so hard against Princess Ruto's face that she fell to the ground like a rag doll. The force of the blow was so strong that tears started to stream from the princess' eyes. She looked up and found the Kokiri standing directly over her, his eyes glowering at her like a demon.

"L…L…Link…" Ruto started, not realizing it was the first time she had personally addressed Link by his real name.

"Listen and listen well," Link interrupted in an almost cruel tone. "I have had it up to _here_ with your constant whining and stuck-up attitude. You may be a princess, and I may only be a Kokiri, but that's no excuse to treat me like a piece of dirt and expect to do everything you say. I have feelings too, just like you do; although I can hardly tell by the way you act whether you actually have feelings.

" 'Do this, boy,' 'do that, boy'…I'm getting sick of it! If you had just asked nicely, I would've helped you without a second thought. But no, you forced me to help you and expected me to do things within a set frame of rules. Well, princess, sometimes rules _have_ to be broken for things to get anywhere. Sure, that climbing must've hurt Lord Jabu-Jabu, but those wounds will heal; and realize there was no other way to get up here. Hear me? _No_…_other_…_way_!

"Now, if you haven't been listening to what I've just said, listen to this. There's going to be a little change of guard, princess. From now on, we do things _my_ way! If I need your help, I'll _ask_ for it. We are going to get whatever you came here for, and then we're getting out of here. That's _it_! Nothing else! Under_stood_?"

Ruto, in all her shock, could only manage a weak nod of acknowledgement.

"Good! Now, follow me!" The Kokiri then turned around and started to march down the tunnel. As he did, he heard a familiar voice underneath his hat.

"Boy, you sure know how to take charge of a situation. Might I ask where you got such a temper?"

"Navi, you have no idea…"

_"Unbelievable. It was just…so…un…believable._

_"He actually talked back to me! _No one_ has ever done that to me! _No one_! How and where did he find the courage to do such a thing? Why hadn't she broken him? How…why…what…?_

_"But you know…you do deserve it. It's about time someone told you that something was wrong with you. But I never thought it would hurt like this…I mean, I've never felt this kind of pain…this kind of…heartache. This is the first time I've been…degraded like this. I'm a _princess_! I shouldn't be ordered around!_

_"But remember, you do deserve this…_

_"There's something special about this boy…no, this_ Link_. He had a lot of guts to face me down, even after everything I did to him. I really shouldn't have bitten his ear, but…the charade…I had to keep it up…I _have _to keep it up…or do I…?_

_"Does he know? Does he even suspect…? I don't know…but does it even matter anymore…?"_


	29. Unwanted Company

**Chapter 29: Unwanted Company**

The sun was beginning its descent beyond the horizon and the sky already shedding its blue clothes in exchange for more crimson hues, but Lizel took no notice of this. Right now, he could care less about the natural cycles of the universe or their magnificent natural wonders. All he did was sit, sit and watch, sit and watch as Lord Jabu-Jabu floated gently in the enormous lake. The giant's only response to Lizel's presence was breathing deeply and emitting a series of low yet hearable groans that sadly asked why the Zora wasn't giving him any food.

Lizel made one of his own groans before burying his head in his arms between his knees. Lord Jabu-Jabu was getting worse and his food supply was beginning to shrink to emergency-only levels. If things progressed like this, there was a change the mighty deity would die in a few days, if not less. And to add injury to injury, he would take their beloved Princess Ruto with him.

How long had it been since Link entered Lord Jabu-Jabu? About half a day, he estimated. By now, the young lad was either dead or being killed; how could anything survive in Lord Jabu-Jabu? And Princess Ruto…was she really alive inside the fish god? Or was the bottled message found far too long after it was first written…?

Lizel didn't know anymore, and he felt so helpless. He wanted to do something, anything, but all he could do was sit here and await the impossible return of Link and the princess from within Lord Jabu-Jabu. He didn't even know why he was doing this; he had no solid reasoning to wait for the dead…

Suddenly, Lizel felt something cold drench his body. But rather than jump up and have a fit, he welcomed the icy water as it covered his blue skin and allowed his pores to breath again. He looked up to find a Zora standing over him with a bucket over Lizel's head.

"How goes it, Lizel?" the Zora asked.

"As well as it possibly can, Ilza," Lizel answered.

"You know, if you stay like this, you're eventually going to kill yourself. You haven't even been in the water for over half a day; I never thought a Zora could stay out of water as long as you have."

"I guess," Lizel said, although the possibility of Princess Ruto surviving within Lord Jabu-Jabu for a long time crossed his mind…

"You guess," Ilza sighed. "You're hopeless. Fine, fine. If you have to stay here, just promise me you'll take a dip every now and then. I don't want your skin to crack or anything."

"You got it," Lizel promised.

The Zora called Ilza gave one nod before turning around and disappearing down the tunnel, leaving Lizel to sit and stare at the great god of the Zoras…to wait for the miraculous return of two people who should by now be dead…

Link tried to look behind him as he walked down the tunnel, but he quickly snapped his head back to face forward. This was the fifth time he had tried; he just couldn't do it.

Ever since his heated speech to Princess Ruto, Link had managed to calm his anger and clear his mind of his achieved "payback." He then realized how callous he had just been to Ruto had felt downright ashamed at his outburst of anger. The argument that Ruto "deserved" those harsh words didn't ease his guilt; he had acted out of character, and now he couldn't face the very person at whom he had snapped. Irony certainly liked to mess with his mind, and he didn't like it a single bit.

Behind him, Ruto followed the new leader of the pack quietly with her head hung low and her feet shuffling along the ground. Ever since Link's fiery lecture, her lips had remained sealed and her temper had been suppressed. She occasionally made a soft gasp when her feet tripped on an uneven section of the floor, but it was obvious she didn't want to speak to the Kokiri who had lashed out at her.

Link didn't know what to think; either her heart was really hurting, or her mind was planning what to do with him once they left Lord Jabu-Jabu. And he couldn't decide which choice was worse…

Finally, Link stopped walking; the silence that followed immediately afterwards indicated Ruto had stopped as well. Then, incapable to turn around and face the silent princess, he started to speak.

"Ruto…err, _Princess_ Ruto…?"

He then stopped, discovering he didn't even know what he wanted to say. He tried to think of something, but not before Ruto's muffled voice sounded from behind him.

"Y…y…yes?"

Link, unable to think of anything else, uttered, "I…I…well, I…just…want to say that…well, once we…get out of Lord Jabu-Jabu, you…you can…what I mean is…I need…I need…I really need your help."

He didn't see it, but Ruto blinked her dry eyes in surprise. "W…what?"

"I…I lied to you," Link said. "I'm not here…with permission from your father."

"Link!" Navi's voice whispered harshly from underneath his cap. "What in the name of the Three Goddesses are you doing?"

But Link ignored the fairy and continued his confession. "I originally came to Zora's Domain to get something from the Zora people. But then I learned you held what I had come for and that you were inside Lord Jabu-Jabu. I was told the shrine to your fish god was forbidden to outsiders, but I came anyway because what I came for is important. How important? Not even I know anymore, but it's important enough. But now I can only imagine what the Zoras will do to me once I get out of here."

Now Link had the courage to turn around. He rotated to face the Zora princess and kept his eyes level with hers so he didn't look like a coward. "So I really need your help. Once we get out of here, I need you to explain to your father and the Zoras why I needed to do what I did…but you don't even know what I came here for in the first place, do you? I guess now's a good a time as any. I came here for…"

The Kokiri stopped when, of all things, Ruto held up a hand to silence him…

_"Who _is_ this boy?_

_"He just made sure I knew he didn't like me, and he has the opportunity to order me around…and yet he's _asking_ me for something! And politely! How could _anyone_ do such a thing after the amount of abuse I gave him?_

_"Maybe this is my chance…maybe now I can reclaim my charade and let him know who _really_ is in charge. Maybe I can…_

_"No, I can't do that._

_"Just look at him. He's just as sagged as I am, and he looks like he's about to cry…but he won't look away. He's staring at me right in the eye, as if he wants me to know he'll take any kind of answer…even if I say no…_

_"I don't know what's going on, but I can't go back to my princess persona. Not now. He's too…oh, by Din's Fire, I can't even find the right word…_

_"There's something about this Link…something about him…_

_"But what should I do? How should I answer his request? He _did_ come here without permission, and yet he _did_ admit it. And he _did_ get me up here like I wanted…_

_"Oh, come on, what's my answer? Do I help him or not? Yes or no? What do I do? What do I do…?"_

"Not yet."

Link made no movement of confusion, but the puzzlement was in his voice. "Not yet? What do you mean?"

Ruto lowered her hand and then gave a weak smile before she dropped her eyes. "What I mean is that I'll think about your request but I won't give my answer just yet. For now, let's just continue down this tunnel and see if we find what _I'm_ looking for. Once we _do_ find it, I'll think about helping you with what _you're_ looking for and also helping you out with my father."

Link didn't know what to do except mumble, "Um…okay, sure."

Then, before Link could react, Ruto started moving forward. This time, however, she didn't walk with the regal air that showed she was a princess; instead she walked naturally, as if quietly telling Link that she accepted him on her level. As she passed the still-motionless Kokiri, her eyes glanced in his direction briefly before looking away. Did she just _wink_ at him, or was it a trick in the light of the deity's heart wall…?

Deciding not to waste time on finding out, Link turned to follow the princess…

The tunnel was thankfully not very long, and the small group consisting of Link, Ruto, and Navi emerged in a relatively small chamber slightly larger than King Zora's throne room. The walls, ceiling, and floor were made of Lord Jabu-Jabu's heart wall and nothing else, so there was no apparent purpose to this room. No blood flowed into this room, and it wasn't connected to any blood vessels or any kind of organ. Either it was a tiny structural defect in the deity's heart, or…it had been created by unnatural means.

The moment Link stepped into that room, he felt uneasy. Something wasn't right about this place, but he couldn't put his finger on it. A strange feeling crept up his spine as his gaze pierced the hollow and eerie chamber, a feeling he had experienced once before. But where had he experienced it? Where else had he felt this…uncomfortable?

Before he could think it over, Ruto suddenly gasped loudly. Link turned to the Zora to find her in a surprised stupor, her eyes staring at the middle of the room. Wondering what was going on, Link turned his own gaze to follow the princess'…and when he saw what she was looking at, his jaw dropped.

There, sitting in the middle of the floor as if someone had put it there in the first place, was a magnificent piece of jewelry. The glow of the heart's wall, while not powerful, emitted enough light to give the treasure an amazing spark that glistened like crystal clear water; it was a wonder he hadn't seen it there when he first entered the chamber. The piece of jewelry was actually made up of three separate jewels positioned in a triangular shape with a golden frame holding them together, and all three stones were colored a deep, rich blue that matched the color of Ruto's eyes. Like the Kokiri Emerald and the Goron's Ruby, the jewel seemed to possess a life of its own.

Link didn't need anyone to tell him that it was the third and final Spiritual Stone.

But Link didn't have time to say anything before Ruto suddenly started walking towards it slowly. As she did, she started to mumble to herself loudly.

"I…I can't believe it. I finally found it…my mother's last gift to me…the Zora's Sapphire. I can still remember the day I lost it…the day I took it with me inside Lord Jabu-Jabu…I never thought I'd lose it, but somehow I did. I felt very sad when I lost it…I couldn't bear to tell my father that I had lost one of our race's most prized treasures…so I vowed I would search Lord Jabu-Jabu until I found it. And here it is…right here…in the only place I could never reach. I found it…I found it…thank the Three Goddesses, I finally found it…"

She stopped talking when she stood directly over the brilliant gem, her eyes unable to look away from its radiant shine. She remained silent for what seemed like a minute before she finally spoke again.

"Link?"

"Yes?"

"I…I want to thank you for helping me find my mother's gem. You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

"You're…you're welcome," Link uttered. He wasn't too surprised by the princess' sudden change of character; he was too preoccupied with how he was going to tell that the jewel was what he had come for. What was he going to do…?

"And now that I've found it," Ruto continued, "we can go now. Being inside Lord Jabu-Jabu for so long, I've grown tired of it and felt…that I was no longer welcome here. I decided a long time ago that after I found the Zora's Sapphire, I would never return to this place."

Ruto then bent down to pick the jewel up. "Let's go, Link. We can head to the nasal passages and…"

_VOOM…_

Link didn't hear anything else after that, because when Ruto touched the Spiritual Stone Link felt something radiate from the jewel. He couldn't see it, but he sure did fell it; it was so powerful that it nearly sent Link sprawling backwards. And when he felt it, he instantly realized what was going on. If what Ruto had said was true – that she didn't know how she lost her precious heirloom – then it made sense. How else could the Spiritual Stone get all the way up here in Lord Jabu-Jabu's heart and be conveniently placed in the very center of a chamber that doesn't even look like it should exist?

His worst suspicions were confirmed; Ganondorf had, indeed, put the Spiritual Stone here somehow with his dark magic. The question was, however, now what was going to happen? What was that sinister aura he had just felt? A trigger for something, possibly…?

"Link, what's wrong?" Ruto's words suddenly interrupted. Link turned to the Zora princess, who seemed a little worried by Link's apprehensiveness. "Why are you so…?"

"Princess Ruto," Link interjected, "we have to get out of here. Now."

"Why? What's the hurry?"

"No time to explain. But if we don't, there's no telling what's going to happen. Trust me when I say we must leave immediately."

"Well, okay, if you insist. But we'll first have to figure out how we're going to climb down…what…oh, no! No! Link, behind you!"

As he spun around, Link drew his sword at the same time. He also reached for his shield, but after remembering it was gone he placed his free hand against the two Spiritual Stone in his possession to keep them safe. His gaze instantly saw what had frightened Princess Ruto, and he knew she had cause to be alarmed.

The creature was standing at the tunnel's entrance…no, it wasn't standing but hovering over the ground like a hummer bird. The main part of its body was shaped like an upside-down bowl, and inside it had what appeared to be some kind of brain and sensory organs. Below its bowl-like figure was a small section that was probably its mouth, and surrounding its mouth were two flat, feathery tentacles that waved in the air like banners in a gentle breeze. Its main body was about Link's size, so it definitely posed some kind of threat to both him and Ruto.

And it had obviously noticed the presence of the beings that had dared to take the Spiritual Stone.

"Ruto! Stay back!" Link shouted to the princess as he waved his sword at the beast, hoping to deter it from attacking. "I'll try and knock it down so we can…"

"Link, no!" Ruto suddenly shouted back. "Don't touch it!"

"Why not?"

"That thing is a Bari, and it uses electricity to shock and stun its prey! If it touches you with its tentacles, you won't be able to fight back!"

"No kidding?"

Link turned his attention back to the thing Ruto called a Bari and cursed under his breath. How was he going to survive _this_ ordeal? He had faced parasite larvae and their mother, Lizalfos, Dodongos and their king, and the stomach of Lord Jabu-Jabu. Now this! Why did fate have to throw at him a new enemy for him to deal with all the time? Couldn't he just do what he needed to do in peace…?

Just then, Link noticed something moving behind the Bari, something in the tunnel. He turned his attention to the passageway but almost wished he hadn't. To his horror, several more Bari were making their way down the tunnel, their tentacles just as poised to strike as the first one's.

"Great! More Bari are heading this way!" Link cried.

"By the Three Goddesses!" Ruto gasped. "What are we going to do? The only way out is the tunnel!"

"Are you sure I can't fight these things?"

"Positive! They look slow, but they are deadly. If they wanted to, they could kill you with one touch."

_"Perfect!"_ Link grumbled in his mind. _"This just gets better and better!"_

As he stood there, his sword still pointed at the first Bari, the pack of other Bari entered the cavern. They moved at a slow and sluggish pace, but Link believed Ruto when she said they were deadly. He could even smell the electricity in the air, emanating from those beasts' tentacles; he had smelled the same odor after lightning strikes in the Lost Woods, and he knew how dangerous lightning was.

The new Bari approached the first Bari, as if to ask permission for joining in the hunt of the first's prey. The first Bari simply "watched" Link and Ruto with whatever sensory organs it possessed in its gelatinous head. Then, after a moment of "conversing" with one another, the group of Bari started to advance towards the Kokiri and Princess in a sloppy formation, their tentacles excitedly waving in the air.

Link backed up towards Ruto, who was shaking uncontrollably. She clutched the Zora's Sapphire in one hand tightly, but she looked like she would fall to her knees in complete fright. Link, still clutching his sword, had no idea what to do or how to fight these creatures. One false move could mean being knocked out…or worse…

"Ruto, how far is the ground from up here?" he suddenly asked.

"You mean in the heart?" the nervous princess replied. "Quite a fall, I'm afraid…if we fell, there's be no way to survive."

"I see. So that means if we tried climbing down like we climbed up…these things would catch us, even if we ran from here to the other end of the tunnel."

"I think so."

Link sighed. "Then there's only one option we've got. It's risky, but if we stick around here we'll be dead anyway. We have no choice but to do it."

"And what's that?"

Link sheathed his sword and turned his gaze to Ruto's face, staring deep within the eyes that resembled the clear blue of the third Spiritual Stone. "Ruto, climb onto my back."

"What? Why…?"

"Just do it!"

Link's tone had grown so serious – not necessarily harsh, but serious and stern – that Ruto quickly followed the Kokiri's order and climbed onto his back, just like she had when they had climbed up the heart wall.

"Now Ruto, do you want me to hold the Spiritu…I mean, your mother's jewel for you, or can you hold onto it tightly without dropping it?"

Ruto was starting to stutter. "I…I th…th…think I can h…h…hold it…"

"Good." Link then turned his gaze back to the Bari, which were inching their way towards them. "Now, like before, hold on tightly. This might just be the stupidest thing I've ever done, but right now it's all we can do. And one more thing…_Navi_!"

"Yes, Link?"

"Get out from under my hat! Now!"

"Why? There isn't any need…"

"Yes, there is! Get out now or else you'll soon wish you hadn't stayed there!"

"But…"

"Navi, get out!"

Link bellowed so loudly and angrily that disobeying his order would've been suicide. Without another word, the pink fairy fluttered out from under Link's hat and onto his shoulder. She didn't even snap at him for telling her to do something she didn't want to do.

"Okay, Navi, just follow me…and be careful of those Bari. If one of them shocks you, you'll most likely be killed…"

"Yes, don't worry about that," Navi interjected. "I heard Ruto's warning. Don't worry about me. But what are you planning on doing?"

"You'll see. Ruto, get ready. Here we go…"

The Kokiri made sure that the princess was firmly secure on his back before he took a deep breath, made a silent prayer to the Three Goddesses and to Saria, bent his knees, and pushed himself forward into a sprint, straight for the advancing Bari.

The Bari were too slow to react to their prey's sudden decision to head in their direction, and their formation was sloppy enough to leave a large enough gap for Link and Ruto to sail through untouched. One Bari tried to get Link with its tentacles, but the Kokiri was too fast for it. By the time they managed to turn around to pursue, their prey had disappeared down the tunnel.

As he ran as fast as he could, Link tried to rid his mind of all distractions. He attempted to block out anything that didn't relate to this desperate plan of his, including the possibility that the Bari were faster than he thought. He just ran, making sure he put all his effort into his sprint while also making sure Princess Ruto didn't fall off. Navi managed to keep pace beside him and did try to ask him a question, but he refused to listen to the fairy.

Within moments, the end of the tunnel was visible. Ruto breathed a sigh of relief before saying loudly, "Link, we're at the mouth of the tunnel. You can stop now."

To her amazement and horror, Link didn't try to stop or even slow down. In fact, he seemed to be…speeding up!

"Link, what you doing?" Ruto demanded. "We're heading for the end of the tunnel! Stop before you kill us both!"

But Link didn't listen to her. Instead, he continued to push himself forward, as if possessed by a demon that wanted him to commit this suicidal act.

"Link! Stop! Please, I beg of you! If you don't stop, we're both going to die! Don't you see that? Link, what's gotten into you? Don't you see we're going to go over the edge and…Link! Link! _Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiink_!"

Just like that, without a sound or an explanation, Link used his strength to leap from the very edge of the tunnel's mouth into the air. Time seemed to slow down as everything rushed passed in slow motion. Ruto, unable to do anything else, screamed her head off. It was probably the first time she had ever screamed in fear instead of selfishness…not that it mattered right now.

As the ground slowly rushed to meet the two head on, Ruto couldn't take it. Her vision faded as her mind blacked out, allowing her to slip into an unconscious state. The last thing she remembered was the feeling of Link grabbing her arms and twisting them both around so their sides faced the ground. The last thing she heard was the sound she had expected when Link's jumped: a loud, deafening…

_CRASH…_

When Link jumped into thin air with Princess Ruto, Navi nearly lost all control in her wings. She wanted to tell him to stop, but by then it was too late. She could only watch in horror as the boy she had been sworn to protect sailed through the air like a tossed stone, gliding upon a projectile that took him and Ruto directly towards the…

Wait a minute!

Had he just landed in…yes, he had!

Navi was so surprised by this sudden turn of events she didn't know what to do: rejoice for Link's resourcefulness or go down and box his ears for scaring her half-to-death. But at least she now knew why he wanted her out of his hat.

Taking another dip in that stuff wasn't exactly comfortable…

At the moment Link felt his weight strike the watery yet warm liquid in Lord Jabu-Jabu's heart's blood pool, he quickly spread himself to stop his descent to the bottom. He had no idea how deep the pool was or if it was connected to a valve that could suck him in, so he didn't feel like taking any chances…

Well, he didn't feel like taking any _more_ chances…

He had held his breath only just before striking the pool, but already his lungs wanted to release the inhalation for fresh air. Fire flared up in his chest and his muscles started to sting madly. The blood seemed to try and force him down and the liquid started to clog his eyes and enter his mouth and nose. But he wasn't going to give up, not by a long shot. He just had to reach the surface…

"Iiiiiiiiiiyeeeeeuuuuuuhh!"

Link gasped for breath the moment his face broke the surface of the pool. Strength instantly returned to his muscles and the blood flowed from his eyes, allowing him to see more clearly. But he didn't have time to celebrate; instead he began making sure he hadn't lost anything from the plunge.

As he floated there in the blood, he quickly patted himself down to make sure his had everything: Spiritual Stones, sword, slingshot, bombs, boomerang, ocarina, bottle, Princess Ruto…

"Princess Ruto…?" Link mumbled before realizing the Zora was no longer on his back. "By Din's Fire, Princess Ruto!"

Link quickly scanned the blood pool for the missing princess, but couldn't see her anywhere. All he saw were the falls of blood as they cascaded into the pools around the heart and the vast emptiness of the deity's heart. Had she sunk to the bottom with the third Spiritual Stone? Had she let go in mid air and fallen somewhere else, like another blood pool or…worse…?

Just then, he saw her. Just a short distance away was a motionless blue mass floating upon the pool's surface, face down with arms and legs submerged. His heart racing in horror, Link swam with all his might towards the tranquil Zora, his arms wildly creating waves within the pool. When he reached Ruto, he wrapped his left arm around her, making sure to first lift her face out of the liquid, and used his right arm to pull the two of them towards the shore. But even though he swam with only one arm, he somehow managed to move just as quickly as if both arms were free.

Somehow, he was _that_ desperate…

He reached the shore of the pool in record time and climbed out rapidly, permitting the blood to dribble down his face like tainted saliva. He then grabbed Ruto with both hands and hauled her from the pool and onto the ground. Link then erected himself and waited for Ruto to wake up and make everything okay.

But she didn't wake up, which made everything worse.

Fearing the worst, Link knelt down and placed his ear against the princess' mouth; he felt no breath and heard no breathing. He then placed an ear against Ruto's chest; to his amazement, he heard a faint yet steady beating heart. She was still alive, but not breathing; maybe her windpipe was clogged…

Without a second thought, Link placed both hands upon Ruto's chest just below her breasts and pushed it gently yet firmly. He had seen Saria do this when fellow Kokiri nearly drowned after playing in the lake back home; maybe it would also work on Princess Ruto…

"Come on, princess," Link begged as he heaved his hands up and down upon the silent Zora's chest. "Come on, you can do it. Don't die on me, not now. Come on, please…"

But there was still no response, and Link could almost swear Ruto's heartbeat was fading fast.

"Ruto, please! Wake up! If you wake up, I'll let you yell at me again…"

"Ack! Ack…acka…ack! Aaackaa!"

Without warning, Princess Ruto's motionless body sat up slightly and began coughing violently. Link, a little stunned, leaned back to give Ruto room to do her thing. As he watched, Princess Ruto used all her strength to rid her windpipe of whatever was clogging it. But despite her resolve, it took a while before the culprit, an extensive stream of Lord Jabu-Jabu's blood, left her mouth and allowed her lungs to breath again.

Link started to feel relieved when the princess turned her head slowly to face the person that had saved her. Her tired-looking eyes scanned the Kokiri for a brief moment before a faint smile cracked her lips.

"Link…" she whispered before coughing a few final drops from her lungs. "You…saved…me. Th…th…thank you…I…"

Then, without another word, Ruto lost all sense of consciousness and all strength in her muscles and collapsed backwards with a deep sigh. Link responded quickly by reaching out and grabbing her before hitting the floor. He glanced over Ruto in hope that she would wake up again, but there was no such luck. She was out like a candle in a fierce wind and it would be a while before she woke up again.

_"Great!"_ Link grumbled. _"And I need her to get us out of here! What else can go wrong…by Farore's Wind! The Spiritual Stone! Where is it…?"_

It was then that Link remembered her satchel. Sure enough, it was still slung over her shoulder. Had Ruto put it in there? Link quickly grabbed the bag, opened it, and peered inside. The sparkle of the Zora's Sapphire flashed in Link's eyes like bright stars, indicating that the stone was, indeed, safe and sound.

"That's the relief," he sighed to himself. "I think I'll just take it for safekeeping and put it with the other stones…"

But Link stopped himself as he reached for the final Spiritual Stone. He hadn't asked Ruto for it yet, and it would be rude to just take it away from her. Sure, it might be safer with him, but Ruto apparently had quite a strong attachment to it; she said it had belonged to her mother, wasn't it? In any case, she told him she would keep it safe, and it had survived a death-defying plunge, so why wouldn't it survive longer?

Hoping he was making the right decision, Link closed the satchel and made sure it was fastened tightly. He then made sure Princess Ruto was still alive; indeed, her breathing and heartbeat had stabilized, but she hadn't regained consciousness. Shaking his head, Link realized there was only one thing to do.

Turning around and carefully lifting the princess behind him, Link managed to get Ruto onto his back and lock his hands together underneath her lower body as a crude seat. To make sure she didn't fall off, he bent forward to allow Ruto's limp body to fall completely on his back. As her head rested against his neck, he could feel her shallow breath against his skin.

Hopefully, she would wake up soon so she can help him get out of here. He had absolutely no idea how to get out of Lord Jabu-Jabu, and those Bari…

Wait! The Bari! He forgot about them! Where were they? Link turned his gaze to the tunnel they had moments ago come from…and nearly dropped Princess Ruto in astonishment. He could see them, right at the tunnel's mouth and beginning to drift slowly downward towards the Kokiri and Zora.

_"Great! Either they're faster than Ruto said, or I've wasted too much time here. We've got to get out of here! Now!"_

Link then swallowed hard before he prepared himself to call out for Navi, but the fairy beat him to the punch. "Link! Link! We've got to get out of here! The Bari are on their way here and will catch us unless we move!"

The fairy fluttered in front of his face an instant later. Link thought it best to hide his agitation over Navi stating exactly what he had figured out himself; the situation was too serious for arguments. "Fine, fine! Get under my hat if you have to…"

"Actually, I think I'll fly for a while. Is that okay with you?"

"Whatever! Let's just go!"

The Kokiri then looked around frantically for a way out of the heart. To his complete and utter relief, he saw an artery that was level with the ground on the near side of the giant muscle. Nodding once, as if to assure himself everything will be all right, he made sure Ruto was secure on his back before he dashed towards the artery. Navi followed him closely while the Bari above and behind them tried to catch up to their elusive prey.

Before the beasts even reached halfway to the ground, Link, Ruto, and Navi were long gone down the tunnel of flowing blood…

"We're lost! Admit it, we're lost!"

Link snarled before he answered in a loud reply, "All right, all right, we're lost! Happy now? Now I don't suppose _you_ have any idea where we are!"

As Link stopped to catch his breath, Navi fluttered in front of her face, her glow flickering madly. "No, I don't! But you could've gotten directions, you know! I'm sure little Miss Royal Pain on your back would've been _glad_ to help you! Now I don't even think _she_ knows where we are!"

"Oh, can it!" Link demanded. "The situation's bad enough as it is!"

They had been running for only the Three Goddesses knew how long. Link had hoped the artery he had chosen would lead to an exit from Lord Jabu-Jabu, like the nasal passages Ruto had mentioned. Instead, it had lead to more branches of blood vessels, forcing Link to make a decision. The one he had chosen lead to more branches, and his next choice lead to another and so forth, until he had no idea where they were. He wasn't even sure if he was heading in the right direction. For all he knew, he was heading straight for the other end of the enormous deity…

"Maybe we should turn back," Link suddenly proposed before realizing that was a big mistake.

"Oh, so now you're suggesting we turn back!" Navi bellowed in her high-pitched voice. "Good idea…no, no, no, a _great_ idea! That can get us even _more_ lost! You are so smart, Link, I could just bow down before your wisdom! I don't know where you come up with your ideas…"

"Navi, shut up!" Link ordered in a voice so powerful Navi fell silence immediately. "What is wrong with you? Are you still bitter about me bringing us down here? Or are you just trying your best to be a pain in my side? You've been nothing but nagging since we got down here! Yes, I don't know what to do right now, but neither do you! And unless you start giving out ideas on how we can get out of here, just be quiet and stop making the situation worse than it already is!"

Navi's flashing quickly calmed down as the fairy silently hovered in the air before Link's tightened face. The fay then turned her back to the Kokiri before saying, "I…I…I'm sorry, Link. I guess I'm just a little…angry, that's all. I may be your fairy, but I'm still getting to know you as if we've just met. Even now, you seem like a completely different person. And that can be a little…irritating at times, especially when I've always wanted to be someone's guardian fairy and be the best there is…I've obviously got a long way to go, but still…"

Navi then turned back around to face Link and continued, "Link, I'm really sorry. Please…eep!"

"Eep?" Link asked, confused. "What's that…? Oh, bother!"

He asked the question as he turned around to look behind him, and he stopped asking it when he realized why Navi had said "eep." A short distance away down the artery was a small back of Bari, slowly drifting their way towards Link, Navi, and the sleeping Ruto. Link had no idea if they were the same Bari from the heart, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that they were getting closer and they looked ready to hunt.

Link, not willing to become a piece of floating gelatin's food, secured Princess Ruto on his back before turning the other way to get away from the approaching monsters. But he only made it a short distance before he skidded to a complete halt. Navi started asking why he stopped when she noticed the reason as well.

There were more Bari down the other side of the artery, blocking Link's escape route and closing the gap between them and the trio of adventurers.

"By Naryu's Love, why does this have to happen?" Link screamed as he reached for his sword. "Looks like I'll have to fight them anyway…"

But Link already knew fighting the Bari would result only in wasted effort. Ruto's warning that they were dangerous echoed in his mind, and with the princess on his back he would have an even harder time fighting them. Sure, he could just dump her so he could fight, but he felt responsible for Ruto's safety and didn't wish to leave her vulnerable.

Both groups of Bari continued to close in on their prey, their tentacles waving around like excited tree bark snakes poised to strike. Even without Ruto, Link knew there was no way he could get past them without being touched by one of those deadly tentacles. And with both directions blocked, there was no way to go…

Wait a minute! Link remembered something Ruto did a while ago, back at the stomach. Maybe…maybe _he_ could also do it…it just might work…

Without a second thought, Link dashed to the side of the blood artery, gripped his sword with both hands, and hacked at the wall of the artery with all his might. The blade sank into the flesh of the artery on the first blow and Link used his sword to carve downward through the artery's pulp. He could also feel the sword slicing through something on the other side of the artery; maybe it was the wall of an organ that could lead him to safety…

Just as the Bari were within touching distance of the Kokiri, Link finished work on the artery wall and whatever was on the other side. He hesitated in stepping through the cut he had just made, but he then remembered the Bari approaching on either side and realized he'd be dead anyway if he stayed. After making a quick and silent prayer, Link stepped through the incision, just moments before one of the Bari's tentacles lashed out at him with a brief yet powerful spark.

He had no idea where he was; it was a long tunnel-like organ, much larger than the blood artery and seemingly just as long. The entire passageway was lined with a soft, rough, pink tissue that felt flexible under Link's feet. Covering the ground of the organ was a substance that resembled saliva yet didn't seem to _be_ saliva. Link guessed he had entered the digestive system again, but where in the system he could only imagine…

But there was no time for pondering. The Bari would probably try and get through the slit he had made to get him, and there were no such creatures in this organ; he couldn't afford to waste this opportunity. He quickly picked a direction and put all his effort into running that way, with Ruto still out cold on his back and Navi silently trailing.

Because this new tunnel was much larger than the artery, Link had no idea how far or how long he ran; he didn't even know if he was making any progress. Thankfully, there were no Bari in front of him or behind him; at least that was some kind of assurance. He didn't know where this organ would lead him, but hopefully it didn't lead to the stomach and its monstrous vat of acid….

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the tunnel started to thin out, as if creating some kind of opening that served some kind of purpose. Sure enough, after a little more running, Link found exactly what the tightening tunnel lead to: a valve door about five times the size of one of the blood pools back at the heart. Link remembered coming across a similar valve in the blood vessels during his walk with Ruto; she had said they opened and closed in a timed rhythm to keep a natural cycle of blood flow.

But since blood didn't flow here, how did this door open? Link thought for a moment, and guessed since this was most likely the digestive system, the valve opened when food passed through here. Maybe it would mistake him for food. It was worth a shot…

Gulping softly, Link slowly approached the giant door, praying it lead to a way out or at least to a place of safety where Ruto could wake up. He made each step cautiously, as if a fast movement would cause the door to become a horrible monster and devour him whole. But each step towards the valve did nothing to open it, even when he was standing within arm's length of it.

_"Maybe I was wrong,"_ Link thought as he touched the valve gently with one of his hands.

Suddenly, without warning, the enormous door burst open. The valve split in four different directions and collapsed against the wall of the pink organ, allowing a vast doorway for the "food" to enter. Link was so shocked by this he nearly dropped Ruto, but luckily he managed to keep her firmly on his back. When he managed to stabilize himself, he couldn't help smile at himself for being right.

Even Navi was impressed. "Looks like everything's going to be okay, Link."

"I guess so," Link replied. "Let's get going before any of those Bari show up. Maybe there's even a way out over here."

The small trio then stepped through the enormous doorway quickly, as if to make up for lost time for something.

Link was feeling very pleased with himself. Things were looking up for him, and everything was going his way for once. He had found Princess Ruto and the final Spiritual Stone, and he had lost those accursed Bari. With any luck, he would find some kind of an exit around here so he could take Ruto back to her father, and King Zora would forgive his blasphemy against his people and Ruto would give him the stone as thanks for saving her.

Yes, he really and truly thought things were indeed going his way.

He quickly pushed that thought out of his mind when the valve closed behind him and plunged the entire room into pitch darkness…


	30. A New Kind of Medicine

**Chapter 30: A New Kind of Medicine**

Link never expected the room on the other side of the valve to be so dark. Ever since he left Lord Jabu-Jabu's throat, the deity's fluorescent blood had always been there to allow him to see. So why now, of all times, did that have to stop? Did the blood vessels suddenly decide to turn away from this part of the body, or was there another reason?

Could something actually be draining the blood, or the light-emitting nutrients in the blood?

Link wanted to laugh at such a thought, but something told him not to dismiss the idea. Come to think of it, the brightness of the enormous pink tunnel he had just left did seem a little dim compared to the rest of the body. But did that add up as conclusive proof, a gut feeling and a coincidental finding?

Thankfully, because she was no longer drenched in Lord Jabu-Jabu's saliva, Navi's glow shone bright enough for him to see a respectable distance…respectable in that he would know if he was about to fall off a high edge or something like such. Actually, the situation felt exactly like the time he and Navi walked inside the Great Deku Tree's hollow trunk, looking for whatever had cursed him. He hadn't found that giant hole until he was right on top of it.

So what exactly would he find in _this_ place only if he was right on top of it?

He didn't want to think about it…

"Link," Navi suddenly said as she hovered lightly over the Kokiri's shoulder. "Any idea where we are and why it's dark all of a sudden?"

"I don't know where we are, "Link answered rather nervously," or why it's so dark. But hey, I thought you could see in the dark. Can't you see where we are or something?"

"Well, yes and no. I can see in the dark, but it's not like seeing the world in broad daylight; it's like seeing a dark-colored shadow of something, so I can't exactly see things clearly, just know that they're there. But I can tell you that this room is quite large, though not as large as the heart. The ceiling isn't as high, but the walls do span quite a bit apart from each other. But I can't see anything that resembles an exit…no, wait, I take that back. There appears to be something resembling a tunnel at the other end of the room. Maybe it's another valve, but I can't be sure. Still, it's worth a look."

Link breathed a sigh of relief. Things were looking up again. "Well, then, let's get going…"

"Wait!"

Navi's voice was so sudden and so urgent that Link immediately grew anxious. "What? What happened? Isn't a door?"

"No, that's not it. I thought I saw something move in front of it. It was there for a brief moment, and then…gone, as if it never existed. I'm not even sure what it was shaped like, but it looked vaguely familiar…I don't know, maybe it was my imagination."

Link wasn't sure about that; if there was one thing he had learned, it wasn't to let down his guard. And to dismiss something as Navi's imagination when he had a weird feeling about this place didn't exactly sound like a good idea.

"Navi, where exactly is that door? I want to get over there right now."

"Sure thing, it's actually directly in front of us and…wait! There! I saw it again! This time, I'm definitely sure I saw it. But I still don't know what it is, yet I'm sure I've seen it somewhere before…"

All of a sudden, before Navi could continue, the chamber lit up like a daytime sky that hadn't seen the sun in years. Link quickly shielded his eyes with his right arm to adjust to the brightness, but he also made sure he didn't drop Ruto, who didn't even flinch from the vividness in her sleep. He had no idea where this light was coming from, but it differed from the kind of light that the deity's blood emitted. In fact, there was something…tainted…about this light, and he somehow guessed it was being released in the very center of the room.

Navi was the first to comment about the light…or rather, the _source_ of the light.

"By the Three Goddesses, what in all of Hyrule is _that_?"

Deciding he had adjusted to the brightness enough, Link removed his right arm to see what Navi had discovered. His vision was still a little blurry, but he could see exactly over what the fairy was fretting.

As he had guessed, the source of the light stood in the very center of the chamber. Exactly what it was, Link could only imagine. This…_thing_ stood taller than the deformed Gohma rearing to strike and was wide enough to double as a house for several Kokiri. Its lower half was pudgy and obese, as if a storage area for something, and covering it was a kind of sickening pink blubber that was in turn protected by transparent splotches of an odd-looking gelatin. In between these slabs of gelatin swayed small tentacles that were colored a purple that resembled a bloody purple. The creature's upper half thinned out into a strange-looking sac that most likely was its main nerve center, covered in blue and red spine-like decorations. Protruding from this nerve center were three long, red tentacles of tissue that were connected to the top wall of the chamber. In between those three tentacles were three more tentacles that were colored a the same purple as smaller ones and each one ended with what appeared to be a fur-like cup with a single antenna dangling out.

Whatever this thing was, it was definitely alive. The three red tentacles connected to the ceiling of the chamber throbbed in a nauseating rhythm that suggested they were sucking something out and feeding it to the nerve center, and the lower body pulsed like Lord Jabu-Jabu's heart, only in a careless and sloppy fashion. The three main purple tentacles were also adding to the idea that this thing was alive by examining – not waving, but examining – its surroundings by pointing its peculiar hair-like bowls in various directions around the room.

Link then realized they were the creature's eyes to the world, because one of those bowls was pointed directly at him, sweeping in a small arc but generally aimed at him…

"Navi, what…what…?" Link whispered loudly and nervously to the fairy.

"I…I have no idea," Navi answered just as anxiously as the Kokiri. "But I don't think it's here to escort us out of here. I think it would be best if we left. Maybe we can go back the way we came, because making it to the other side doesn't look like a good idea right now…"

That sounded like a good idea. Hopefully, the valve would open for them on this side of it. Making sure Ruto was still secure on his back, Link started to walk backwards, towards the area the valve was located, all the while keeping his eye on this hideous freak of nature in front of him. Yes, just a few steps and he would be home free…

But Link immediately sensed something was wrong when the fur bowl that was eyeing him suddenly stopped its sweeping movements and stood very still. Link stopped as well, but by then it was too late. As he watching in horror, the small antenna in the bow stiffened like a dried-up twig before inexplicably creating a small yet noticeable charge of electricity on its tip. Then, before Link knew what was happening, that small charge surged down the antenna and spread across the bowl, creating a brief, bright flash of light.

Link didn't even have time to cry out when the bowl spat with a loud fizzle an enormous surge of electrical energy in Link's direction…

Lord Jabu-Jabu groaned. Loudly.

Lizel looked up from the ground in puzzlement and disbelief. Lord Jabu-Jabu had _never_ groaned this loudly before. This could only mean one thing: the god of the Zoras was in intense pain right now. Whatever was hurting the poor deity was strengthening its attacks, and that meant the deity's death was drawing to a close even faster.

Lizel didn't know what to do. Should he call the other Zoras? Should he inform King Zora? Or should he stay here with the god in his final hours, if these really _were_ his final hours…?

No, that wasn't right. If Lord Jabu-Jabu was going to die here and now, the whole Zora kingdom deserved to witness it. Every Zora male, female, and child deserved to pay his respects to the god that had protected their race for so long. It was only fitting for the great Lord Jabu-Jabu.

But first, he made to make sure this was truly the end. He had to find a doctor and quickly. If the fish god truly was going to die this day, then preparations for bringing King Zora to the shrine had to be made.

As Lizel stood up, Lord Jabu-Jabu released yet another loud groan, solidifying the horrifying possibility of his death in the next few hours. His heart racing, Lizel apologized to the enormous deity for leaving before turning around and heading into the tunnel in search of a doctor…

It wasn't easy dodging a possibly fatal blast of electricity with an unconscious princess on his back, but Link somehow managed to pull it off. The stream of deadly energy passed his leg by a hair's breath as he leapt to the side and landed on the ground with a loud thud. But he guessed there was no time for a rest, and he was right. The blast was short and instant, and almost immediately after firing it the purple tentacle turned its bowl towards Link for a second shot.

Without a second thought, Link scrambled to his feet, making sure Ruto was still with him, and sprinted as fast as he could. A second later, another shot struck the very place Link had been laying.

With no other option, Link simply ran. It was his only defense against those blasts of energy, and it worked pretty well. The creature had to take a moment to ready its shots, and those moments were all Link needed to avoid them. But Link knew he wasn't going to be able to run forever; he needed to find a way to beat this thing, or at least distract it long enough to get away…

Just then, the tentacle stopped turning in Link's direction. Link, surprised by this, stopped running. Had the monster run out of energy to fire or something…? No, it hadn't! It was simply positioning the _next_ tentacle to fire because he had run out of the first one's firing range!

Both angry and uneasy at the same time, Link resumed his defensive running just moments before the second tentacle fired its first shot.

_"This is just getting better and better, isn't it?"_ he grumbled before something occurred to him. _"Hey, where's Navi? She can't be under my hat…oh, great! Just great! I hope she's all right, because I don't know if fairies can survive being touched by electricity!"_

Hoping that the fairy was okay, Link placed his full concentration on the situation at hand. Resting would be suicide, and any hesitation might just kill him…

It was during his scurrying from the third tentacle's blasts that Link had an idea. Ruto was slowing him down immensely, but he wasn't prepared to just throw her down while he ran. But after judging the way the creature maneuvered its tentacles, he might just have a chance to put her down so he could have a better chance at fighting this thing.

As he ran, he also curved his way towards the wall of the chamber until he ran directly alongside it. He then waited for the right opportunity, when the attacking tentacle could go no further and the beast had to use the next available one. The chance arrived a little longer than expected, probably because he was running around a longer radius, but when it came he was ready.

As the tentacles interchanged, Link stopped running and quickly made his back face the wall. He then carefully yet quickly set Ruto down lying against the wall so that she was propped upright in a sitting position. Link badly wanted to make sure she was all right, but he couldn't; if he stayed around that spot, the creature would fire there and probably hit Ruto.

No, he simply laid her down, gave her a brief glance, and then ran again. Moments later, an energy blasted was fired, and it missed Princess Ruto by a reasonable yet close distance. Link's heart skipped a beat at that shot, but when it missed he felt a great burden fall off his shoulders.

_"There!" _he thought excitedly._ "Now it's time to get serious!"_

As he continued his dash around the room, Link examined the situation. The creature was obviously not very bright; if it were, it would do something to counter Link's running maneuver, like overshooting. The beast also appeared vulnerable at its lower half; that pink blubber didn't appear very strong, and hurting it just might distract the creature from firing. Of course, getting closer would increase the likelihood of being hit by one of those shots, but that was a chance he had to take. Running around like this wouldn't last, and he was already feeling tired.

If only he had a weapon he could use against the monster other than his sword…

Wait! He _did_ have a weapon other than his sword! Without taking his eyes off the direction he was running, Link reached for his belt and felt around it until he found the bomb bag. He then reached into it and pulled out one of the bombs that Malachite had given him. He smiled gleefully. If _this_ didn't distract that thing, then nothing would!

Hoping the fuse would ignite, Link used his free hand to grab the fuse and gently stroked its tip. To his complete relief, a spark ignited on the fuse and started to creep down towards the explosive seeds in the sac.

Link, feeling extremely confident, waited until the creature fired another shot before he turned to face it.

"Here you go, you monster!" he bellowed loudly. "A little gift from the Gorons!"

The Kokiri then threw the small yet deadly item right at the beast. Link was then forced to run again to avoid the next blast, but he already knew it had landed right near the creature; the trajectory was, for lack of a better work, perfect.

Then the waited for the explosion, waited for the distraction he needed to get him and Ruto and Navi, wherever she was, out of here. He waited for the deafening explosion and bright light that would be the signals for escape.

But the wait turned into a delay, and the delay grew longer than it should've been. There was no deafening explosion, no bright light, and no other sign that the bomb had gone off. Something was wrong; what had happened? Did the creature somehow manage to disarm it…? No, it was too stupid and inept to do something like that. Then what had happened?

Link had to find out…

For the first time during his dodging sprint, Link turned around and ran the other way. That change of direction nearly caused him to walk into an energy shot right behind him; luckily, he noticed it in time and managed to sidestep it. He darted over to where he had thrown the bomb and turned his head to face the monster and find the bomb.

He found it almost immediately, lying quietly by the base of the creature. Although he was quite far away, Link could still see a fuse projecting from the bomb's sac. To his complete horror, he realized the fuse had fizzled out. Maybe it was because of all the moisture it had been exposed to, especially the swim he had taken in that blood pool.

This wasn't good. If one bomb couldn't do it, then the others were probably just as unlikely to detonate. Now he had to find another way to distract this oversized piece of lard. Maybe he would have to use his sword after all…

"…What's…going on…? Where am I…? What's go…? What? By Din's Fire…a Barinade! No, stay back! Stay…back…!"

When Link heard Princess Ruto's voice, he immediately turned his attention to the Zora on the other side of the room. The princess was standing up and staring in horror and the giant monster before her that she called a Barinade. The Barinade had obviously noticed her as well, and as if forgetting all about Link it turned the closest of it its terrible tentacles towards Ruto.

"Princess Ruto!" Link screamed as he realized what was going to happen. "Get out of there! Move before that thing shoots! Princess Ruto! Get out of the way!"

But Ruto didn't move; either she was too fatigued or she was too frozen in horror to move. This worked to the Barinade's advantage as he steadied its purple tentacle and prepared to fire one of its deadly blasts.

"Liiiiink…!" Ruto managed to scream.

"Ruuuutoooo!" Link screamed back before he started to run.

He didn't know why he was running; it was pointless. He was too far away to even get to her before the Barinade fired, and he was simply wasting his energy. But something inside of him told him to run, to go and save the Zora princess from possible certain death. Ruto might not be the most likeable or predictable person he knew, but he couldn't stand the thought of anyone being killed by a monstrosity such as this Barinade. If he could do anything – _anything_! – he would do it.

He didn't know why, but he was running.

Then he felt it, felt something inside of him come alive. He didn't know what it was, mainly because he was concentrating on saving Princess Ruto, but he felt something. It resembled that odd experience he felt when he had faced King Dodongo, but at the same time it was different. It surged through his veins, coursed throughout his muscles, and flooded into his mind. He didn't and did have control over it at the same time. It entered him without warning or permission, but he welcomed it. It would help him, he knew. How he knew, he didn't know…or care.

As the _something_ intensified, he felt its effects. His legs were gaining strength, enough strength to overcome the immense fatigue that was sapping his energy. That energy not only increased his strength, but his speed. He didn't have to look down to see that effect; he could see the effect all around him. The world always seemed to fly by when a person runs, but right now it was flying by so fast that he couldn't even see most of it anymore. But for some reason, he could still see the main reason he was running. He could still see Ruto and he could still see the Barinade preparing to fire and possibly kill the frightened princess.

Without even realizing what he was doing, Link pushed himself harder, and he ran even faster. He was going to make it; he didn't know why or how, but he was going to make it.

He didn't even lose his concentration when he heard the familiar sound of the Barinade's energy shot. He simply kept focusing on his objective, which was reaching Ruto before it was too late. As he neared the frightened Zora, he could almost swear he was watching the electrical blast as it was being fired. The world was moving in slow motion in his eyes, and he was using this to his advantage. He was not going to mess this up. Ruto would be safe; he would personally see to that.

"Liiiink!" Ruto screamed one more time, just moments before he reached her.

But the Kokiri quickly realized there was no time to get Ruto out of the way. Doing so would only end up getting _both_ of them hit by that energy blast. So there was only one thing to do. Without a second thought and still allowing that strange _something_ to course through him, Link jumped.

The blast struck him in mid air; he felt its effects almost immediately. Electricity gushed all over his body and gave the sensation of frying all his muscles and nerve endings. Even early on he could tell he couldn't move as the energy touched him. He screamed out a scream that seemed to last for an eternity, but all he heard was a loud fizzle as the energy crackled across his skin and gave off a smell that resembled a burnt tree after a lightning storm. To top it all off, the sensation was so painful Link nearly blacked out before hitting the ground just a short distance away from Ruto. He ended up passing out the moment he _did_ strike the ground.

There he lay, motionless and still on his stomach, his eyes wide open and staring at nothing but the ground. Strangely, his lips were curled into an open smile, as if satisfied with what he had done…

When Ruto watched Link fall like a lifeless rag doll after taking that blast for him, she nearly died of fright. Her eyes went wide with disbelief, her mouth gaped in horror, and movement suddenly returned to her muscles.

"Liiiink! Nooooo!"

Not even thinking about the Barinade that had just tried to kill her, Ruto ran to the boy that had just saved her from a similar fate and knelt down beside him. She grabbed his shoulders and shook them firmly while calling out his name and pleading for him to wake up. When that did nothing, Ruto reached for his head and lifted it so she could see his face clearly. When she saw what he looked like – wide, lifeless eyes, gaping mouth, and pale cheeks – she nearly broke down and cried.

"Link…no, no, no, no, no…this isn't possible…please, don't die on me like this…please, Link, don't die…you can't die…please, don't die…"

But all her begs and pleas were unanswered as Link's frozen body remained the same. She couldn't even detect breathing from the Kokiri's mouth. Ruto didn't know what to think. The boy she had mistreated and molested had done something she never expected he would do: he offered his life to save her own. She had done nothing for him, and yet he had offered the ultimate sacrifice. It was a painful irony that she was going to have to live with for the rest of her life…

"Link…no…" Ruto bawled before the tears started to fall from her eyes. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to be mean to you…I swear to the Three Goddesses, I'm sorry…forgive me, I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"

She muttered pleas of forgiveness pleas for forgiveness for several moments before she finally opened her eyes to face one more time the person who had given up his life to save her…

…and she was just in time to see him blink!

Link didn't move his body when he managed to regain his sight; instead he moved his eyes so he could see what was going on around him. For some reason, he had felt drops of water splash onto his face, as if someone were crying over him. They were too big to be Navi's tears, and Barinade definitely didn't cry, so it could only be one person, the last person he expected to cry over him…

"Princess Ruto?" he managed to mumble weakly.

"Link…? You're alive…?" the princess uttered back. "You're really alive?"

"Barely, but yes," the Kokiri stated. "I'm feeling a little sore, but at least it didn't kill me. Are you okay? Are you hurt in any way?"

Link expected Ruto to suddenly regain her proud persona and snuff his worries as wasted energy, but instead Ruto remained speechless for a moment before smiling and answering, "Yes, I'm all right…all thanks to you."

_"All thanks to me, huh?"_ Link thought smugly. _"I never thought I'd hear that from you."_

The two then stayed silent for a brief second before Ruto started speaking. "Link, I…I wanted to say…that is, I wanted to say that…well, I…"

"Wait a minute!" Link interjected. "The Barinade! Where's the Barinade?"

Ruto jerked her head back; she had obviously forgotten about the monster that hade nearly killed her. His heart racing, Link turned his head in the direction of the beast. Was it preparing to fire another shot at the two of them…? Come to think of it, why hadn't it fired another blast by now? He wasn't moving, and neither was Princess Ruto, so…

He immediately saw why. Instead of the beast preparing to fire its tentacles, something else was going on. One of the gelatinous blobs he had seen on the Barinade's lower body was…_floating_ directly towards them, connected to the creature by what appeared to be an arm of pure electrical energy. The blob looked so familiar, like something he had seen just a short time ago, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was, so he asked Ruto.

"The Barinade is reaching to grab you," she explained as she remained absolutely still. "It probably thinks you're dead or immobile enough for it to grab you. That thing is actually a harmless type of Bari without the deadly tentacles; its soul purpose is to grab powerless prey and drag it back to the Barinade where the Barinade will eat it."

He didn't know why, but a sly smile grew on Link's lips. "Powerless, huh? Well, I think I'll prove otherwise."

The Bari was very close to Link and Ruto, within arm's length, when Link made this decision. Somehow, despite being shocked unconscious, he still had a lot of strength surging through his muscles. He wasn't prepared to let a colorless blob carry him like a dead animal to the Barinade so he could be eaten; he was going to show this creature he was still alive and kicking.

Just as the Bari prepared to hover over Link and use small, feathery tentacles to grab him, Link reached for his sword behind his back and swung it hard. The blade sliced through the gelatinous glob like a carnivorous bird's talons tearing through its food. Ruto tried to stop Link from doing this, but it was already too late. The Bari didn't even have time to react; it simply allowed a milky sap to gush from its enormous wound before falling to the ground with a sickening plop.

But Link didn't have time to feel proud of himself. As the Bari hit the ground, the electrical arm connecting it to the Barinade hissed out of existence, and the Barinade responded to this sudden and unexpected event by throbbing faster and aiming the closest purple tentacle in Link's direction.

"Nooo!" Ruto cried before a stream of energy was fired from the tentacle directly at the two. "Nooo!"

_"No!"_

When Link cried that one word in his mind, he felt _it_ surge through his body once more. But it felt strange again, different to the other times he had experienced it, and this time he felt in full control of it. The moment the blast was fired, Link stood up using the strength swelling through him and held out his arms. He then channeled _it_ into his hands and caused that _something_ to spread out in all directions, like the wings of a mighty bird riding the winds.

When he did this, he met the blast of energy head on. The blast should've struck him and knocked him out again…but it didn't. Instead, it struck that _something_ with a loud crack and sputtered out of existence, as if it had struck a wall placed directly between Link and the Barinade. There was no wall or anything of the kind to be seen, and yet something was there, protecting the Kokiri and the princess from the attack of the Barinade.

"Not this time, you overgrown bloodsucker," Link taunted softly. "You're not getting me or Ruto, not when I have the power of…of Nayru's Love!"

But Link immediately recognized a flaw in the strange ability he had unexpectedly named Naryu's Love. The invisible "shield" did protect him from Barinade's attack, but the attack had weakened the shield considerably; it probably wouldn't effectively block the electrical shot a second time. He would have to "recreate" the shield again, and that would take more of the _something_ that allowed him to do such a thing. Recreating the shield countless times would drain his strength, leaving him vulnerable yet again.

He had to find a way to defeat this creature before that happened…

"Link! Link!"

The familiar voice of Navi echoed in his mind several times before the fairy appeared in front of his face from seemingly nowhere. Her intense flickering and twinkling demonstrated how excited she was.

"Navi! Where have you been…?"

"Link, I think I know of a way to stop this thing!"

The Kokiri immediately stopped talking and allowed the fairy to continue.

"Those three pieces of tissue connecting the creature to the ceiling…I noticed every time that monster fires one of its blasts, those things throb uncontrollably, as if drawing needed energy from somewhere. They're probably the source of those energy attacks. If you could somehow sever those things, you might be able to defeat it somehow."

Sever those three pieces of tissue? Link didn't know whether to thank Navi or call her completely insane. The idea did seem like a good one, but how in all of Hyrule was he going to even get near them? His bombs weren't in good enough condition, he had no usable ammo for his slingshot, and his sword was completely out of the question. He had no weapon capable of reach those things…

No, wait! He _did_ have a weapon capable of reaching those things! He didn't move his hands to make sure the boomerang was still on his belt; he could feel its ends dig into his side with its sharp blade threatening to cut his clothing. If he could throw that thing just right, the blade might…

"Thanks for the tip, Navi. I think I know of a way to do just that."

"Great! Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to ask how you managed to survive an electrical shock like that, and I'd also like to know how you managed to _stop _on of those blasts!"

"Well, first I'd like to know where you were while I was _being_ electrocuted…"

_FROOM…_

Ruto screamed when another one of Barinade's electrical attacks struck the distracted Kokiri and sent him flying backwards. He struck the wall with a soft thud and landed on the ground a split second later. Ruto rushed to the struck Link, expecting to find him unconscious again. But to her surprise, she found him groaning in slight pain and grinding his teeth together to ease it.

"Link, are you okay…?" Ruto started before Link held up a hand.

"Don't worry, don't worry," he managed through his teeth. "Nayru's Love managed to take the full brunt of that shot…but boy, it still hurts. I've got to be more careful…ouch, that really hurt…"

"Nayru's Love? What are you talking about…?"

"Link! Link! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Navi," the Kokiri answered as the fairy fluttered over his right shoulder. "I'm fine. But there's something you can do for me. Stay with Princess Ruto and make sure she doesn't move. I don't want that thing to see her before I've taken care of its energy source."

"So you know of a way to sever those tentacles?" Navi asked as if already knowing the answer. Link replied with just a nod. "Then I'll take care of her for you. You have my word."

"Thank you, my friend" Link said with a smile before turning his attention to Princess Ruto, who appeared confused and scared at the same time. "Princess, I'm going to go face this thing and finish it off. Promise me you'll try not to move; I don't feel like taking one of those blasts for you again. Okay?"

"But Link, I don't want you to get hurt…"

"Please, Ruto, Trust me."

When Ruto heard Link give that simple request, her eyes locked with his. She had never noticed how deeply blue they were, almost as deep as her own. But these eyes possessed something she had once sworn she'd never show to anyone: compassion and kindness. What she saw in Link's eyes she wanted to hide away forever inside her, but this boy was revealing them to her without a second thought.

Maybe all her beliefs and ideas weren't justified. Maybe what she believed a princess should be was completely inaccurate. Maybe…she had been – dare she say it or even think it? Yes – wrong! Maybe she had been _wrong_…

The smile she beamed was a weak one, and yet she felt so many raw emotions flowing through it she knew it was something she hadn't experienced in a long time. She couldn't see them, but she knew her eyes were also flooding with those same emotions; any moment now they would be expressed as tears. But she couldn't cry now. She had to give this brave, young, handsome boy her blessing…

"All right, Link. You may go. Just be careful…"

It was then Ruto started to wonder why she had never noticed before how handsome Link was …

"Thank you, Princess Ruto," Link uttered with a bob of his head before he stood up, ignoring the pain delivered by the last blast, and turned to face the Barinade. The next sentence was spoken more to himself than to Ruto and Navi. "It's time to end this."

As Link stepped forward to confront the creature, the first thing he noticed was that instead of readying another attack, the Barinade was reaching with one of its Bari again; it most likely thought that Link had been knocked out by that last blast. This only confirmed his suspicion that the Barinade really was stupid. If it had any kind of brain in that blubbery skeleton, it was either severely underdeveloped or underused. Either way, Link's chances of success just shot up a notch; he could feel confidence replace his fatigue almost immediately.

Deciding not to wait for the Barinade to realize that its prey wasn't immobilized, Link reached for the boomerang and yanked it out with his right hand. He then held it parallel to the ground; if the blade was going to cut those tissue tentacles, then it had to be positioned right. He just hoped he could throw the stick just right; he needed three good, clear shots, and his first shot would undoubtedly alert the Barinade.

_"Make it count,"_ he thought to himself. _"Just make it count."_

Taking a deep breath and whispering a silent prayer, Link wound back his arm and then, with a brief yet loud grunt, threw the boomerang as fast as he could in the direction of the nearest piece of tissue. 

The weapon seemed to whistle as it sailed through the air like a spinning insect with its quarry in sight. It seemed to curve as it flew, but Link knew that was ridiculous; why would a thrown stick suddenly change direction? He just hoped it would hit, hoped it would sever the source of the creature's power…

_SHING…_

The throw was dead on. Like hungry teeth tearing through a piece of bread, the boomerang sliced through the first tentacle as if it were nothing. The piece of the tentacle still connected to the ceiling hung there for a brief second before falling to the ground like a dead leaf falling from a lifeless tree. The part attached to the Barinade drooped across the creature's nerve center like a piece of dead skin, allowing a vile green substance to drip out slowly, and the Barinade itself bulged and contracted in pain. Link was also sure he could hear a soft thunder that resembled the scream of a dying animal.

It didn't take long for the Barinade to realize that Link was still alive. It positioned its attack tentacles for another round of shots, but Link was ready. The creature was too stupid to do anything but shoot aimlessly, and all he had to do was outrun them until he found the boomerang and threw it again…

Just then, he noticed something heading straight for him. To his complete amazement, it was the boomerang, still spinning wildly but in his direction! How was this possible? How could a stick just turn around and return to him? Without thinking, Link waited until the boomerang reached him before he held out his hand and caught it. He then stared at it in astonishment, unable to believe what it had just done…

But his thoughts were shattered when he heard the familiar blast of Barinade's attack. His concentration on the boomerang's ability had distracted him long enough for the creature to take a decent shot! He was a sitting target…

No! He was not! He summoned _it_, and felt it surge through him like a monstrous flood. But it wasn't Nayru's Love; summoning that too many times might weaken him. No, instead he summoned the other…ability he had performed that day. The ability to move like the wind, the ability he couldn't help but name…Farore's Wind!

The power flowed within the span of a heartbeat, and Link then ran. He didn't wait to see how close the Barinade's attack had come to hitting him; he simply concentrated on how he was going to defeat this monster once and for all. Even though the world passed him by rapidly, he could still make out the two remaining tentacles that had to be destroyed in order to cut Barinade from his power supply.

While still running, Link readied his boomerang and, with a great jump into the air, threw it at the nearest of the remaining piece of tissue. Because he was possessed by Farore's Wind, he could see every spin the boomerang made, every vortex of air it created as it sailed through the air like a deadly bird. He could even distinguish exactly how the boomerang's sharp blade carved through the second tentacle with the greatest of ease and how the beast's green blood oozed from the wound like the sticky black blood of the Lizalfos. Link could hear the Barinade "scream" again, but he ignored it. He simply watched as the boomerang did the impossible: curve around like an in-flight beast riding the air currents and head back towards him.

_"So, this is the boomerang's _true_ weapon," _Link thought as he ran to meet the trajectory of the boomerang._ "Not the blade, but its ability to return and be used once more."_

He paused running momentarily only to catch the boomerang, and then summoned Farore's Wind again before the Barinade had a chance to get off another shot.

As he ran, Link felt excitement within him grew. For some reason, fighting was getting more and more natural. And with these abilities that he didn't question but openly accepting, fighting was even easier for him. He didn't know why, but he was really enjoying this. Combat was growing to be a part of his life, and he was welcoming it with open arms.

He wasn't even ashamed of it anymore.

Now there was only one more tentacle, and he had it in his sights. He ran for only a short distance before he stopped and readied his boomerang. The Barinade immediately saw its fast prey and prepared to aim the closest firing tentacle. But Link was not afraid; in fact, he was having the time of his life.

"I'm feeling lucky, you monster!" Link boomed loudly. "How about you?"

With that, he threw his boomerang at the third tentacle. At the same instant, the Barinade fired. Although two tentacles had been severed, this blast appeared to be more powerful than another other before it, as if the Barinade had somehow grown desperate. Link, in his heated excitement, only noticed this when the shot was almost right on top of him.

There was a blinding flash of light when the blast of electricity found its target…

"Any idea what's going on, doctor?"

The Zora doctor ignored Lizel's question for a moment as he continued to watch Lord Jabu-Jabu. The great deity seemed to be squirming awkwardly, as if a terrible battle were being waged within him. The doctor had never seen anything like this; either the god truly was dying, or he was fighting off the threat with unimagined resolve. Whatever was going on, he didn't like it one bit.

"I'm not sure, Lizel," the doctor answered. "Lord Jabu-Jabu still looks as sick as ever, but this behavior is beyond my knowledge. I can only imagine that Lord Jabu-Jabu has created some kind of holy medicine to cure him. Still, we can't be too careful. We must summon King Zora here and warn him of Lord Jabu-Jabu's possible death."

"I'll do that right away," Lizel said before turning around and heading to the throne room.

The doctor remained, puzzled and curious as to what was going on. "Could there really be some new kind of medicine that is attempting to cure you, o Lord Jabu-Jabu?" he asked the fish god, who looked really uncomfortable at the moment. "And if there is…is it enough…?"

"Navi…is Link…okay?"

Ruto didn't know what to think after the Barinade's last attack. The light had been so bright she still couldn't see well enough to make what had happened. She could faintly make out the Barinade's enormous, plump shape, but that was about it. She couldn't see Link at all. Had he really been…?

"Navi, do you see Link?" she asked the fairy.

"Just a minute," the fairy urged. "That flash was so bright even _I_ can't see that well. But no, I can't see him right now…"

No. This couldn't be. Link had appeared to have everything under control. He had even severed two of the three feeding tentacles and had prepared to cut the final one. He looked so confident, so determined, and so passionate about finishing the Barinade off. How could things end this way? How could the Barinade win after…?

Just then, Ruto saw something as her eyes readjusted. She could barely make out a small figure standing to the right of the Barinade, short compared to the monster yet tall and erect, nevertheless. When she was able to focus her eyesight, she nearly jumped for joy against Link's request.

There, standing like a soldier with his arms outstretched, was Link. His face was filled with undeniable triumph and in his right hand he held the boomerang he had used to cut the first two tentacles. He was staring at the Barinade with a mocking facade and he even seemed to be challenging the creature for another try.

But had Link done it? Had he managed to actually use the boomerang to…?

Yes! He had done it! She didn't know how, but Link had done it! The third tentacle was no longer attached to the ceiling; it had been completely severed. The Barinade was now a harmless parasite that would die within a short time; without its feeding tentacles it couldn't live.

She had to let Link know; he would surely be glad he didn't have to do anymore fighting. In giddy excitement she waved to the Kokiri and called out at the top of her voice, "Good job, Link! The Barinade it harmless now! It can't do anything anymore! It'll die within a few hours, and…Link? Link, are you listening? Link, what's wrong? Link!"

For some reason, Ruto had a bad feeling…

Link stood still for a long moment, holding the boomerang high in a direct mockery of the Barinade. The creature was still trying to use its firing tentacles to shoot its deadly energy blasts, but all its efforts were in vain. Without its power source, it couldn't do anything to Link.

But he could still do a lot to the Barinade!

He thought he heard Ruto calling out to him, but he ignored her. He wanted to do something to this creature, something it rightly deserved. Smiling slyly, he lowered the Nayru's Love he had used to block the Barinade's desperate attack at the last minute. That summoning certainly had taken quite a bit of energy from him, but he still had plenty to spare.

So, what was he going to do to this pathetic creature? What was he going to do…?

Just then, Link's eyes fell upon a familiar object lying at the base of the Barinade. It was the bomb he had thrown, the one whose fuse had fizzled before it reached the explosive seeds. And idea suddenly came to Link. He remembered something he had done back at the Dodongo's Cavern, when he was battling the gigantic King Dodongo. It involved both a bomb and another strange ability he had performed.

Funny thing was, now that he could perform both Nayru's Love and Farore's Wind like second nature, he could also recall how to perform that first ability. He smiled wickedly, because it was a perfect way to punish this wretched creature. He even knew what to call this ability.

"Barinade!" Link called out. "I would like to introduce you to…Din's Fire!"

With those words, Link held up his hand and, like before, sent a powerful stream of fire from his hand and directly towards the bomb he had thrown. Like before, the flames licked the bomb for a brief moment before it suddenly exploded with a deafening crash and blinding radiance.

Actually, the explosion of this bomb wasn't as powerful as the one given off by the raw and unrefined Bomb Flower; the Gorons had probably done that on purpose. But that didn't matter to Link. When the blast settled down, he marveled at the bomb's handiwork. The bomb had done quite a bit of extensive damage to the Barinade by gouging the creature's side, making an uneven crater in the beast. Pieces of pink blubber hung all over the place, and green ooze flowed across the wound like a natural waterfall. Other juices dripped like thick rain, and the smell of fresh blood danced throughout the chamber. The Barinade itself throbbed in intense pain; it even seemed to be crying, as if knowing it couldn't do anything to save itself.

But Link didn't care. The Barinade deserved this, and he was going to make _sure_ it knew that.

"So, you don't like fire, do you?" Link laughed as he drew his sword. "Well, I got something for you right here!"

Then, Link concentrated on his sword and summoned the _something_ that created Din's Fire. He focused it on his sword in a way suggesting he had always known how to do this, and within a matter of moments he accomplished what he wanted. With a loud breath of air that sounded like an out-of-control wind, the blade of the sword ignited, covered in flames like a deadly red tongue.

Satisfied, Link grabbed his sword in both hands and cried to the dying Barinade, "You want to eat me? Do you? Well, here's something you can chew on! I hope you choke on it!"

Then, releasing a loud and raucous cry, Link charged, waving the sword above his head like a red flag that signaled the beginning of the end. As he reached the Barinade, Link brought his sword down and plunged its blade deep into the soft pink flesh of the Barinade's enormous wound. Using all his strength, Link made sure he pushed the blade all the way in. He wanted the Barinade to _want_ to die before it really died.

When the blade sank all the way into the flesh, Link…"pushed" the _something_ that summoned Din's Fire, pushed it into the Barinade. He forced Din's Fire to flow within the monster, to course throughout its entire body. He wanted to let it suffer, and pouring the flames of the gods into its entire body would more than suffice. Almost instantly he could feel the effects; the Barinade was growing warmer, and the beast would die any moment now.

Who knows? It might burst from all the heat! Won't that be something!

"Die, you pathetic creature!" Link screamed. "Die, die, die, die, _diiiiiieeee_!"

"Link! Stop it! Link! What are you doing? Link!"

Link blinked, and immediately something in his mind snapped back into place.

_"No…it can't be…"_

The Kokiri quickly yanked the sword from the Barinade's flesh and looked at it. The fire that had once surrounded its blade was gone, replaced by the thick, gummy, green blood of the creature he had just sworn he would kill. But even though the substance was green, it reminded him of another time that a syrupy, sticky was found on his sword like this. The only difference was…it was black…

"No…not again…" Link whispered as he felt his heart race in fright. "Not again…by the Three Goddesses, not again…"

How could he let this happen again? He thought if Navi were with him, he wouldn't lapse into such a state…but she hadn't been with him, had she? She had been with Ruto; she couldn't have done anything. Her sudden plea was what had awoken him, was what had prevented him from pushing himself to the edge of his insane fit.

He couldn't believe it. He had lost control again…and it was much worse this time. There was no denying it; had Navi not stopped him, he would've…would've…

Link didn't have time to even think of what he would've done when, like before, he fainted. It was more out of exhaustion than anything else, but the shock over his actions made a respectable contribution. As the world blacked out, he thought he heard two distinct voices call his name. He also felt his fingers loosen and let go of his sword.

Maybe, just maybe, if the Three Goddesses were just and fair, they would let him fall on it…__


	31. A Modest Proposal

**Chapter 31: A Modest Proposal**

"Well, doctor, what's going on? Is Lord Jabu-Jabu going to make it?"

The doctor didn't answer King Zora's question right away; instead he continued to feel and touch Lord Jabu-Jabu's facial "sensitive spots," just to make sure his analysis of the deity wasn't incorrect. Ever since the god's strange fit of discomfort, he wasn't even sure what to think anymore.

Behind him, practically the entire Zora nation awaited the answer to King Zora's question. Almost two-thirds of the platform was filled completely with standing, anxious Zoras, and the unlucky ones were shoved together in the tunnel, only able to hear the news through word-of-mouth. King Zora himself was seated upon the edge of the platform, his tiny feet dangling in the water and his head straining to turn around to face the silent Zora examining Lord Jabu-Jabu.

Every available pair of eyes was on the doctor as he made his final examinations of the fish god. Every breath was held when the doctor climbed down Lord Jabu-Jabu's face and quietly found a place upon the platform where he could face the anxious Zoras. All ears strained to hear as the doctor finally answered King Zora's question.

"My friends, ladies, and gentlemen, before I begin, I have to say this first. When Lord Jabu-Jabu was first stricken with his unknown ailment, there was nothing I could do to help him. His condition deteriorated every day, and it was an almost certainty he would die. In fact, I sadly anticipated his departure from this world sometime within the next several hours.

"With this in mind, I can now give my diagnosis. I ran as many tests as I could and as accurately as possible. The results I got were so astonishing I had to perform some of them again to make sure I hadn't done anything wrong. But all tests gave me the same results. And the final conclusion is…nothing short of a miracle.

"My fellow Zoras, I can tell you, with absolute certainty, that Lord Jabu-Jabu…is going to live."

When the doctor proudly proclaimed these words, the Zoras didn't give him time for a breather before they burst into wild applause and cheering. As the news spread down the tunnel and through the entire population of Zora's Domain, the explosion of joyous cheer only grew louder and louder until it echoed like a distant thunder across the nearby land.

As if joining in his people in celebration, Lord Jabu-Jabu grunted a familiar and satisfied groan and also served the purpose of letting the Zoras know he was all right…

As he lay there in darkness, Link was forced to relive what he had just done. He watched everything clearly, from the moment he started to enjoy harming the Barinade to when he fainted from exhaustion and disbelief. He could even feel the heat of his sword when he used Din's Fire to ignite its blade like a tongue of fire.

By the Three Goddesses, what was wrong with him? After the first time, he swore he would never become that dark, sinister person again. But despite his decision and his own self, he had still become an uncaring, uncontrolled, sadistic…he didn't even know _what_ he had become! It was too horrifying to describe with words.

There was only one question on his mind: why? Why had he become that terrifying being again? What was the connection between the first time and this time? Besides the fact he faced some kind of horrific creatures, he couldn't find any relationship. Why couldn't he be the Link who had fought Gohma, the Link who had apologized to the monster before he killed it?

Then again, there was nothing telling him to become that Link. He felt no urge, no desire, and no yearning to be that Link again. But why? Could it be…he became insane because he _wanted_ to? Was he becoming someone who _wanted_ to kill? And was he merely hiding from his true self?

If this was the reward for helping Princess Zelda, he wanted _no_ part of it!

_"I want to go home! Please, Saria, help me! I want to go home! I want to end this madness! I just want to go home and return to what I was! Please, Saria, if you can hear me, if you can hear me without the ocarina, please! Help me! I beg of you, help me! Help me, Saria, help me…!"_

The screams in his mind bounced back and forth until they faded slowly like a distant echo. As they dwindled, Link could hear another voice replacing it…no, it was more than one voice. He was sure he could hear at least two voices speaking. One was vaguely familiar, and the other was_ very_ familiar. He could still see nothing but darkness, but he tried to open his eyes, which proved to be quite a feat.

When he finally managed to open them, he found himself staring at two other pair of eyes. The first pair was too small to really see, but he knew Navi was looking at him. What else would she be looking at right now? The second pair was attached to the Zora princess, who was crouched on her hands and knees so her face was level with his. And despite a bit of blur in his vision, Link could make out a mixture of worry and relief within Ruto's eyes.

"Link…" the Zora muttered softly. "You're awake. Thank the Three Goddesses."

"How are you feeling?" Navi asked. "Are you…all right?"

Link was sure Navi wanted to ask, "Are you sane?" But he kept that to himself as he forced himself into a sitting position so he could massage the headache he was feeling in the back of his neck. As he rubbed the sensitive on in his head, he looked around the room to see what had happened during his blackout.

The room was a mess; there was no better description. Around the chamber lay familiar green ooze mixed with puddles of other assorted bodily juices. Mixed in with these fluids were pieces and scraps of pink flesh that lay like dead leaves on the forest floor. Link suspected what these were the remains of, but his suspicions were confirmed when his eyes found a purple tentacle stretched out like a dead snake within arm's length of him.

The Barinade was dead, all right, and it didn't take him long to recall how it had died. It must've exploded after he had pumped Din's Fire throughout its fleshy body. As if in response to the memory, his mind triggered another headache…

"Link, what's wrong?" Ruto suddenly asked. "Are you hurt? Is it bleeding there? Do you need a medicine fish?"

"No, no, I'm fine, thanks," answered Link, but he knew he was far from fine.

"Well, I'm not sure about that," Navi said, as if reading the Kokiri's mind. "You look pale right now, and judging by the way you acted before you fell unconscious, that fit was a lot worse than what you did the first time to those Lizalfos."

"Yes, yes, I know, Navi. I…" Link stopped. His eyes widened in shock. When did Navi know about that? When did she learn about his first fit of insanity? He didn't remember telling her before. "Navi…you know?"

Navi sighed deeply yet softly. "Of course I know. Malatite told me while you were out cold after defeating King Dodongo. I knew something had killed those two Lizalfos, but never did I think it would be you. Sure, you killed Gohma, but Gohma wasn't a trained killer like those beasts. I'm pretty sure Kaepora Gaebora knows as well. Malatite and I decided not to tell you I knew so as not to let you remember it. We figured if you remembered, you might return to that state again. But I guess you don't have to remember to become…well, unstable."

"You mean insane, don't you?" Link corrected.

"I don't like that word. If you really were insane, you'd be out of control for a much longer period of time. You've only experienced this explosive nature twice, and I'm sure there's an explanation behind it. I don't know what's wrong with you, Link, but maybe after we take the Spiritual Stones to Princess Zelda, she can help us. It's the least she can do for sending us on this crazy journey."

Link had to hand it to Navi; she might be a little irritable at times, but when things turned serious she knew what to say. Still, did he really want Princess Zelda's help? With all the resources at her disposal, she might find a way to help him, but did he really want the help of the per\son who had sent him on this senseless quest in the first place…?

"Um…excuse me." It was Princess Ruto. "I'm not exactly sure what's going on, but I'd still like to know if you're okay, Link. That stunt you pulled practically scared me half-to-death. What exactly did you do to that Barinade…and how did you manage to do those strange things?"

Link exchanged a worried glance with Navi. "Navi…should I…?"

"I don't know," the fairy answered. "It won't do any harm, I guess, but then again, she might not like what you have to say. I'll leave it up to you to decide whether or not to tell her."

"Gee, thanks," Link muttered under his breath, but inside he knew the decision of telling Ruto – or, for that matter, anyone – about his…instability, as Navi called it. He had to decide; should he or should he not tell the Zora princess? Should he or shouldn't he reveal to her his volatility?

It took him less than a few minutes to decide. "Princess Ruto, there's something I need to tell you…"

With those words starting his confession, Link poured out his heart to the Zora princess. He didn't spend a great deal about the trials and tribulations of his quest, but he mentioned the bits that dealt with his admission. He told her how he had entered the Dodongo's Cavern to help the Gorons but then ended up slaying two Lizalfos in sadistic ways. He mentioned how the mysterious power had awoken within him when he faced King Dodongo and how he didn't know what it was. He then finally informed her that he had lost it again during his battle with Barinade, and that even though he had somehow learned to control those bizarre abilities, he didn't know how he was able to perform or even why he was able to learn them. During his confession, he emphasized his instability and made sure Ruto understood just how…terrifying he was when he was in one of those fits.

As he neared the end of his speech, Link wondered why he was telling it to Princess Ruto, of all people. He didn't even mention any of this to Malon, and yet he was revealing his horrible secret to a Zora he hardly knew. He didn't even know if he _liked_ Ruto, after the way she had acted towards him….

Come to think of it, what had happened to that Ruto? The Ruto who was listening to his story was a kind, caring Ruto, a Ruto who actually seemed to care about him and his troubles. Was this even the same Ruto he had met back at Lord Jabu-Jabu's stomach? He didn't even know anymore…

"That's…awful," Ruto said when Link finished his confession. "I had no idea you had those kinds of problems. If there were anything I could do…I'd help. And I won't hold what you did against you. That Barinade would've died anyway. I feel sorry for you, Link. I really do."

For some strange reason, Link believed her.

"Now," Ruto continued as she made herself comfortable, "I'd like to present…my own confession, if I may."

Link blinked in surprise. "Your own confession? What do you have to confess?"

"Just this," Ruto uttered before lowering her eyes. "I'm…I'm…sorry for how I acted earlier. The way I acted…I acted like that because I felt that was the right way _to_ act."

"The right way to act?" Navi inquired. "What in the name of the Three Goddesses are you talking about?"

"When I was young," Ruto answered, "much younger than I am right now, my mother passed away. She left me the sacred Zora's Sapphire, but unfortunately she didn't leave me the ways of how to be a princess. I had no one to teach me how to act or anything, and my father never seemed to have the time to help me. When I reached a certain age, an idea suddenly occurred to me that to be a member of a royal family meant you had to be all-powerful and imposing. To this day, I still don't know how that idea came to me, but for some reason I followed that idea from then on.

"It didn't take me long to get used to being proud and overconfident. Everyone seemed to think it was a 'phase' or something, but I believed it was how a princess was supposed to act. I did what I wanted to do and when I wanted to do it, and if someone tried to stop me I simply used my title as princess to get away with it. Eventually, I couldn't help myself; I had become, at least partially, that person I believed what a princess was supposed to be."

Ruto snickered softly. "Funny thing is, despite how I acted, there was always a small part of me that told me it wasn't right. There was a part of me that kept telling me not to act like that, to just be myself. But I always resisted; I wanted to maintain the facade I had built up, wanted to keep the personality that I thought was the correct one. On occasion I did leave that proud and arrogant behavior behind, but it would always return.

"And then I met you."

Link rubbed his eyes; they must've been seeing things. Was that a tear that just slid down her face?

"Believe it or not, you were the first person to actually tell me you didn't like how I acted. I knew the Zoras didn't like it, but they didn't say anything about it. They just accepted it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. My people can be so gullible sometimes."

_"Tell me about it,"_ Link thought with a wince as he remembered his own experiences with the oddball Zoras.

"When you knocked me to the ground back at the heart," Ruto continued, "something snapped inside of me, as if something said to me, 'I told you so.' The fact that I didn't have to keep up that awful charade slapped me in the face harder than you did. The person I wanted to be…I didn't want to be her anymore. I wanted that person gone. All I wanted to be…was myself."

Ruto then raised her eyes again. "And I have you to thank for that. It'll take me a while to truly get rid of that horrible person, but you've…shown me that person isn't who I'm meant to be. Thank you, Link. Thank you."

"You're welcome…I suppose," Link said with an uneasy smile before he thought, _"Well, at least that explains your behavior. Just a pity my case isn't as easy as yours…"_

"I also have another confession to make," Ruto said suddenly.

"Oh, and what's that?" Link asked.

Ruto suddenly flashed a smile and tilted her head. Almost immediately Link felt his stomach lurch into an uncomfortable feeling. Where had he seen this behavior before…?

"When you jumped in front of me to save me from that electrical blast, you…kind of impressed me."

Oh, no! _Now_ he remembered! This was what girls did when they wanted to get a boy's attention! It was slightly different from the way Saria and Malon had done it, but all the signs were there. But why, of all people, was Princess Ruto pulling that act on _him_?

Link's face grew red with uneasiness, and all he could do was repeat Ruto's words. "K…k…kind of imp…p…press…ss…ed you?"

Unforunately for Link, Ruto took the Kokiri's words another way. She rolled her eyes in a "girl-like" way and uttered, "Well, okay. You _really_ impressed me. Is that better?"

_"I…wouldn't kn...kn…know," _Link thought. He couldn't even _think_ without stuttering!

"I mean," Ruto resumed as she cocked her head to the side and widened her smile on one side of her mouth, "it wasn't just you saving my life. It was _everything_ about your fight with that Barinade. You saving my life, using those awesome powers of yours…I mean, I can easily forget about whatever you said about being unstable. You just flat-out impressed me with your courage and resolve…"

_"Please…R…R…Ruto…you're sc…sc…scaring…me…"_ Link thought as he started to shiver.

As if suspecting Link's vulnerability, Ruto's smile widened. "Did I ever tell you how handsome you were…?"

"Princess Ruto, we need something from you."

Navi's interruption of that uncomfortable moment made Ruto turn to face the fairy in frustration and Link sigh in endless relief. So much sweat had trickled down Link's shirt he could feel it stick to his skin as if the air were muggy.

"Need something from me?" Ruto asked Navi in puzzlement. "What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said," Navi replied. "We came to Zora's Domain to fetch something, and we heard that you had it…"

"Oh, yes, now I remember," Ruto interrupted as she stood up. "Link mentioned that he had come for something. I guess now's a good a time as any. Tell me, Link, what is it you need from me? For the brave deed you've done today, I'll grant you anything in my power. Tell me and I'll give it to you."

As Link stood up and flapped the collar of his shirt to allow against his skin, Link told the princess what he had come for.

The response was probably what Link had expected, but he still couldn't bear watching it. Ruto's happy and cheerful face fell into a surprised and confused facade. "You…you want the Zora's Sapphire? You came here to get…my mother's last gift to me?"

"Yes, princess."

Ruto held the stunned look on her face for a moment longer before she finally muttered, "I see."

Link quickly spoke up. "Princess Ruto, I'm sure that that stone is very precious to you. You searching for it inside Lord Jabu-Jabu just proves it. But you have no idea how important it is that I get that stone. If I don't get it, something really bad could happen sometime soon. I'd tell you about it, but I don't know myself. All I know is that it's very important that I get that stone. I promise I'll return it once…"

Ruto suddenly held up a hand and Link stopped talking instantly. Ruto then reached into her satchel with her other hand and pulled out the Spiritual Stone. The gem glistened as brightly as ever in the light of the room – Link guessed that with the Barinade gone, the blood nutrients could give off light again in the chamber.

"You…didn't take the stone from me, did you?" Ruto asked.

"Well, no," Link answered. "I wanted you to give it to me first. I wouldn't have been right to just take it from you."

Ruto fingered the stone in her hands for a moment before saying, "Link…I'll think about your request. I'll give you my answer sometime after we've left Lord Jabu-Jabu. If it's really that important, I must give this some serious thought. Can you wait until then?"

"I guess I can."

"Then it's settled. Let's go." With those words, Ruto returned the stone to her satchel. "If we hurry we can get out of here before Lord Jabu-Jabu's digestive system becomes fully operational."

"Fine by me," Link started when he realized something. "But what about pieces of the Barinade? Are we just going to leave them here?"

"Of course. They'll be carried away when digested food comes down this way. It might feel a little uncomfortable, but Lord Jabu-Jabu will be fine. And with the Barinade gone, our god can finally get the nutrients he needed."

"I still don't know what a Barinade is. Can you tell me what it that thing really was?"

"Sure, but I'll tell you on the way out."

"Okay, okay. By the way, how are we getting out of here? Through the nose…?"

"No, that's too far away. There's an even closer exit through the digestive system."

"What, the mouth?"

"Nope. The _other_ exit."

"What other exit…oh. _That_ other exit."

As he started to follow Ruto towards the second valve door he had seen earlier, Link started to feel sick. He couldn't believe what he was about to do…

Dusk. This was the time of day that most people feared, but Ganondorf loved the night. He always felt at home in its cloaking shadows and dark shades, probably because it reflected what was inside his cold heart. The darkness also gave him time to reflect, reflect upon his kingdom, his desires, his plans, and himself. Most of the time he though about himself: what he had once been, what he was, and what he will become.

He knew what he was; he wasn't stupid. He knew what people thought about his kind of behavior and why they didn't like it. He also knew why he acted the way he did and why he could never revert to that person he had once been. That person he once admired, but one day realized was pathetic, weak-minded and unfit to lead the Gerudo.

That person was gone; all that was left was the person he was now: the King of Thieves, Ganondorf.

Of course, he preferred the nights back at the Gerudo Valley, where there weren't any house lights of a city to brighten anything. As he rode his mighty steed Darkstorm down the lighted streets of Hyrule Castle New City, Ganondorf made a mental note to enforce strict blackout rules once he ruled this pitiful kingdom. He needed his time to think; even men with hearts as black as his own needed time to think.

The King of the Gerudo journeyed as fast as he could, pushing the horse as far as its limits would carry it; he wanted to get this meeting over and done with as soon as possible. The invasion of Hyrule was in three days, and he had to make sure everything was ready. If everything weren't ready, then he would show some unlucky Gerudo girl just how angry he could get.

Just like he did with Nabooru…

Ganondorf pulled Darkstorm's reigns to bring the horse to a halt when they reached the outer city wall. By now, the drawbridge was closed to ward off thieves and nighttime creatures, and guards were patrolling the walls high above him. But Ganondorf knew how easy it was to get past the city walls; he had found countless flaws in the outer wall protection and he would use those flaws to his advantage in three days time.

Right now, he just had to find the contact he had sent earlier today…

"My king Ganondorf, over here."

The King of Thieves turned around in answer of the whisper and saw something move in an alley between two buildings. It had to be his contact. After using the reigns to turn Darkstorm around, Ganondorf trotted over to the alley and stopped just shy of arm's length from the buildings.

"Who's there?" Ganondorf called out softly. "Tell me correctly or I'll slit your throat."

"I am but a lowly servant of the soon-to-be glorious King of Hyrule, who will take what is rightfully his and rule this world as he sees fit."

Ganondorf smirked. The Gerudo girl had said everything perfectly, right down to emphases and accents. "Come out here and report what you have to say," Ganondorf ordered.

"My king, I think it will be better if you step into this alley with me. The outer wall patrols have been bolstered for some reason, and it's possible you could be seen."

When the woman said that, Ganondorf wanted to lash out at her for disobeying him and ordering him around, but he didn't want to raise any ruckus and alert any nearby patrols. Despite how badly he wanted to slap the woman in the face, Ganondorf muttered through his teeth, "If I must." He then stepped into the shadowy alleyway to join his contact.

Although it was dark, Ganondorf could faintly make out the Gerudo woman by the light of the moon. She was about Ganondorf's height and dressed in an ugly, brown tunic. A bulky hood covered her head and her hands were hidden within the tunic's large sleeves. Ganondorf couldn't make out her face but he didn't really care about seeing the face of his contact.

"Are we alone? Are we safe from prying eyes and ears?"

"Yes, my king."

"Well, then, what have you to report? Did that wench I sent earlier get the message through?" the King of Thieves demanded.

"Yes, my king. She has done what she was told. Every available solider is preparing for the attack, and preparations will be complete within two days at most. When you go to lead the attack, they will be ready for your command."

Ganondorf nodded in satisfaction but refused to smile. "Excellent. Just as I had planned. And what of the wench? Why did she not return after giving the message?"

"She told me you hadn't given her orders to return after giving the message to the soldiers, so she stayed at the camp to help prepare for the coming invasion."

"She did, eh?" Ganondorf snarled. "Well, that wench will have to be punished when this is all over. She should know better."

What Ganondorf didn't say was that his fears were relieved. When the servant hadn't returned, he had grown worried, worried not about the servant's safety but worried about the information he had given her. So just a few hours ago he had sent a second servant to check up on things and had given her strict instructions when and where to meet him later on – he needed privacy from possible spies, after all.

Luckily for him, he had nothing to worry about now. Everything was in place; Hyrule would soon be his for the taking.

"Very well, then. I have another task for you to complete. I want you to return to the camp and see to it that that wench is severely punished. Give her ten lashings with the foxtails whip and isolate her until I arrive…and make sure she is starved but doesn't die. I shall be the one to give her the final piece of torture."

What Ganondorf didn't say was what that final piece of torture was: a single night as his personal harlot. He had threatened the servant with the warning before, and now he was going to carry it out. Ganondorf knew just how to make people suffer; after bleeding from the whip lashings and weakening from the isolation, the girl would have no strength to endure what he had planned for her. She would survive only one night with him, but one night was enough. He wanted to hear her screams of pain and watch the life drain from her eyes as she died.

If he let her live, she wouldn't ever make him worry like this again. If she died…well, what did he care if she died?

"And when you return, I want you to…"

"My king," the woman suddenly interrupted, "I think it would be best if I remain at the camp. With all the preparations going on for the invasion, it might be possible for that Gerudo to die unattended. Since I'm sure you'd like as many soldiers as possible for the invasion, I can watch her and make sure she remains alive for when you are ready to deal with her."

Ganondorf snapped his teeth together. This was the second time this Gerudo had disobeyed him; she even had the nerve to interrupt him! But as much as he wanted to slap her for her waywardness, he couldn't help but see the truth behind her words. Besides, he might create unwanted attention…

"Very well," he managed through his clenched teeth. "You may return to the campsite and oversee that wench. But if you fail, I swear I will give you exactly what I plan to give her."

"I will not fail you, my king," the woman stated with a formal bow.

Ganondorf didn't reply to that statement but instead turned around and stormed out of the alleyway. He stomped his way towards Darkstorm – the horse wouldn't dare run away from him – and grabbed the beast's reigns. The King of Thieves then leaped onto the horse's back, turned around, and began his journey back to Hyrule Castle…

Impa waited until the sound of Ganondorf's horse's hooves against the cobbled streets were nothing more than distant echoes before she finally removed the hood from her face and breathed a sigh of relief. She then waited a moment longer before she turned to the other side of the alley and softly called out, "Okay, princess, you can come out now."

An instant later, the delicate figure of Princess Zelda, dressed in a smaller yet similar coarse tunic as Impa's, stepped out from behind a pile of crates sitting a stone's throw from where Impa had just spoken with the evil Gerudo king. Even though it was dark, Impa could tell Zelda wasn't pleased with what she had heard.

"He's a cruel man, isn't he?" was all Zelda could say as she shuffled her way to her guardian.

"He's a crow among doves, princess," Impa replied. "Thankfully, you'll never have the chance to know of what I learned during my interrogation of his servants. It would make your blood run cold."

Zelda sighed heavily, both in relief and satisfaction. It was only half a day since her vow to help Link any way she could and already she was keeping her promise. After making that promise, she had gone to Impa to find out what she could do, only to learn Impa was already a step ahead of her. Apparently, after Zelda's encounter with Ganondorf at the Temple of Time, Impa had kept a close and watchful eye on the King of Thieves, waiting for him to make some kind of move.

She made her own move when Ganondorf had sent one of his servants out of the palace; she waited for the servant to return from whatever errand Ganondorf had sent her on and then promptly seized her. Unfortunately, Impa hadn't anticipated the resolve and doggedness of the Gerudo woman, and it took a lot of coaxing and a bit of mild torture to finally get her to talk. The Gerudo had told Impa everything Ganondorf had told her, only to break down at the end in fear of her life. No amount of assurance could've calmed the servant down; she truly believed the King of Thieves was going to kill her.

Then Zelda had showed up, and Impa told the princess all she knew. Zelda had demanded to help her guardian when Impa had learned of Ganondorf sending yet another servant woman out on an errand. Deciding not to wait this time, Impa had jumped the woman before she left the city walls, and luckily it didn't take long for this servant to talk. Of course, they too late realized their mistake; who was going to meet with Ganondorf later that night? Impa had come up with the idea of dressing up at the last minute; thank the Three Goddesses, it worked beautifully.

"So now what are we going to do?" Zelda asked. "We know of his plans now, and we have two witnesses to testify against him. I say we tell my father and arrest that brute immediately…"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, princess," Impa interrupted.

"What? Why not?"

"The first servant girl told me she had informed the Gerudo camped outside of the invasion Ganondorf is planning. Those Gerudo are what's holding us back. If we arrest Ganondorf, one of his servants will most likely head out and inform the invasion force of his capture. That could prompt the entire Gerudo nation attacking Hyrule Castle to get their king back, which could result in needless bloodshed."

"But then why don't we search for and capture that invasion force before we arrest…?"

Imap shook her head. "Ganondorf would notice; he's not stupid. Who knows what he'd do if he suspected the king of Hyrule knew of his plans?"

"Then what can we do?"

"I don't know, but we must think of something. We only have three days to figure out what to do. Thankfully, we know what Ganondorf is planning, so it'll be easier to stop him. I only wish your father were here to listen to the King of Thieves' words with his own ears."

"Same here," Zelda admitted.

But Zelda wasn't going to let that become any kind of a problem. Now that she knew of Ganondorf's plans, the King of the Gerudo was vulnerable to his own pride and arrogance. With this information, she _will_ figure out a way to use this information against Ganondorf, and she _will_ figure out a way to convince her father of Ganondorf's lies. She _will_ figure out a way to save Hyrule from the evil King of Thieves' rule. Somehow, she _will_.

She will do it for Hyrule, for her family, for her people, for herself, and for Link…

Link never thought he'd be crawling through the…well, _end_ of a creature's digestive tract. If he had heard of such a thing before this moment, he would've thought it ridiculous and absolutely sickening. Well, now he was about to go through with it, and while he didn't think of it as ridiculous he did think of it as…

"Link, are you ready for this?" Ruto suddenly interrupted.

Cringing his mouth, Link nodded his head in acknowledgement…and then shook it in uncertainty.

"That's understandable," Ruto uttered. "But don't worry, I've done this many times. Once we enter this valve, all we have to do is irritate the muscles enough for Lord Jabu-Jabu to open his…well, you know, digestive cavity. Then we get jump into the water and swim to the surface of the lake. That's all there is to it."

_"Easy for you to say,"_ Link thought uneasily. _"You've done this before."_

"I can hold your hand if you're nervous," Ruto offered as she outstretched her left hand.

Without thinking, Link reached out with his right arm and grabbed the princess' hand. "That would be great, thank you."

Raising her eyebrows in confusion, Ruto muttered, "Okay, then. We'll go inside on my mark. Ready?"

"Just a minute. Navi, are you sure you'll be okay under there?"

"I'll be all right," a frail voice echoed from underneath his hat. "A little water won't hurt me. Just make sure your hat doesn't come off."

"Great," Link replied back before turning his attention back to Ruto. "Okay, I'm ready. Let's do this."

"Okay, on my mark," Ruto said. She then started to pump her body up and down in rhythm with her counting. "One…two…three! Go!"

On the count of three, Ruto touched the valve door with her right hand and the door flew open into the final chamber of the fish god's digestive system. She then ran in like the wind, jumping up and down upon the soft floor to irritate the muscles, with Link in close tow behind her.

It was a lot darker in the chamber than in the rest of the deity's body, but Link didn't know that. He was spending too much time thanking the Three Goddesses that his eyes were closed as Ruto continued to aggravate the muscles of the last part of the digestive system…

"My, this is peculiar."

Most of the Zoras didn't hear the doctor say those words; they were too busy celebrating the curing of their god to really care. Lizel, however, overheard the doctor speak and immediately stopped his own private gala. "What, doctor? What's peculiar? Is something wrong?"

"No, not really," the doctor replied as he faced the fish god. "It's just that something is going on with Lord Jabu-Jabu, as if he's doing something against his will. By the looks of things, I'd say he is relieving himself right now, but he doesn't appear to feel very comfortable about it."

As if to confirm the doctor's analysis, the deity released a soft yet scratchy groan. A few Zoras did halt their celebration when they heard the moan, but they continued rejoicing immediately afterwards.

"Maybe it's a side-effect of his illness," Lizel offered as an explanation. "Maybe his illness had to do with his digestive system and he's simply getting rid of…well, you know…"

"That's possible," the doctor admitted, "but this seems a little different. I'll have to go and examine the right areas to make sure. I might as well do it now, when it's affecting him and he's feeling. I'll be back shortly…"

"Wait, doctor, I'll come with you."

_"Just don't think about it! Don't think about it! You don't have to think about it…what's that I'm stepping on…? No, don't think about it! It's not worth thinking about…oh, man, it feels so soft…no, don't! Just let Ruto do the work for you! She'll lead you…yes; let her lead you…she's seen this before. You don't have to. You _don't_! You _don't_…great, I almost slipped! Jus be glad you didn't…wait; I think something's happening._

_"What's going on? What's that sound? Where's it coming from…? Whoa! That's cold! And wet! Hey, it must be the water! The…opening must have opened! Yes, we're nearly out of here! Almost out of this place…man, what's that? Is it what I think it is…? No! Don't even think about it! It's not worth losing what's left in your stomach! Come on, Ruto; get us out of here! Please, just get us out of here…"_

_"Oh, the water's nearly up to my neck! I might have to open my eyes so I can know where I'm going…or not! I don't want to look at where I am…something just brushed my leg! Ack, get me out of here!_

_"Okay, it's about to go over my head! I'll have to hold my breath! Here we go! One, two, three…there! Man, this water's cold! Am I moving? I can't tell. At least I'm still holding onto Ruto's hand…wait, I'm not! Oh, great! Now I don't know where I am! Am I still in that place or outside? I'll have to open my eyes…no…yes…no…yes…no…yes! No! Yes! No! Yes! No, you're not going to lose your lunch! Yes, or your going to die!_

_"Aw, great! I have no choice! Here we go…!"_

Expecting to see the most nauseating thing he had ever seen in his life, Link opened his eyes. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the blurry vision with the water pushing against his eyes, but when they did adjust he saw to his relief that he wasn't inside the chamber he refused to see. He was swimming in a large collection of water, right next to the familiar gray hide of Lord Jabu-Jabu.

He was outside!

He would've sighed with relief, but he didn't want to lose his held breath. Deciding to get to the surface quickly, Link looked around for the direction to go. To his utter horror, he couldn't find it. He realized with shock that it was nighttime; there was only enough light from the surface for him to see everything around him. There was not enough light for him to find the direction of the surface!

_"No! No! _No_!"_

Link wanted to scream those words, but he tried to keep his breath from escaping. But already he could feel pain in his chest and his lungs burning. His muscles started to sting, as if thousands of swords were piercing his skin, and the water was trying to force itself into his lungs through his nose. If he didn't find the surface quickly, he was going to die. He had to do something…_anything_…

No choice. He was going to drown anyway…

"Help me!"

He had no idea if screams could be heard in water, but he sure did hope so. But he had not time to pray on that; right now he had to concentrate on trying not to breathe in the water. He couldn't help notice how different the pains were between holding a breath and keeping a breath from being drawn. Instead of a fire burning within his chest, now it felt like a fierce wind trying to push his lungs outward against the water pressure.

Any minute now, he was going to give in and inhale nothing but cold, stinging liquid, which will bring his life to an end…

Suddenly he felt something cold and clammy grab his arm. In a panic he nearly gasped, but he managed to prevent himself from doing so and turned to whatever was touching him. To his complete relief, it was Ruto. The Zora princess wasted no time in yanking Link in her direction and carrying him away with her, presumably toward the surface.

With each kick Link made to keep up with the nimble Ruto, his airless lungs were getting more and more difficult to keep under control. If he didn't take in air soon, he would explode from the pain. And the pressure of the water against his eyes due to his speed left him unable to make anything out except a hazy silhouette of Ruto.

_"Hurry, Ruto…"_ Link pleaded. _"Hurry…please…"_

_CRASH…_

The surface! He had broken it! Without a second thought, Link breathed in so heavily he felt he took in enough air to fill his lungs three times over. And when he exhaled the stale air from his lungs, he breathed in more air. It took him an instant to start a cycle of rapid yet powerful gasps to nourish his poor lungs. He occasionally had to cough to get some water out of his w\indpipe, but he hardly noticed when he did.

When he finally managed to get his breathing under control, he looked around with his eyes that felt like they had been through hot air laced with grains of sand.

Just as he had thought, it was nighttime, and just as he had thought, there was barely enough light from the sun and partially complete moon to let him see. It was a miracle he had been able to see at all in that murky water. The giant gray body of Lord Jabu-Jabu floated right next to him, and every else there was nothing but water stretching as far as he could see; he couldn't even see land in the inky darkness.

Swimming to his right was Ruto, who had an expression of relief and worry on her face. "Link, are you all right? I thought you were right behind me after I let go of your hand, but when I heard your scream, I…I'm so sorry if I caused…"

"No, no, it's not your fault," Link admitted as he coughed the last few droplets from his throat. "My eyes were closed, so I couldn't have seen you if I wanted to."

Ruto's eyes squinted. "Oh, is that it, huh? Well, you'll have to be a little more considerate from now on, because I'm certainly not going to do all the work for you."

That sounded more like the Ruto that Link had first met, but not as unpleasant. She did say it would take a while to get rid of that charade, but he could already see the changes take shape. Who knows, she might even grow into Princess Zelda or even Saria…

"In any case, I'm just glad to be back in the water," Ruto stated with a smile before she threw her body back into the lake with a loud splash. "It's been a while since I've felt it cool my skin, and it really feels good right now…"

"By Nayru's Love, is that you, Princess Ruto?"

Both Link and Ruto turned to find two adult Zoras swimming just a stone's throw from them, and Link thought he recognized one of them. His suspicions were confirmed when that Zora gaped in amazement and cried,

"I don't believe it…Link, is that really you?"

Trial.

Link was being put on trial, of all things.

The tribunal was being held in King Zora's throne room, with King Zora as the judge, of course. Link was standing upon the speaking podium with several guards positioned around him, backs facing inward. Zoras filled every available space against the walls of the chamber, and yet there was stony silence everywhere. But there was still a deafening ringing in Link's ears that seemed to act like a foreboding bell of death…or whatever punishment he would be given.

Seated upon his throne was King Zora, and standing to his right was his daughter, Princess Ruto. Like every other Zora, the royal family was very quiet, but Ruto seemed to betray more emotion in her eyes. Link couldn't tell what she was feeling, but he could almost guess what every other Zora was feeling.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, King Zora finally spoke up. "We are gathered here today to execute the trial of the young Kokiri known as Link, who has violated one of our most sacred laws: bearing witness to the sacred shrine of Lord Jabu-Jabu as an outsider. The punishment for such a crime is a grave one, and to administer it is not something I particularly wish to do. However, our laws forbid us from doing otherwise."

The king then moved his enormous eyes to make eye contact with Link. "That is, unless you, the defendant, can find at least two Zoras to come forward and present testimony in your favor. If I find these testimonies favorable, you shall be cleared of all charges. However, since you are an outsider, you will not be allowed to choose those to testify. They must come forward under their own decision."

With that, King Zora raised his eyes again. "Now, is there anyone who wishes to testify in favor of this young boy?"

Dead silence. Deciding not to move anything but his head, Link glanced around the room. He would be lucky if there were even _one_ Zora to testify in his favor. All he could see, however, were blank faces and disinterested expressions on Zoras who would rather drown than say anything supportive for him…

"I will testify, my king," a familiar voice suddenly uttered. An instant later, Lizel emerged from the surrounding Zora crowd and made his way to the area between the speaking podium and King Zora's throne. The Zora cleared his throat before continuing, "My fellow Zoras, when I first met this young boy, I knew not what to think of him. He claimed to be an emissary from the King of Hyrule, and yet he defied our sacred laws by bearing witness to our sacred deity, Lord Jabu-Jabu. Such a crime is almost unspeakable and deserves nothing more than the horrifying punishment that comes with the crime."

_"Gee, you're a big help, Lizel,"_ Link thought.

"However, when he made his case for his actions just moments before being swallowed by Lord Jabu-Jabu, I felt something in my heart go out to this poor young boy. He did what he did so he could help us Zoras – a people to whom he is an outsider – find our beloved princess. And behold, he has kept his word. Princess Ruto has returned to us, and I believe it is thanks to the efforts of this young boy. To punish him for such an act would be ludicrous. We must thank the boy named Link for doing what we may've never done. I believe in him, and I urge you all to as well. That is all I have to say. Thank you."

As he ended, Lizel gave a formal bow to the king and princess before returning to his place in the crowd. There wasn't even so much as a clap, let alone any kind of applause. The king waited for Lizel to return before he spoke again.

"Thank you for your words. That is one testimony in defense of the one called Link. Is there another who wishes to speak in favor of the outsider?"

Again, dead silence, this time even stiller than the last one. Link looked around again, feeling slightly more hopeful. But to his dismay, he saw something else in all the Zoras' eyes: resolve not to give the outsider the satisfaction of another favorable testimony. The more he looked, the more his hopes sank. He wasn't going to win this one. With any luck, the punishment would be a quick one…

"I'll testify."

The second speaker was quite a surprise for the Zoras, so surprising that they actually started to talk amongst themselves in whispers of disbelief. The speaker was none other than Princess Ruto, who seemed to stand taller than usual from atop her father's waterfall throne.

Even King Zora was surprised. "You wish to speak in favor of this boy, Ruto?"

"Yes, father," Ruto announced without looking the king in the eye.

"Well, if you wish. Here, let me help you get down so you may stand in the right spot…"

"No, I will give my testimony where I stand."

Those words caused an even greater stir amidst the crowd. The king, surprised by his daughter's attitude, uttered, "Ruto, what are you doing? You can't…"

"I can and I will!" Ruto proclaimed. "And here's why! Link doesn't deserve to be stooped to your level!"

A unanimous gasp of shock rang through the chamber. King Zora quickly tried to calm Ruto down. "Ruto, what are you saying? Please, settle down and…"

"I won't settle down!" Ruto screamed. "Link doesn't deserve to bend to your rules! If he had, I wouldn't be standing here right now! I'd probably be dead, eaten by the Barinade that was inside Lord Jabu-Jabu!"

The mention of the Barinade nearly sent the crowd into an uproar. As the king tried to calm everyone down, Link started to remember the conversation he had had with Ruto about the Barinade:

_"So, what exactly is a Barinade?"_

_"It's nothing more than a parasite, actually. Barinade are usually small creatures, about the size of a large fish. They tend to live off trees and very large water animals and don't grow quite big. However, if they have access to a large amount of nutrients, they can grow to incredible sizes, just like the one you saw. And at that size, they can also spawn Bari, as you saw. They can be very dangerous creatures; even small, they can give off quite powerful electrical shocks. _

_"We have to be careful about Barinades, especially in our god's pool. We try to make sure Lord Jabu-Jabu's lake is completely free of them so one doesn't get into his system. I'm still amazed that one managed to slip past the catchers."_

_"Maybe it had a little help…"_

_"What was that?"_

_"Oh, nothing. Nothing."_

"…but how care there have been a Barinade inside Lord Jabu-Jabu?" King Zora asked Ruto, bringing Link's attention back to the trial.

"You heard me! There was a Barinade inside our god! I don't know how it got there, but it was there! And it would've killed me if it hadn't been for Link. He saved my life back there. And if he had followed your stupid rules, he wouldn't have been there to rescue me from those…I don't even want to think about it anymore. All I know is that Link doesn't deserve this. He should not be tried for something as noble and as brave as saving my life."

The crowd started to murmur again, but Ruto didn't give them a chance to say much.

"All I ask…no, I _demand_ that you not give Link the punishment for the crime he committed. The life of a Zora is far more important than a wrongdoing against our god…that, by the way, Link saved! If Link hadn't killed that Barinade, Lord Jabu-Jabu would not be with us today. And I'm sure the doctor would testify to that! So if you convict Link of this crime, _that_ itself would be the crime!"

As she finished her rousing speech, the entire Zora nation leapt into applause. It didn't take long for a chant of "Free Link! Free Link!" to start, and a few Zoras even tried to make it past the guards to get to Link. But Link was flabbergasted; did he just see what thought he saw? Did Ruto actually do something…like a princess?

It was hard to believe, but Ruto had undergone an amazing transformation. She had changed from a spoiled brat to a princess that almost equaled Princess Zelda. It was almost as if she had grown up within the span of a single day! But as much as he felt that was a good thing, he couldn't help feel a little uneasy. He had seen this kind of thing before. Not necessarily the behavior, but the transformation, but where…?

Wait…wasn't it Malon? Hadn't she also done this kind of thing rather quickly?

Hadn't she also…grown up…?

Finally, he was leaving. After a long, tiring quest, he was finally going back to Hyrule Castle New City, back to Princess Zelda and the end of his journey. Soon he would be back in the Lost Woods with his house, his friends, and best of all, with Saria. He had found it hard to believe it at first, but now he couldn't stop thinking of anything else.

It was midday of the very next day after his mission to find Princess Ruto inside Lord Jabu-Jabu. Din's Eye was high enough to be seen inside the long, narrow canyon through which the Zora's River ran, and the faint sounds of birds could be heard echoing along the valley walls. Even the air smelled fresh, or at least it was a far cry from the blood-filled aromas of Lord Jabu-Jabu's insides.

Link was just happy to feel the warm rays of the sun again as he readied the log raft he was prepared to use in traveling back to Hyrule Castle. It was in remarkably good condition, considering the Zoras claim they had only built it last night. The wooden craft, which was actually large enough to seat up to seven people comfortably, was already stocked with provisions and supplies for the long journey across the river. Thankfully, the Zoras recognized his dislike of raw fish and had spent some time collecting things that Hylians ate, including berries and shoots.

But despite all the supplies, Link still had one thing missing: the final Spiritual Stone.

He could still hear the gentle yet commanding voice of King Zora as he gave out the verdict at Link's trial: "With both testimonies having been under my consideration, I have decided they are both favorable for the defendant's case. Therefore, hereby decree that the Kokiri known as Link shall be acquitted of all charges pertaining to his crime. My dear boy, you are free."

Link could also still remember the roar of applause that the crowd gave. It had been so loud that Link feared he went deaf after it had stopped. Thankfully, King Zora's words after the ovation cleared that fear up:

"And now that you are cleared of all charges, you must perform the Rite of Thanks. Because you are an outsider, I will explain. The Rite of Thanks is where you must grant one favor to the ones who spoke in your favor. Whether the favor is big or small, it must be carried out. If you do not accept, you shall be given the punishment for your acquitted crimes."

Lizel had been the first to approach Link. "Don't worry, I don't want anything big. All I want is for you to accept my thanks for saving Princess Ruto. In fact, it should be you asking for something from me. I don't know how I can ever repay you."

Then Ruto had approaching him. Even though he had had no idea what she would ask for, he still couldn't believe what her request was. "I'd…like your bottle, please. That's all I want."

She had returned it to him an hour later through a servant, and there had been a message inside it. He could still remember, word for word, what she had wrote:

_I'll agree, but on one condition._

_I will meet you at the end of the canyon after you've departed._

So now here he was, ready to set off for Hyrule Castle, not knowing whether or not he'll get the third Spiritual Stone. But if he didn't get it, at least he knew where it was; so then Princess Zelda might be able to convince Ruto of handing it over. Still, it would be better if he got a hold of it now. Time was of the essence, after all…

Link's departure from Zora's domain wasn't anything too special. All he could remember was a large group of Zoras standing around him as he said his goodbyes to them all. King Zora couldn't be there because of his inability to get through the tunnel, but he did send his gratitude for rescuing his daughter. Lizel was there, of course, and again he thanked Link for everything he had done.

Lizel also mentioned that Link was the best emissary he had ever seen, but this time Link didn't cringe at that word; maybe he was too relieved to really care about something as stupid as that.

With all the goodbyes given, Link jumped onto his raft and allowed several Zoras the "honor" of pushing his raft into the river. Link continued to wave goodbye to the Zoras until they were hidden from view by the canyon walls.

And now here he was, waiting to reach the end of the gully so he could find out what Ruto meant by "on one condition."

"Are you sure she'll show?" Navi asked Link from his shoulder. "She saved you from that trial, but is she really that loyal…?"

"She'll show, Navi," Link assured. "I'm sure of it."

The journey to the end of the gorge seemed to take forever, and when they finally reached it Link held his breath. He waited for some sign of the Zora princess to betray her presence, but he couldn't see anything except a crystal clear river. He wondered if he should stop the raft and wait for her…or had she forgotten or couldn't made it on time?

"Hmmm," the fairy crooned. "I don't see her, Link. Where is she…?"

"Don't fret, I'm here."

That familiar voice made Link and Navi turned around just in time to watch the graceful figure of Ruto climb from the lake and onto the raft. As she stood up to meet Link's eye level, the water dripped from her slender body as if her skin were a kind of special coating. But it was her eyes that caught Link's attention; they were so round, so wide, and so full of emotion that he couldn't help but tell she was thinking about something important.

The two stared at each other for a moment before Link finally spoke. "So, Ruto…I assume you're note was referring to the Spiritual Stone…"

"Yes, it was," Ruto said before she held out her left hand and opened it, revealing the beautiful glisten of the Zora's Sapphire in the midday sun. "But I'm sure you read my note, and you'll remember it said I'll give it to you on one condition."

"I remember," Link assured. "If that condition is to return it to you when I'm finished with it, I assure you I'll do just that…"

"No, that's not it," Ruto interrupted as she lowered her eyes to look at the gemstone.

"Oh, then what is it?"

"Right before my mother died, she left me this stone to protect and keep. But she also told me this: I should only give this stone to the man who will become my future husband. By now, I could tell why she said that. The Zora's Sapphire is a relic of beauty and honor, something that a marriage between two people should forever be. Giving this stone to the man who will become my husband will signify the purity we will seek upon wedlock, and it will be a bind that will never separate our love. Ever."

Ruto then looked back up to face Link, who was by now starting to realize what Ruto was getting at. He didn't need to look into her eyes to understand what she was asking.

"So Link, what I'm saying is…I will only give you this stone if you'll be my future husband."

Link started to feel the sweat cling to his shirt again. "Ruto…" he said, this time managing to control his stutter. "What are you talking about? How can I be your future husband? I'm not even a Zora! I…"

"I know you aren't a Zora, Link, but that doesn't matter. I've thought long and hard about this, and I felt the differences between our races isn't a hindrance."

"But you hardly even _know_ me! How can you ask me to be your husband when we barely even know each other?"

"I've only known you for a day, but already I feel like you've been a part of my life longer than that. You've truly changed me, and that's enough for me. To me, you are the only one worthy of this honor. I know this is sudden, but please consider this, Link. All I ask is that you take this stone and keep it with you, and then return to Zora's Domain some time in the near future. Upon your return, I'll truly see if you are my future husband. If you aren't, I'll take the stone back and you'll never have to worry about it again. But you are…"

A single tear trickled down Ruto's cheek. "Please, Link, take the stone and accept the what comes with it. That's all I ask."

Link was unable to say anything, so Navi stepped in for him. "Is this your real request in that Rite of Thanks?"

"No," Ruto answered. "I want Link to make this decision without being forced to. Please, Link, take it."

What was Link to do? He had a chance to take the Spiritual Stone now, but taking it meant being engaged to Princess Ruto! He admitted she had changed a lot since they had first met, but that wasn't enough for them to make wedding plans this early in their lives! Well, in her life, at least. He was a Kokiri; he didn't age. He wondered if she knew that? 

Maybe…yes, that's it! He could take the stone now, and then later return it and tell her about his Kokiri heritage. She would _have_ to call off this silly engagement _then_!

Finally cracking a smile, Link nodded. "Princess Ruto…I accept your proposal."

Ruto smiled as well. "Thank you, Link. Thank you."

Link then reached for the stone and gently grabbed in Ruto's hand. As he did, he felt the soft caress of Ruto's skin against his. Was she trying to tell him not to forget his promise? Unable to answer, Link simply took the stone out of Ruto's palm and drew it close to him. Ruto seemed to be a little sad to see her mother's stone leave her, but the princess still maintained her smile.

"Remember, Link. Return to Zora's Domain and keep the promise you've accepted. Farewell."

With that, Ruto gave Link one more glance with her wide eyes, turned around and leapt into the Zora's River, disappearing beneath the glassy waves. All Link could do was turn his attention back to the split mountain that housed the vast Zora's Domain and mighty Lord Jabu-Jabu and watch it fade on the horizon.

Far away, out of earshot, the rumbles of storm clouds echoed across Hyrule, heading in Link's direction and his intended destination…


	32. Living a Dream

**Chapter 32: Living a Dream**

Finally. Three days had passed. The time had come.

As he rode across the wide, open plains outside the walls of Hyrule Castle New City, Ganondorf snickered loudly to himself. The night in which he found much of his solitude would be good to him tonight; distant storm clouds were shielding the bright rays of the glistening moon from the world, making this night a perfect night for the attack, indeed. But what was even more splendid was they would arrive in time to witness his complete takeover of the throne of Hyrule. The sound of thunder would declare his rule, and the lightning would proclaim his power.

It was going to be glorious…

He already had everything planned out. He will rendezvous with his Gerudo soldiers and lead them to the protecting wall of the city, where he will demonstrate just how protecting it really was. Then he will show how safe the walls around the palace really were, and with all his soldiers inside the attack will begin. He had already given the thankful guards some Gerudo whiskey for the evening, so they will be as dangerous as a crippled mule, and the palace will be easy enough for him to capture it alone.

With the palace in his grasp, he will then bring the detained Royal Family before him, where he had some special plans for them. Of course, he had to find the ocarina first, and since that little witch had it, what else could he do but torture her weakling of a father to coax it from her? She will cave in; she tried to look strong to intimidate him, but she was nothing more than a weak and fainthearted fool. And once she gives him the ocarina…well, he won't have any other use for them, now will he?

A laugh escaped from his cruelly curled mouth as he pressed forward into the night, towards the camp of his Gerudo warriors. As he cackled like an animal ready to sadistically slaughter its prey, a distant thunder roll echoed across the plains…

"Ouch, that was a loud one," Link cried as he raised his hands to his ears to contain the effects of the piercing thunder roll from doing more damage to his hearing. The rumble also affected Navi, although all she did was quiver as she hovered over Link's shoulder. She wasn't necessarily afraid of thunder, but she wasn't ready to trust it, either.

"It's quite a storm tonight, isn't it?" Navi asked. "The clouds have already blocked out the moon, and it's quite difficult to see anything. Hyrule Castle New City might as well have passed us by now."

"Maybe," Link admitted as he removed his hands from his ears, "but I'm sure we haven't yet. In fact, I'm willing to bet we're almost there."

"Oh, and why's that?"

"Well, it's these trees." Link then pointed to several sporadically positioned, sickly-looking trees dotted across the landscape. "I remember seeing these things upon our first approach to the city, and I don't remember seeing them anywhere else. Why, I don't know. But they seem to only grow in the region near the castle."

"Understandable," Navi admitted, "but you fail to mention how large that region is. We may as well be on the other side of that region, far away from the everything civilized, including the castle…"

"But King Zora specifically said that Zora's River will take us directly to the Hyrule Castle New City. After what we did, I don't think he would lie to us."

Navi seemed to grimace. "Fine, whatever. I think I'll just lie down until we get there. If you see the city, wake me up."

Before Link had a chance to agree, Navi quickly slipped underneath his hat. Sighing, Link planted his back firmly on the raft and placed his hands behind his head. The wooden craft wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world to sit on, and it didn't provide enough comfort for lying down either. Still, he didn't want to waste any time stopping for a relaxing break; he wanted to reach Princess Zelda quickly so he could finish this quest and go home.

Speaking of which…

Link reached with one of his hands to feel Saria's ocarina in his pouch. He hadn't "spoken" to her for a long time, ever since they had entered Zora's Domain. He had had plenty of opportunities during his three-day trip downriver, and yet he hadn't taken any of them. Maybe he should speak to her now, and tell her he was nearly home…

No, not now. It was a little late, and although Saria said he could contact her anytime, he didn't want to wake her up at this hour. And besides, maybe he should keep it a surprise. Maybe he should contact her when he was just entering the Lost Woods, and then startle her as she was talking to him with the ocarina. It would make a fabulous surprise return…

Actually, he wasn't that kind of person. Still, something told him to hold off speaking to Saria for the time being. Now didn't feel right; he decided to talk to her after giving Princess Zelda the Spiritual Stones and saying his goodbyes. Yes, he wasn't going to stick around when Zelda goes uses the stones to get the Triforce…

"I guess I've lost interest in the Triforce," he muttered softly. "Actually, I've never been that interested in it to begin with. Sure, it sounds interesting, but it was never a part of my life to begin with. Princess Zelda should be able to deal with it, as well as give Ganondorf what he deserves. I just wish _I _could give him what he deserves, for what he did to the Great Deku Tree…"

"Link," Navi suddenly interrupted from underneath his hat. "You're talking to yourself again…"

Perfect, perfect, perfect…

Everything was going according to plan. Everything was perfect…

Ganondorf snickered like a mischievous child that knew he had done something bad yet didn't feel any guilt. He couldn't believe it was this easy. He thought he might run against some kind of challenge, like guard patrols or casual eyewitnesses, but that wasn't the case. There wasn't even a stray dog anywhere in the streets; it was as if the Three Goddesses were blessing his actions with absolutely no resistance whatsoever!

As he watched his Gerudo soldiers enter the city limits through the opening he had created earlier in the wall, he couldn't help but think of his double-crossing servants. The moment he had arrived at the camp, he found his Gerudo soldiers waiting for him, ready to take on the entire Hylian army alone. One of the guards mentioned that just three nights before, the second servant he had sent informed the camp that the first servant had escaped, run away. Ganondorf hadn't been happy with that news; the first servant must've learned of his plans for her and had abandoned her Gerudo dignity to flee like the coward she was.

But what made his temper burn was the fact that the second servant hadn't returned either, and no one at the camp had seen her since her report. The only possibility was that that wench had run away as well, maybe to join the first one in her cowardice. But it didn't matter. Once he was the ruler of Hyrule, they would have no place to hide. And he would make sure they got the fitting punishment…

"My king," a Gerudo suddenly whispered into his ear. "Everyone has entered the city limits. We await your instructions."

Ganondorf snapped out of his trance and looked around. Sure enough, all of the Gerudo were assembled inside the limits of Hyrule Castle New City and were watching their king with eager eyes. The number of Gerudo present wasn't a great deal – it was probably in the realm of fifty to seventy soldiers – but it would be more than enough to overcome the drunk guards at Hyrule Castle.

"Right," Ganondorf laughed. "We will head down the back streets towards Hyrule Castle, where there is a perfect spot to get past the walls unnoticed and begin the attack. If you see anyone at all, make no attempt to silence them unless they see you. We do not want a battle fought outside the castle walls; that will give them an advantage…although, to be fair, they'll probably need every advantage they can get."

A muffled out audible chuckle broke out across the tiny sea of Gerudo women, but they quickly grew silent when they saw Ganondorf's face grow serious. He kept this grim expression as he walked a short distance to his horse, which was being held by one of the Gerudo soldiers. Darkstorm knew when to remain calm and when to lash out at people, and he knew not to attack the Gerudo like he had attacked those stable boys. Ganondorf had taught him all too well… 

"Follow me closely," the Gerudo king ordered as he mounted his dark steed. "Anyone who lags behind will be punished. Now let's move out."

With a final nod, Ganondorf whipped Darkstorm's neck with the reigns, causing the horse to shake his head furiously before trotting forward down the nearest back street. Behind him, the Gerudo soldiers trailed their king faithfully, but their footsteps were so muffled that he wouldn't have realized they were there had he not already known. He snickered to himself as the structures of Hyrule Castle New City surrounded him and his guards, his mind wandering to his upcoming victory.

"Glorious," he whispered. "Simply glorious…"

"Navi! Navi! Come out, quick! I see it!"

Link's sudden and loud cry of excitement was enough to bring the fairy out from under the Kokiri's hat and into the open. "What's going on? What are you talking about? What do you see?"

"The castle! I can see the castle! Hyrule Castle! Look!"

Sure enough, in the gloominess of the night, dimly illuminated by the weak yet sufficient lights of the stars, was the towering structure known as Hyrule Castle. Because it sat on a hill, it was easy to spot the castle rising above the city that lay at its feet. Exact detail was impossible to perceive, but Link could still make out every tower, turret, parapet, and keep; it was like watching a very detailed shadow of something come to life. As if to show the two travelers that the structure was, indeed, Hyrule Castle, a great bolt of lightning cracked in the distance behind it, bathing the fortress in a sick, eerie light for a split second before allowing the building to disappear again in the blanket of night.

"Well, that's great," Navi uttered almost monotonously, although Link could tell by her flickering light that she was just as excited as he was. "Any idea how much longer until we get there?"

"I don't know," Link answered, "but judging by the way the river is winding, we should reach it in no time at all. The river does go all the way to the front door of the city, so we can just let the current take us there…"

Another, this time closer lightning bolt forked across the sky, interrupting Link with its commanding brother, thunder. Link nearly jumped back in surprise, but he quickly regained his composure and his breath.

"Boy, this is quite a storm tonight," Link uttered, more to himself than to Navi.

"I'll say," the fay replied. "I don't think I've ever seen a storm like this before, almost as if it weren't of this world…"

Just then, a small droplet of water splashed onto Navi's wings. The fairy fluttered around unsteadily for a brief moment before she regained control over her flying. A little peeved, she looked up to the cloudy sky, just in time to allow another drop to fall onto her face.

"Oh, just perfect," she muttered in frustration. "It's starting to rain. I sure hope this trip doesn't take that long, Link, because I…Link? Link?"

But Link wasn't listening. He was too busy thinking about something, something he had seen many times before yet had never taken the time to really think about….

_"Why…?"_ he thought uneasily as the rains started to fall a little harder and built into a solid curtain of water. _"Why…does this feel so…familiar…?"_

Rain!

What a welcome ally!

As if in celebration of the Three Goddesses making everything go his way, Ganondorf spread his arms out and aimed his face to the sky, closing his eyes and opening his mouth as wide as he could to catch the rain on his slimy tongue. When he had collected enough water in his mouth, he swirled the liquid around in his cheeks for a moment before he spat them upon the cobbled ground at his feet. The swallowed water and spit merged with the clean rainwater as they trickled through the cracks of the stone floor of the castle courtyard.

Satisfied with that little ritual, Ganondorf turned his attention back to his Gerudo soldiers, which were right now scaling the castle walls using naturally growing creepers. It was almost too easy; how this kingdom has survived this long was a complete mystery to him. During their trek from the city walls to the castle walls, he and his soldiers had encountered _no one_, not even a lost drunk from a city tavern. Even the castle walls provided no threat; they hadn't encountered a single patrol, and his lookouts standing on the wall right now didn't seem to find any approaching.

Fate was either being extremely kind to him, or had a devastating plan in store for him…but Ganondorf was willing to bet he was being treated to the former. The Gerudo whiskey was too good to refuse and strong enough to turn a dragon into jelly, and the King of Hyrule was gullible enough to give his troops sick leave for being drunk.

It didn't take long for all of his troops to scale the walls and assemble in the spacious courtyard. The rain was starting to plummet really hard right now, but no Gerudo's face betrayed any kind of discomfort or anxiety. They were all ready to fight for their king, kill for their king, and die for their king…but with everything going his way, Ganondorf had a feeling not one of his soldiers was going to die this night.

Smirking, Ganondorf started to speak loudly; there was no point in remaining quiet any longer.

"Fellow Gerudo, our time has come! Hyrule is ours for the taking! The enemy will not put up much of a fight, so this will end quickly! And I assure you, once this is finished, the Gerudo will become the most powerful and mightiest race ever to rule this gods-forsaken land!"

The King of Thieves then grabbed his sword, withdrew it from his scabbard, and raised it high in the air. A lightning bolt cracked in the sky, showering the black blade and cruel king in an unholy light.

"Onward, for the glory of your king, the great and almighty Ganondorf!  For the glory of the Gerudo! _Attaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack_!"

_CRACK…_

The blast of thunder was so deafening it was very easy to tell that the lightning strike was very close, but Link found that out the hard way.

He didn't see the actual lightning strike – by now the rains were blinding and the wind was strong enough to blow the rain sideways like a screen of insect stings - but he did see its consequences. A bright erupted ahead and to his left, which suggested the bolt had struck very close, indeed. The explosion flickered and crackled for a second before fizzling out like a blown-out candle, illuminating the surroundings for a brief moment. Still, he couldn't see exactly _what_ the bolt had hit because the rain was stinging his eyes.

But it didn't take him long to find out. The first sign that things weren't right was the loud creaking sound, like old wood being forced to move against its natural position. But what finally made Link realized what had happened was when a second, more distant lightning bolt lit up the silhouette of an enormous oak tree growing on the shore of the Zora's River. It was very different from the sickly trees that were growing everywhere else, but that wasn't what caught Link's attention about it.

The tree was falling in the direction of the river, and it was going to land right on top of Link's raft!

"Oh, _noooooooo_!" Link screamed.

"Link!" Navi's tiny voice pierces the night like a frantic mother protecting her child. "Get out of there! _Jump_!"

But Link didn't need Navi to tell him that. Without a second thought, Link turned around and jumped headfirst into the heaving river's waves. The crash he created as he struck the surface of the water was only matched by the muffled out enormous thud the oak tree made as it slammed into the raft, tearing it apart with its ancient branches and scattering Link's supplies in every conceivable direction.

Navi, who had managed to make it out of the way before Link could even see the tree, scanned the undulating surface of Zora's River for any signs of Link. The wreckage of the raft was already drifting away with the current, leaving only a dark blue trail of water occasionally illuminated by more bolts of lightning.

"Link, where you?" the fey cried, unable to see any trace of the Kokiri. "Link! Link, are you there? Where are you? Link!"

_"Link? Is that you?"_

Kaepora Gaebora flinched when he thought he heard a tiny voice crying in the storm. It sounded too soft to be Link's, but he was willing to believe anything right now.

The wound caused by the hunters in his wing had delayed him longer than he had wished. It was prone to bleeding without warning, and during those times the pain was enough to render his wing muscles useless. He had stopped to relax the pain too often, allowing too much time to slip by. To make up for time, he had forgone both eating and sleep, and already he felt as if he was going to drop dead any moment.

But he had to push on; if he didn't, the princess was going to die at the hands of Ganondorf, which he _will_ not allow. By the sacred oaths he took before becoming an Owl, he _will_ not allow such a thing to happen. If that voice in the storm really was Link, Kaepora had to leave him be for now. As much as he wanted to find the young Mage-Bound again, he had a much more important job to do.

_"Curses, Link! Why did you have to be a _Magi-Con_? Why?"_

Keapora didn't know long or how many times he had thought that; he had already lost count…

_"Too easy! This is just too _easy_!"_

Those words echoed in Ganondorf's mind like his heavy footsteps in the palace hallways and whistled through his ears like the air brushing past his sword. Behind him were five other Gerudo, their weapons raised high as they made sure their king was safe from any possible surprise attack.

As he turned around a corner, Ganondorf thought of how little resistance his attack was encountering. He had expected to come across guards during his strolls through these hallways, drunk or no, but so far the only thing he had stumbled upon was a giant rat that had disappeared behind some barrels upon his arrival. He couldn't explain why attacking Hyrule Castle was this easy, but he coolly guessed it was because the king had grown too trusting during years of peace and harmony.

Well, he was personally seeing to that, now was he?

He wasn't sure if his other squadrons were encountering the same level of "resistance" as he was, but it didn't matter. All they had to do was keep the rest of the castle, however many troops that meant, busy while he made his way to the king's quarters and captured the kingdom of Hyrule without breaking a sweat. The plan must be working so far; why else was it _this_ easy…?

It didn't take him long to find the king's bedroom; he had found it in his spare time during his searches for the Ocarina of Time. But now that he knew where the ocarina was, he knew exactly how to get it. And the way to get it was lying right behind the heavy oak door that Ganondorf was standing before, the door adorned with golden hinges and handle and surrounded by a brilliant frame pained bright red. Ganondorf had assumed there would be at least two guards standing _here_, but he found none waiting for him.

_"Heh. Probably got off because they're as drunk as a Gerudo whore on New Moon's Night. Pity they're not here…so they can't taste the steel of my sword!"_

"You!" Ganondorf ordered as he pointed to two Gerudo behind him. "Break this door down! Now!"

The two soldiers complied by nodding once before pushing their way past their king to get to the door. They looked at each other for a brief moment before taking two deep breaths and then, as if connected by a kind of psychic link, lifted their legs into the air and kicked the door with all their might. The door rattled violently, but it remained firmly in place. Undeterred, the two again synchronized their movements as they give the door yet another swift kick. This time, there was a loud clang as the bolt from the other side of the door gave way and the door flew open like a piece of driftwood upon a lake in a violent storm, splinters and chunks flying in every direction.

The room on the other side of the door was dark inside, as expected – the king was sleeping, after all. But this didn't discourage Ganondorf in the least; he simply smirked at the destruction of the door as if he himself had performed the feat and then stepped inside, instructing the remaining three Gerudo to follow him inside.

As he stepped inside, a lightning bolt flashed outside, sprinkling its bright light through the curtains and illuminating the room just enough for the dark prince to see the room's layout. And that one flash was enough for Ganondorf to find the king's bed, which was positioned at the very end of the room, right up against the wall. The burst of light was enough for Ganondorf to see the actual king, his tall body strewn underneath the velvety blankets and his head hidden by the enormous silk pillow.

Ganondorf laughed, this time loud enough for anyone in the room to hear him. "This is why you're not fit to rule this kingdom, you pathetic fool!"

He then motioned for his soldiers to remain where they were before beginning his stride across the room towards the bed. "How you have keep your crown," he continued with a sneer, "will forever remain a mystery. But it will be no mystery as to how you lose that crown. You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this. Ever since I met you…no, _before_ I met you, I wanted to wring your neck and make you beg for mercy. But I'll refrain from doing that, at least until I get what I want for your precious daughter!"

He ended with a cruel snicker and moments later stopped directly next to the lavish bed, within arm's length of the sleeping ruler. Ganondorf hadn't seen any kind of response from the king, but that was most likely because the king was a heavy sleeper. Well, the King of Thieves was going to give this king a rude awakening…

Just then, another bolt of lightning lit up the room, and Ganondorf stopped his speech cold. His eyes widened in surprise and worry when he saw what was lying on the king's enormous pillow…actually, it was more along the line of what _wasn't_ lying on the pillow.

Nothing. There was nothing lying in the plush pillow's indentation. But, then what was…?

"What in the name of the Three Goddesses is going on?"

Without a second thought, Ganondorf raised his sword above his head and released a loud growl before bringing the blade down on the "body" of the king as hard as he could. The massive sliced through the furry covers with ease, and pierced whatever was underneath them just as easily…

"_Feathers_? It can't be…!"

But it was. Ganondorf was spellbound for a brief moment by the small flurry of feathers that fluttered when his sword struck whatever was under the bed, and when he snapped out of the trance he quickly reached for the edge of the covers and threw them off the bed. Just as he had feared, there were feather-pillows under the bed, positioned in such a way to replicate a reclining body.

And there was only one reason why the king would do such a thing…

"But that's impossible!" Ganondorf cried. "It's just not possible…!"

"But it is."

When Ganondorf heard that voice, his heart skipped a beat. He had heard that voice before, but he couldn't remember where or to whom it belonged. It wasn't any of his Gerudo; they had hardly spoken since the beginning of the invasion. Who was it…?

Suddenly, a bright light erupted from the wall to Ganondorf's left. The King of Thieves turned to find a figure standing right next to an enormous wardrobe cupboard, in the very spot that would make an excellent hiding place when the seeker was standing at the room's door.  The figure was holding a torch in her right hand that had probably be lit by a flint-strike, and in left hand was hidden behind her back in a formal stance. But what surprised Ganondorf the most was that she was wearing the exact same clothing of the second servant he had sent out. The figure was even wearing the hood over her face…wait, that's it…!

"My lord!" one of the Gerudo in the room suddenly cried out. "That's the second servant, the one who told us about the first servant running away…"

"You idiots!" Ganondorf snapped harshly without looking at the Gerudo soldiers and keeping an eye on the newcomer. "Are you so oblivious to not recognize the obvious? Are you that blind? This woman is anything _but_ a Gerudo!"

"I wouldn't be too hard on them, Ganondorf," the figure smirked as she abruptly removed her left arm from behind her back and lifted it towards the hood. "After all, you were fooled by the charade as well. Or don't you even remember?"

Ganondorf snarled. "I remember, wench. But I don't suppose you came here just to tell me that. Why are you here? To put an end to my life personally, or to mock me?"

"Oh, no," Impa smirked as her face was completely exposed in the light of the torch. "I came here to lock the door from the inside and make it look the king was really in here. And it'll be decided later whether you are worthy of an execution. For now, my friends outside will be more than happy to take you in."

"What?"

Ganondorf turned his attention to the bedroom door, just in time to watch several Hylian guards storm into the room and seize the three Gerudo. Outside, he could see a couple more guards holding the two Gerudo that had broken the door. Three of the guards that entered the room walked right past the detained Gerudo and stood beside Ganondorf, their swords poised to strike should he make any sudden movements. But what shocked Ganondorf the most were the guards' faces; they were strong, determined, and dedicated, completely the opposite of what a drunken soul should be!

"But…how…?"

"I'm assuming you're wondering about this," Impa interrupted, bringing Ganondorf's attention back to her. To his complete amazement, she was holding a full bottle of alcohol in her left hand – she had probably hidden it behind her rags somehow. "Yes, I'll admit it would've been a pretty good idea to give this to the guards just before your invasion of the castle. However, you forgot to include on factor in your plans, Ganondorf."

"Oh, and what's that?" the King of Thieves snarled in disgust.

"Me."

That voice…it couldn't be. For Ganondorf, hearing that voice was probably even worse than hearing Impa's. He didn't want it to be true, but when the wardrobe cupboard opened and Princess Zelda stepped out with that regal and satisfied look on her face, he knew it was true.

"You…" Ganondorf managed before Impa interrupted.

"Yes. You see, if it hadn't been for Princess Zelda she would've never discovered your idea to slip the guards this slop of yours. She was also the architect of this little plan; I'll admit I would've never thought of the weapon she came up with to capture you."

"And what was that?" Ganondorf spat, unable to contain his fury any longer.

"Your own pride," Zelda smiled. "I knew you were too smart to leave anything to chance _before_ the invasion, so I came up with the idea to capture you _during_ the invasion. We set everything up so that you would think everything was going your way, so that you would walk right into the snare without a second thought. And by what I heard, you were convinced beyond belief that you really had won."

Ganondorf snarled through his teeth. "So…everything, from the castle walls to the streets to the castle…it was all planned. I assume you did this all while I was gone so I wouldn't suspect anything beforehand."

Impa nodded. "Absolutely right. We also had to arrest your remaining servants so they couldn't escape and inform you, but they were no trouble at all. And even as we speak, your Gerudo soldiers are being rounded up by sober, prepared Hylian guards. Oh, don't worry; we don't do anything to them…except place them in nice, warm cells for the time being. I'm sure they'll appreciate it, having waited for long periods of time in the open for you to come for them. And as for your horse, it's most likely back in the stables, where we'll be sure to give it a proper home with love and care."

"You…you…_you_…how dare you!" Ganondorf tried to raise his sword and make a charge for Impa and Zelda, but the three guards that surrounded quickly stopped him dead in his tracks. He also discovered that one of them had already confiscated his sword; he hadn't even noticed!

Now completely infuriated, Ganondorf could only mutter, "Where is the King of Hyrule now? Lying protected in some hidden room somewhere? I want to personally see this coward and…"

"Oh, no," Impa grinned. "He's personally leading the cleanup of your Gerudo as we speak. But he probably would've never gone through with this had Princess Zelda not convinced him of your schemes. So if there's one person to thank for your capture, it should be the princess."

Ganondorf snarled and gritted his teeth even tighter together. Princess Zelda…he had completely underestimated her. He thought she was nothing more than a spineless twit, but she had proved him wrong. He thought he had broken her spirit when he had encountered her at the Temple of Time, but she had in fact only grown stronger. And now she was orchestrating the failure of his invasion and the perseverance of her family's reign over Hyrule.

And she still possessed the Ocarina of Time!

Just then, Impa made a gesture with the Gerudo whiskey in her hand. She lifted the bottle of alcohol high in the air before turning the neck upside down and allowing the watery contents to drain out of the bottle and onto the carpet. "Watch this, Ganondorf," the princess' protector ordered. "This is your plans, your future, and your luck. And if you aren't careful, this will be your life."

Ganondorf again tried to make a run for Impa and Zeda, but the guards again stopped him. Snapping at Zelda with his teeth, the desert prince mumbled, "We will see…"

"Take him away," Impa commanded. "Search him for any other weapons, and keep him under close watch."

The three guards saluted before they grabbed the King of Thieves and led him out of the room to join his five Gerudo soldiers. As they left the room, Ganondorf stole a final glance of Princess Zelda. He swore there and then he would get his revenge against that wench. Even if he died trying, he was going to make her pay…

"Link!"

Navi's cry of glee preceded her beating her wings swiftly in order to carry her nimble body towards the Kokiri, who was slowly dragging himself out of the Zora's River on the southern bank. He didn't appear to be hurt, although it wasn't difficult to tell he didn't enjoy diving into ice-cold water during a thunderstorm.

When she reached Link, he head was facing down and he was practically crawling along the bank like a crippled horse, although none of his limbs appeared to be broken. He made no sounds except for the scraping of his skin against the soft mud and an occasional grunt from his lips.

"Link, are you all right?" Navi asked.

In response to the fairy's question, Link unexpectedly coughed loudly and threw up a small stream of water from his throat. He had to cough several more times before he could finally speak properly. "I'm…I'm fine. I…I never thought I'd…I'd take another swim like that so soon after Zora's Domain."

Navi shook her head in relief. "Yeah, you're okay. But I'm afraid the raft's gone, as well as everything with it…"

"No need to worry about that," Link assured as he turned around so he could sit down in the mud. "There wasn't anything really important on that raft, just supplies for the trip. I've still got everything I need on my person, including the three Spiritual Stones."

Just to make sure he was telling the truth, Link gave himself a quick check. Sure enough, he still had the three stones, as well as his ocarina and his weapons, including his sword. He couldn't remember how his sword had returned to its scabbard after his battle with the Barinade. Maybe Ruto had put it there while he had fallen unconscious or something. But either way, he had everything except the Deku Shield he had lost to the fires of the Dodongos.

"Yes, I'm all right," he muttered before taking a deep breath and looking up to Navi, who was hovering within arm's length of his face. "So, how far are we from the city?"

"Not too far, I think," Navi answered before giving a brief glance in the direction of the castle. "By the looks of things, we can definitely make it in under and hour. And the rain seems to have let up, so it won't be a miserable journey either."

Needless to say, the rain really had let up; in fact, it was so soft that Link hardly noticed it at all. It might as well have been a…a mist…

"Well, let's get going," Navi pleaded. "If at all possible, I'd like to spend as less time as possible out here in this weather. Maybe Princess Zelda can give you a hot bath when we get to the castle."

"Sounds good," Link commented as he stood up, but in reality his mind was thinking of something other than hot baths and Princess Zelda. As he erected himself, he looked around the vast plains. The rains were virtually gone, and the thunder and lightning strikes were all but nonexistent, but something else was starting to develop.

Mist. And it wasn't a thin mist, either. It was already quite heavy, and it was growing thicker with each passing moment. At this rate, the blanket of haze would swallow up the distant Hyrule Castle completely. This didn't particularly worry Link – after all, they could just follow Zora's River straight to the castle – but what _did_ worry him was the strange feeling he had come across this before. But where…?

"Link!" Navi cried impatiently. "Let's get going before I start screaming right into your ear!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Shish!"

"It's over. It's finally over."

Zelda muttered those words for the hundredth time as she shuffled into her bedroom, with Impa following closely behind. The princess' protector didn't say anything in response; she was just glad that Zelda's plan had worked and that Ganondorf was now where he belonged. It had been a deadly gamble – Ganondorf was definitely self-righteous, but risking the plan on that evil man's pride was taking a big chance – but in the end everything worked out.

As Impa smiled with satisfied relief, Zelda suddenly spoke up. "Impa, do you know when my father will be finished with rounding up the rest of the Gerudo?"

Impa shook her head. "I don't, princess, but I wouldn't worry. Ganondorf's lies may have blinded him in the beginning, but your dedication eventually led him to see the truth. He will not be deceived in such a way again, thanks to you."

_"Thanks to me,"_ Zelda repeated in her mind. She had stopped in the middle of her bedroom and was at the moment staring into space, at nothing. _"Link, when I tell you about this, I hope you will understand that I did this for you as well as for Hyrule. For what he did to you and your people, he deserves more than the worst torture imaginable. But I did this for you…for you, Link. For you…"_

"Princess Zelda?" Impa's voice suddenly crooned. "What's wrong? You look a little tired. Maybe you should lie down. You've had a long day…"

"Not yet," Zelda interrupted softly. "There's something I want to do first."

"All right. If you wish."

Thanking Impa with a kind nod, Zelda headed for her private garden. The rains had by now thinned out to a delicate mist, but she could still see all her flowers and plants as if it were broad daylight, thanks to the enormous torch she had lit earlier and placed in the very center of the garden. As she walked closer to it, she watched as the torch's flame burned with a fierce essence, and yet managed to hold a kind of gentle aura about it. It was capable of so much, and yet it decided to utilize its power for one thing.

For some reason, it reminded Zelda of Link…

Speaking of Link, Zelda only gazed in wonder at the torch for about a minute before turning to the real reason she had entered her garden. She made her way to the far end of her garden, where several vivid, colorful flowers were growing beneath a small pear tree. Smiling faintly, Zelda knelt down in her royal dress and reached for one flower that unusually stood apart from the others, just on the edge of the flowerbed.

It was a red fragile firefly, commonly called a brittle rose, which wasn't a rare flower but, nevertheless, was beautiful and elegant in its own way. Brittle roses were very easy to grow because of their ability to go for years without water and nutrients. During periods of such dearth, their petals grew hard and brittle, making them easy to break but also giving them an exquisite luster in their colors. They were very popular with young Hylian women because of a tradition called Heart of Flowers, where a girl would give someone she likes a fragile firefly as a symbol of giving him her fragile heart.

Zelda had been keeping this brittle rose in a state of nutrition deprivation for several days now, and its petals had already hardened wonderfully. She carefully felt the flower's delicate surface for a moment before she gently grabbed the plant's green stalk and gave it a tender twist, causing the flower to come free right where she had bent it.

As she stood up, Zelda pressed the frail blossom daintily against her breast and closed her eyes. She had decided to pick the flower because she knew Link was coming. He would arrive at Hyrule Castle soon, and when he did…

_"Link,"_ she thought as she closed her eyes, _"I hardly know you, and yet I cannot stop thinking about you. I know not exactly what has come over me, but I do have my suspicions. When you come here, I will explain everything to you…how I lied to you, how I misled you, everything! And after that, I…will give this to you. If what I suspect is true, I hope you will accept my feelings for you. Because, Link, even though I hardly know you, I know _I _accept these feelings, for whatever reasons the Three Goddesses have given in their grand plan…"_

Unable to think of her conflicting feelings any longer, Zelda allowed a single tear to slip from underneath her eyelash and roll down her cheek. When Link arrived, everything will hopefully fit together. Everything will hopefully…and finally…make sense… 

"Link…" she sighed softly. "I…"

"Princess Zelda!"

The voice was so loud that Princess Zelda snapped back to reality within seconds. And because she had never heard that voice before, her heart started to race. Who had spoken it? Where had it come from? It may have been loud, but Zelda knew its owner was somewhere nearby. But she couldn't see anyone…

"Princess Zelda! I'm up here!"

Without a second's thought, Princess Zelda looked up…and her heart nearly jumped out of her throat. There, perched upon one of the pear tree's outer branches, was an enormous beast the size of a full-grown man, its huge eyes staring right at her with a hungry-looking gaze. Zelda, surprised and shocked at the same time, tried to scream but discovered her voice had left her. Unable to do anything else, she started to reflexively walk backwards, keeping her eyes on the strange creature.

_"Careful, now," _she thought. _"One wrong move, and only the Three Goddesses know what it'll do…"_

"Princess Zelda, are you finished out there?" It was Impa. "I really think you should get some sleep…princess, what's wrong? Why are you walking like that…by Din's Fire, what is _that_?"

As he stormed his way down the stairwell, led by the three guards who had surrounded him back in the king's bedroom, Ganondorf snarled loudly, sending an echo down the twisted stone staircase. The lone front guard turned and looked at him, but then quickly turned around again.

"You can growl all you want," the guard stated, "but it won't change a thing. Maybe next time, you'll think twice about attacking Hyrule Castle."

Ganondorf only sneered angrily in response. Ever since leaving the king's bedroom, he hadn't spoken a word to anyone. He was too infuriated with how his plans had been stopped by a little whore whom everyone in Hyrule called their princess. Everything had been perfectly planned, plotted, and thought out. From collecting the Three Spiritual Stones to finding the Ocarina of Time, everything had been considered. There had thought there was absolutely no way he could messed up. _No_ way! _None_!

But that brat had done it! She had destroyed everything he had spent years planning! He had severely underestimated her, and that was admittedly his own fault. But everything else was _her_ fault! And he was going to make sure she got what she deserved!

Tonight…!

"You'll like it down here, Ganondorf," one of the two guards behind him uttered. "The cells are a lot better than where your troops will be spending the next few months. Just be glad you're a king…oh, and we're going to have to ask you to remove your pretty clothes once you're…"

"Let me ask you pathetic worms something."

Ganondorf's request was so sudden that it caught the three soldiers off guard. They at first didn't know whether or not to grant the request, but realizing their descent down the stairs would take a little while, they figured a little conversation with their prisoner would be a nice change from conversing with themselves.

"Okay, Ganondorf," the third guard said. "Go ahead and ask us pathetic worms whatever you want."

A tiny smile crept across Ganondorf's face. "Tell me, how well do you think you would've done against me and my Gerudo if your precious princess hadn't helped you?"

The King of Thieve's question was so unexpected and mocking that it took the guards a long moment to finally answer. "I…I don't know," the first guard finally replied. "But I suppose it really doesn't matter, seeing that everything worked out in the end."

"You know what I think?" the second guard uttered. "I think we would be dead without her. We'd probably have our heads cut off right now, and we wouldn't even know because we'd be so drunk. If Princess Zelda hadn't intervened, I'd never see my wife and son again."

"I guess so," the third guard agreed. "Hopefully, the king will take this opportunity to improve our performance. I feel the Hylian Guard has grown a little soft in these times of peace. I'm just glad the princess came through for us…"

"So, you really like that wench, don't you?"

One of the guards behind Ganondorf gave the desert prince a hard shove in the shoulder. "Don't say such things about Princess Zelda, you fiend! And yes, we love her like our own daughter. Everyone in Hyrule loves her with all their hearts."

"I see." Ganondorf's lips widened their smile. "Then I guess it'll be sad for you all when she's dead."

The guard in front of Ganondorf suddenly stopped his descent down the stairs, forcing the others to do the same. The guard then turned around to face the evil king. "What are you talking about, you brute? What do you mean, 'when she's dead'?"

Ganondorf snickered softly. "It doesn't matter to you. You won't be around to miss her."

"What in the name of the Three Goddesses…?"

Without warning, Ganondorf removed his hidden bone dagger from behind his back and plunged it into the soldier's neck. The soldier's face flinched into an expression of surprise and shock before all life left his eyes like a flickering candle flame. The guard tried to say something, but it only caused more blood to spill from the enormous cut in his throat. It only took a moment for his body to grow limp and hang on the dagger in Ganondorf's hands like a carelessly worn cape. 

But Ganondorf didn't take the time to bathe in the glory of his sadistic murder; instead, he left the blade buried in the soldier's neck and turned around to face the other two, who were just as surprised as the first soldier.

"Stop him…!" one of the remaining soldiers cried as they tried to draw their swords, but they were too slow.

Like a bad dream come true, Ganondorf raised the palms of his hands to meet the faces of the two soldiers. The evil prince then flinched his fingers like fat whips before he sent two small yet lethal energy balls flying from his hands and right into the two guards' mugs. There were no screams of agony from the poor soldiers; the balls of light hit their targets dead on and muffled any sounds that could possibly be made with their tiny explosions.

When the light from the explosions cleared, all that was left on the two soldiers' faces was dead skin that draped like rotten vines on a decaying tree. Their faces had been erased, as if someone had taken a giant sword and shaved all the guards' facial features off with one, careless stroke. The soldiers' bodies stood erect for a moment longer before they collapsed to the floor with a loud clatter. 

As he stood over the three soldiers' bodies like a god of death, Ganondorf sneered so loudly he could hear it echo three times in the stairwell passage. He sneered at the soldiers' stupidity, at how the guards were stupid not to find his bone dagger inserted into his upper arm, right underneath his armpit, during their search of his body for other possible weapons. Bone daggers were a Gerudo's way of making sure regular melee weapons weren't the only means of defense; they also happened to be unnoticeable because of their scabbards: human flesh. Sure, it hurt quite a bit to actually sheath the dagger into the skin, but once in it made the perfect weapon for times like this.

He knew he could've tried using the bone dagger to attack the princess, but as he stared at the lifeless bodies at his feet, Ganondorf understood how his anger would've gotten in the way; the guards would've simply taken the weapon from him and he would've been without a physical weapon. And he also understood how out of practice he was with his magical abilities, which is why it took him so long to gather enough energy for those light attacks.

But now everything he had learned was coming back to him, and this was the perfect time for his revenge. The princess thought he was rotting in a prison cell, and the only ones who knew otherwise were dead. Not taking this opportunity would haunt him for the rest of his life. He might be captured again, but it would be worth it.

_"Princess Zelda,"_ he snarled in his mind as he bent down to pick up his sword. _"When I get my hands on you, I'm going to show you true pain. I'm going to gouge our your eyes with my teeth, twist your fingers off your little hands, peel your skin all the way down your body, and burn you where it hurts the most…and that's just the beginning!"_

Of course, Ganondorf knew he wouldn't have time to perform these vicious acts. The most be could probably do was slit her throat…but that would be more than enough.

With his sword in hand, Ganondorf began his climb up the stairs, leaving the three guards to bathe in their own blood…

"I have a bad feeling about this."

Navi didn't screech to a flying halt when Link said that, but she did slow her pace a little. "And what exactly is 'this,' Link? What exactly do you have a bad feeling about?"

Link didn't know if Navi's night vision allowed her to see him clearly in the heavy fog that surrounded them, but he shook his head anyway. "This situation, that's what. I don't know why, but, well…something just doesn't feel right."

Navi remained silent for a minute before responding, "Normally, I'd be inclined to say you're just overreacting, but being with you has taught me you're not that simple. Is there any particular reason why this 'situation' doesn't feel right?"

"I guess…it's because of this dream I had once…actually, several times. It started some time before Gohma was destroying the Great Deku Tree, and even now I sometimes have that dream when I sleep. It was very startling at first, but then I kind of got used to it. I guess I've gotten so used to it that it stopped bothering me after a while. But now…that same dream is starting to make me feel uncomfortable again."

"I guess that makes sense," Navi admitted, "but it'll make even more sense if you tell me what the dream was."

The Kokiri gave a weak smile. "I guess there's no harm in telling it. Let's see, it starts out in an empty plain, something like this one, and it starts to get really foggy…"

Link's story was suddenly interrupted by another crash of thunder…

_CRASH…_

The door went crashing down with one swift kick from Ganondorf's boot in a hail of splinters and chunks. Satisfied with the deed but also fervently hell-bent on carrying out his revenge, the King of Thieves ran into the princess' bedroom, raising his sword high in anticipation of finding Zelda's neck.

"Where are you, you little wench?" Ganondorf bellowed at the top of his lungs. "Where in the name of the Three Goddesses are you?"

The bedroom was empty save for the princess' belongings; there were no actual living beings in sight. Irate with possibility she might be hiding, Ganondorf began a quick search of the room. He threw open the closet and emptied it by topping it over. He used his black sword to carve the bed sheets into tiny scraps, as well as the actual bed. He even used his fist to destroy the enormous mirror with one swift punch. But he found no one. Getting angrier by the minute, Ganondorf turned his attention to the only place he hadn't looked: the only door other than the bedroom's entrance.

Kicking the door down like the first one, Ganondorf burst into whatever was on the other side. To his complete disgust, it was a private garden, filled with the most colorful and vibrant plants he had ever seen. But he only allowed his revulsion to overcome his emotions for a split second before he returned to his vengeance-seeking persona.

"Show yourself, you little whore!" Ganondorf demanded. "Come on out or I'll pick this place apart to find you! Or how about I simply…?"

At that moment, the King of the Gerudo noticed something that froze his threats. At the far end of the garden was a small stone platform that led to an enormous window on the far wall. Ganondorf remembered seeing that window. He had seen it during his visits with the king in his throne room. It was also the window through which he had seen someone spying on him; someone he had suspected to be the princess.

And it was broken, smashed in by a chair that lay at the foot of the shattered pane amidst thousands of shards of glass.

"No!" was all the Ganondorf could say as he ran as fast as he could to the broken window. He leapt over the short flight of stairs onto the platform and peered through the remnants of the glass. The throne room was empty; there was no one inside. The princess was gone.

"Curses!" Ganondorf roared. "How did she know I was coming? Does that witch have a sixth sense of some kind? Or is she using the Ocarina of Time somehow? Either way, I won't let her get away…"

Just then, Ganondorf noticed two things arranged at the base of the broken window, on the throne room floor. The first thing he noticed was a flower, a kind he had never seen before. Its petals were obviously very brittle, because small pieces of it had already fallen off and were lying on the floor amidst the glass. Ganondorf picked it up out of curiosity, but quickly thought nothing of it when he noticed the second thing.

Starting on a very sharp shard of glass still affixed in the window's frame and disappearing down a distant hallway was a thing yet noticeable trail of blood. Someone had cut her skin on the glass and was leaving a wonderful trail for him to follow. The blood was even still fresh; it hadn't even dried up yet.

A cruel smile forming on his lips, Ganondorf snickered, "As I said, I won't let her get away."

He then grabbed the flower in his hand by the petals and squeezed it as hard as he could, crushing the delicate flower with a spiteful crunch before allowing the remnants to drift out of his palm and down to the floor, where he felt they belonged…

"Look! There it is! The city!"

Link was right. The fog had grown incredibly heavy since the incident with the tree and his raft, but he could easily make out the towering features of Hyrule Castle New City as if it were broad daylight. Of course, he so close to the towering metropolis it would be impossible _not_ to see it, and two bright torches burning on the sides of the entrance also helped. He couldn't see beyond the outer wall and several tall structures along the edge of the city, but it was unmistakable Hyrule Castle New City.

"Finally, we're here," Link sighed. "Now all we have to is get inside, find Princess Zelda, give her the Spiritual Stones, and home we go…"

"A great idea, except for one thing, Link," Navi suddenly interrupted. "We're locked out."

"Excuse me?"

"Look for yourself. The drawbridge is up. We can't even get in."

Link turned his attention to the giant entrance to the city, and to his dismay Navi was right. The huge drawbridge that had been down during the day was now raised, preventing anyone from crossing the huge moat into the city limits. Link remembered how Princess Zelda had to get special permission to lower the drawbridge for his midnight departure from the city; since she didn't know he was here, there wasn't going to be a repeat action.

"Looks like we're stuck out here for the night," Navi continued with a sigh. "And I was looking forward to finishing this thing tonight."

"Great," Link said with a sigh of his own. "What else can go wrong?"

As if answering the challenge, a thunder roll echoed across the sky before several starting droplets fell from the sky. It didn't take long for the light drizzle to grow harder and harder until it felt exactly like passing through Zora's Domain's waterfall entrance several times during the course of a second. Link, deciding not to make the situation worse, shut his mouth and prayed that Navi would do the same.

The only upside was that the heavy rains were causing the fog to lift, but that wasn't necessarily something Link needed. At least he could see the city's facade more clearly now, but he would've traded that advantage for no rain at all…

"Hey, what was that?" Navi suddenly asked.

"What was what?"

"I thought I heard something. It sounded like a whistle of some kind, but I'm not sure."

"Maybe it was the wind…"

"No, it sounded too shrill to be the wind. It had to be a whistle, or at least something that sounds like a whistle…"

Suddenly, Link heard a loud and uncannily familiar groan, and he knew exactly where it was coming from…

Market Square flew by like a vague dream for Princess Zelda, as did the rest of Hyrule Castle New City. But she didn't complain; she and Impa had to make haste if they were to get out of the city before Ganondorf could catch them.

Zelda had never seen Impa's beautiful white horse Puresnow gallop as fast as she was now; the princess had only seen the mare perform simple riding tricks back at the palace. She hoped Impa wouldn't tire the poor horse out at the speed Impa was pushing her, despite the need for them to get away from Ganondorf. Zelda only hoped she had noticed the wound on her leg in time to end the bloody trail she had left for the King of Thieves to follow, because apparently Ganondorf's horse – Darkstorm, she thought that was his name – was a very powerful horse. Powerful enough to catch up to Puresnow very easily…

As she sat in front of Impa, who was trying to keep Puresnow going fast enough and prevent the princess from falling off, Zelda couldn't help but wonder about Link. She was so sure she would see him again very soon, but this recent turn of events was destroying that opportunity. Now she won't have the chance to tell him what she had wanted to tell him ever since she had decided to lie to herself no longer. And Link…how will he find her again? How will he know what had happened if she wasn't there to let him back into the castle? How long did he have to wait before it was safe to return to Hyrule Castle?

Why…did she care so much about this boy…?

"Princess, are you all right?" Impa's voice suddenly interrupted.

Snapping out of her trance, Zelda looked up at her guardian. "Yes, I'm fine, Impa."

"Good, because I'm afraid we're being followed."

Zelda's face broke into an expression of horror. She turned to look behind Impa, expecting to see the evil figure of Ganondorf upon his dark steed, chasing them through the streets of Hyrule Castle New City. But all she saw were dark streets illuminated by a few lights from house windows; she couldn't even make out a distant shadow of any pursuer.

"How do you know?"

Impa's face tightened. "Because I can feel his dark aura getting closer. He must've discovered we were heading to the stables, even though we put a stop to your bleeding long before we got to them. Curse it all! I just wish I had had time to take care of his horse."

"Impa, I'm so sorry…"

"Don't be. Ganondorf may have been blinded by his pride during the invasion, but he isn't stupid. He would've found out sooner or later; it just happened to be sooner than I had hoped for. But it's starting to rain again; it should give us some cover when we're outside the city. Let's just hope we can get out into the open before Ganondorf sees us. Now cover your ears. I need to give the signal to open the main gate."

After giving the princess a little bit of time to follow her instructions, Impa moved her lips and tongue into a pouted positioned before releasing two loud, brief, high-pitched whistles into the night…

The drawbridge. It was lowering.

Ordinarily, Link would be both surprised and relieved that such a thing were happening, because it meant getting into the city and getting out of the rain. But instead, he was both surprised and shocked. He had seen this, seen it enacted hundreds of times before. It may have been a coincidence, but the shape and size of the drawbridge and the sounds of the drawbridge as it groaned its way down were too recognizable. And while the drawbridge wasn't attached to a castle, the fact that the city's facade was part of Hyrule _Castle_ New City was also too much to be a coincidence.

There was no denying it; Link was watching his dream being reenacted.

"Navi! This is it! This is my dream! It's happening! Right now! Navi, where are you?"

"I'm right here. There's no need to shout," came the fay's familiar voice to his left. Link turned his head, and sure enough he found Navi hovering over his left shoulder. Just like in his dream…

"Navi, look! You remember what I told you! This is my dream! It's come to life! My dream is happening right now! Look, the drawbridge is lowering, just like…"

"Link, calm down!" Navi demanded. "I remember what you told me, but now I think you're overreacting. There's probably a very plausible reason for them lowering the drawbridge. Maybe Princess Zelda noticed us coming and is just letting us in…"

"Navi, you don't understand…!" Link's interruption was in turn interrupted by the loud thud of the drawbridge landing on the ground, bridging the gap between the soggy plains and the city limits. Link ignored it and just continued, despite the fact that the wind was blowing the rain into his face. "Navi, listen to me! You might not get it because you never had the dream yourself. But I've had it, and I know it when I see it. I had a strange feeling the moment we first arrived at this city; that's how sure I am. Look at this, Navi! Look! How would you like to know that a white horse with two riders is going to come out of there right now?"

"Link, calm down, okay? Maybe there's some truth to your dream, maybe not. I don't know. But are you sure you're not taking this too seriously? Are you sure you're not…wait a minute, I hear something."

"What is it? Another whistle?"

"No, it's definitely not a whistle. It's very familiar, let me just think…yes, it sounds like…by the Three Goddesses, it can't be!"

Navi, with shock spread all over her tiny face, turned her attention to the lowered entrance to the city; Link did the same, sans the shocked expression. What he saw made his blood run cold. The rain was still falling quite heavily, so it masked the city entrance like an enormous see-through curtain. But he could still see something behind that curtain, something heading out of the darkness from inside the city and into the field, heading straight for Link and Navi.

Despite the fact he couldn't make out any detail at all, Link knew exactly what was heading his way…

The sound of Puresnow's hooves clattering upon the wooden planks of the drawbridge sounded little different than her hooves upon the cobbled stones of the city streets, but Zelda welcomed the slight change of sound. It signaled she and Impa were nearly out of the city, and therefore nearly out of Ganondorf's clutches. By now even she could sense Ganondorf's presence behind them; she still couldn't see them, but he knew he was there. But in a matter of moments they would lose him in the thick wall of rain in the fields of Hyrule…

"By Farore's Wind, someone's in the way!" Impa suddenly yelled, more to herself than to Zelda. "Get out of the way! Quickly get out of the way! I can't turn this horse around! Kid, get out of the way!"

_"Kid…?"_

Her heart suddenly leaping with hope, Zelda peered over Puresnow's flowing white mane so she could see the "kid" to whom Impa was yelling. The rain still obscured her vision somewhat, but she didn't need her whole eyesight to make out the familiar shape of a long, pointed hat upon the head of a familiar body.

"Link!" she screamed with all her might. "That's Link! Impa, stop! We have to pick up Link! Impa, stop, please!"

"We can't stop, princess!" Impa said immediately, although it sounded as if she had thought through Zelda's request thoroughly. "If we do, Ganondorf will surely catch us. As much as I'd like to stop and pick the young lad up, we just can't. I'm sorry!"

Zelda, not knowing what else to do, continued yelling at the top of her lungs. "Link, get out of the way! Quickly, Link! Get out of the way before you're trampled! Link!"

Zelda…that was Princess Zelda's voice!

"Princess Zelda…!"

But that was all that Link managed to scream back before the giant white horse was upon him. Unable to do anything else, Link scrambled to the side to avoid getting crushed by the steed's thundering hooves. He managed to get out of the way just in time; moments after jumping out of harm's way, the white horse blazed through where he had stood, neither slowing down or turning around.

Link, although a little dazed, managed to keep his eyes fixed on the retreating horse, as well as its…two…riders. He had been right! This _was_ the horse from his dreams! The fact that Princess Zelda and Impa – he was sure the other voice belonged to Impa – were on that horse didn't change a thing. And just like in his dream, one of the riders was looking back at him, and that rider was Zelda.

She was trying to tell him something, but the wind was blowing in the other direction and scattering her words. What was she saying? He couldn't hear…wait a minute. What was she doing…?

As she watched the Kokiri pass them in a brief blur, Zelda felt helpless. There was so much she wanted to do for him, but she couldn't do a thing except watch him as he watched her disappear…

No! There had to be _something_ she could do! Link had all three Spiritual Stones. Why else had he returned? And if that was true, he had almost all of the keys to the Sacred Realm. The only key he didn't have was in her possession…

In an instant, Zelda's mind had been made up. Without a second thought, she reached with both her hands for the sewn pocket in her dress and tore the lining apart with her nails. She then grabbed the familiar item she had sewn inside that pocket with her right hand and brought it into the open.

She won't allow Ganondorf to get his hands on the Ocarina of Time, but she also wasn't going to let him stand by and think of another way to get the Triforce!

Hesitating for only a split second, Zelda pushed herself to the side of Impa and screamed as loud as she could, "Link! Here! Take this!"

Then, with all her might, she threw the Ocarina of Time in Link's direction…

She had thrown something! Princess Zelda had thrown something at him! Link tried to see what it was, but the rain and wind blurred his vision and prevented him from seeing it clearly. All he could do was watch as the obscure object sailed through the lightning-adorned sky like a dying bird, flying over his head and disappearing somewhere a short distance away to his right.

But for some reason Link quickly forgot about the thrown object and turned his attention back to the retreating Zelda. By now, the horse had disappeared into the curtain of rainfall completely, but he thought he could still hear Zelda's muffled cries. He could even recall Zelda's horrified expression as she watched him during her frantic ride…

By the way, why _were_ Princess Zelda and Impa riding away like that? Were they going after something? Or was something chasing after _them_? Hey, wait a minute. Wasn't there something more to Link's dream? Didn't something _else_ happen…?

A loud snort behind him was all he needed to remember. Turning around frantically, Link saw what he had only seen in his terrifying dream. The first thing he saw was the black horse, a huge, powerful-looking animal that seemed capable of tearing him apart with its frantic hooves and wild eyes. Speaking of its eyes, a flash of lightning lit the sky, and the horse's eyes lit up with it. But instead of a sickly yellow, the eyes glowed demonic red…

Then the horse's rider became the focus. As the horse reared in fervent madness, the rider forced the horse to calm down. He was exactly the same as Link had seen him back at the palace, but out here in the thunderstorm he appeared more wicked and malicious than before. His face was stiff with anger and determination, but his eyes were filled with a passionate cruelty Link hadn't seen anywhere else. And unlike the horse's eyes, which required a flash of lightning to glow with a sinful light, this man's eyes seemed to glow like a demon's corrupt soul on their own.

He scared Link more than Gohma, King Dodongo, and the Barinade ever could. Combined. Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, was just that evil…

The man stared into the thunderstorm with a heated glare, as if he had failed something very important. "Curses!" he cried out loud in a gruff voice. "I lost her!"

Link hoped Ganondorf hadn't seen him, hoped the rain would somehow shield him from the evil man's sight, but that hope was dashed when Ganondorf turned his head to his left and saw the Kokiri standing in the rain. "You there!" the Gerudo cried. "You, boy! You must've seen a horse go by here just now. Which way did they go? Answer me!"

Link didn't say anything; he just kept his gaze affixed on the black-clothed man with a frozen expression of fear on his face. Starting to get irritated, Ganondorf raised his voice. "I heard screams earlier, you little brat. And since you're the only one I've seen out here, they must've been yelling at you. Where are they? Why way did they go? Tell me! _Now_!"

Link somehow found the strength to take a single step backwards, although he kept his stare set on Ganondorf. The Gerudo watched this simple yet defying act, and he seemed to be a little amused by it. "So, you think you can protect the princess from me, is that it? You've got guts, kid. But if you don't tell me where she is, I'm going to strew them all over Hyrule. Now tell me where she is before I come down there and slice you open like the dog you are!"

_"Just try it,"_ Link dared in his mind, but in reality he was shaking violently. He knew Ganondorf would beat him in a one-on-one fight; even if he lost his sanity, like he had when he fought those Lizalfos, Ganondorf would carve him up as easily as a bolt of lightning burning through a tree.

Still, he wasn't about to reveal where Princess Zelda had gone. Even if Ganondorf killed him, Link would never betray her. He just hoped Ganondorf wouldn't find the three Spiritual Stones on his person if he _did_ kill him…

Deciding to make a stand there and then, Link drew his sword from his scabbard. He instinctively reached for his Deku Shield as well, but remembering it wasn't there he clutched the hilt of his sword with both hands and pointed it straight at Ganondorf. He was sending a clear message to the evil man that no matter what, Link would never tell him anything. Link also hoped Ganondorf would realize just how much he hated him, despite the fact they had never met before.

But seeing Link's brave act only amused the Gerudo further. Ganondorf watched the Kokiri's threat for a moment before his eyes seemed to flash with realization, as if he had learned something valuable and important. He then snickered loudly and gave Link a mocking smile.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh. So you want to fight me, do you? You're either one of the greatest fighters in the world or one of the world's biggest fools. But I guess I can't pass such a thing up, seeing your little heart's so set on facing me. Here, allow me to make the first move."

Without another word, Ganondorf raised the palm of his hand and aimed it at the Kokiri. Link, still aiming his sword at the Gerudo, watched in horror as a ball of white energy gathered in Ganondorf's hand for a few seconds, growing to the size of Link's head and to the brightness of a close star, before being released in his direction with a soft, audible vibration.

Link quickly spread his hands apart and called forth Nayru's Love. The invisible shield came forth, blocking the path of the energy sphere. But Link's confidence in defending himself from the attack was destroyed when the energy ball passed right through his shield! Without any time to dodge, Link felt the surge of pure energy course through his body, sending him flying backwards.

He landed on the ground with a thud, creating a small net noticeable splash in the soggy grass. He was still alive, but he couldn't move; the King of Thieves' attack had rendered him completely immobile. All Link could do was move his eyes and look up at the person he despised as the Gerudo king stared back at him.

"You pathetic, little fool," Ganondorf finally uttered. "You have no idea who you are dealing with. But soon, you and all the world will know the true power of Ganondorf!"

Without another word, Ganondorf grabbed his horse's reigns and whipped them aggressively against the beast's neck. The horse reared wildly before pushing itself forward, supported by a loud cry from Ganondorf. Link managed to move his neck, which proved he wasn't paralyzed, and watch as the King of the Gerudo disappeared into the night, melting into the darkness as if it were his own domain.

As he looked on, tears started to form in Link's eyes. He had just come face to face with the man who had killed the Great Deku Tree, and he had been no match for him. Even with his own magical abilities, if he had used them, Link was sure Ganondorf would've found him to be as dangerous as an insect bite. The failure of Nayru's Love merely solidified that idea…

He stared at the spot where Ganondorf had disappeared into the darkness for what seemed like an eternity, allowing the tears to flow more freely with each passing minute. He didn't know how long he lay there, unable to move, but his mind was only occupied by one thought and one thought alone. Before he blacked out, he whispered aloud in his mind:

_"Princess Zelda…why…?"_


	33. The Day the World Stood Still

**Chapter 33: The Day the World Stood Still**

"Princess, how much longer…?"

Impa's question was halted by the raising of Zelda's hand, which was then promptly returned to its former position – holding the other hand in a prayer-like clasp – after silencing the princess's guardian.

They had been riding for only fifteen minutes when Zelda had asked Impa to stop Puresnow so she could dismount. Impa had at first been weary of stopping; Ganondorf had been chasing them, after all, and still might be. But Zelda's constant begging and demands had finally forced the protector of Hyrule's Royal Family daughter to concede. When Puresnow had been drawn to a halt, Zelda had jumped onto the soggy ground, knelt down in the mud in her regal dress, closed her eyes, and started to chant some kind of prayer.

She had been performing that prayer for over ten minutes now, and Impa was getting a little impatient as well as worried. She wanted to get Zelda to the safety of her village, Kakariko Village, as quickly as possible. With Ganondorf loose, there was no telling how the Gerudo king might find a way to get to Zelda…

But because the princess was so insistent on this unusual ritual, all Impa could do was watch Zelda from Puresnow's back and wait for her to complete it. Impa could hear Zelda mutter several words, but exactly what she was saying was beyond her knowledge. The Shiekah were people of prophecy, not magic….

"There, finished."

Zelda's words were so unexpected that Impa blinked in surprise to hear understandable words from the princess' mouth. But she quickly regained her composure, even though she felt very uneasy. "Then let's make haste," Impa pleaded. "Ganondorf might be looking for us this very moment, and I'd like to get to Kakariko Village as soon as possible."

"I understand," was all that Zelda replied as she strode over to Puresnow and allowed Impa to lift her back onto the horse's back. "Let's go."

Nodding, Impa used the reigns to gently strike Puresnow's neck, which encouraged the beast to move forward, starting out slowly but then picking up the pace until it was in a sprint worthy of the Hylian Horse Races. The rais had stopped some time before Zelda's prayer, leaving a muggy yet cold feeling in the air. A gentle mist was also beginning to rise, but it presented no threat to the travelers; Impa could tell which direction they were heading through mere instinct, so they were on the right heading for Kakariko Village.

As they galloped across the wide plains of Hyrule, Impa managed to look down at Zelda and ask, "By the way, what exactly did you do back there?"

"I left a little something for Link," Zelda replied, as if anticipating the question. "I'm sure he's confused as to what's going on, so I channeled some of my magic as a message into the Ocarina of Time. As soon as he touches it, he'll find it."

Instead of admiring Zelda's idea, Impa shook her head with concern. "I sure hope you knew what you were doing when you gave Link the ocarina. Ganondorf was right behind us, and he could've easily taken it from Link, as well as whatever else he had. I hope the young lad is okay."

"Me too," Zelda agreed, although she was agreeing more with the idea that she also hoped she knew what she was doing…

"By the way, Impa," Zelda suddenly asked. "Did you know that Owl? You know, the one that told us to run?"

Impa hesitated before answering, "I knew him, Princess, but a long time ago, back when he looked very different from what he is today…"

_It was very rare for him to know when he was dreaming, but this was one of those times. Before, he would live the dream without realizing it was actually a dream; this time, he knew without a doubt it was a dream. How did he know it was a dream? Because he could still feel the pain of reality all too well, and he didn't want to return there right now. The only thing he knew nothing about was his name; it had no meaning here._

_He dreamed of the Lost Woods, picturing he was back where he had lived all his life. The dream was a perfect picture of the forbidden woodland; he could see every blade of glass glide in the wind, hear every leaf grate against the tree's rough bark, and smell every drop of morning dew as it evaporated into the cool air. He could feel the sun's gentle rays poke through the forest canopy to tickle his skin, and he could taste the overwhelming aromas of natural foods the woods provided._

_He was in the very place where he belonged, and he was happy._

_He then dreamed of the Kokiri Forest, the section of the Lost Woods that was his home. He could see the hollowed-tree residences that belonged to his friends – Saria – and the abodes that didn't belong to his friends – Mido. He could make out the arrangement of Kakariko Village; he was able to place every house, road, planted trees, and other familiar objects in their proper place with frightening accuracy. He could even imagine the crag-bounded road that led to the Great Deku Tree's meadow, and even thought his heart knew the truth he could see the Great Deku Tree himself, alive and well, watching over his creations._

_He was home again, and he was happy._

_He then dreamed of his life, watched as he relived his most cherished memories. His saw his first encounter with Saria, an even that occurred because he had been hypnotized by her ocarina-playing abilities. He witnessed his first berry picking with her, during which she kindly shared her harvest with him because his own yield had been pitiful. He observed the day he finished his tree house, which had been built to stop the height-fearing Mido from teasing him in his own home. He even glimpsed the first time he slept outside under the stars, something that he somehow always seemed to remember._

_He dreamed these and many more memories, and he was happy. But he also cried, cried for the days he longed to relive._

_Then he dreamed of more recent events, the events that took place a day before he left it all behind. Navi came to him, telling him that she was now his fairy and informing him of the peril of the Great Deku Tree. Mido tried to stop them, but he bested him with the help of Saria. He stood before the Great Deku Tree, traveled within the Great Deku Tree, and faced the creature Navi had named Gohma. He killed her with guilt in his heart, but it had to be done. He faced the Great Deku Tree again, only to watch him die before giving him the Kokiri's Emerald and a quest. He left the corpse of the Great Deku Tree, only to be greeted by Mido's accusations and Saria's kindness. He then left her and everything behind him, taking only her ocarina and these memories._

_He wished he never had to relive this again, and he cried. This time he cried because of the pain in his heart, the pain he wished he had never experienced._

_Then he dreamed of something he didn't recognize. It was a time and place he knew nothing about; he suspected it was the future. Everything around him was emptiness, a void that swallowed everything except him. All possessions he owned – his clothes, his weapons, the Spiritual Stones, the ocarina, everything – were gone. He could feel no emotions; they seemed to have been stripped from his being as well. He was alone, and yet he didn't feel alone…_

_He then saw why he didn't feel alone: he wasn't alone. Perched upon his left shoulder was a fairy, as pink as the sky during a cloud-clothed sunset. He knew this fairy well; he could even put a name on her. So, for the first time during his dream, he spoke._

_"Navi."_

_But she didn't answer back. She simply stared into the nothingness, as if expecting something to happen.  And it did._

_Without warning, he saw something step out of the darkness. It was a girl, a girl wearing the brightest green he had ever seen. Even before she stopped a short distance away from him, he knew exactly who she was, and he managed to call out her name._

_"Saria."_

_But she didn't answer him, as if sound had no meaning in this unfamiliar world. Instead she stared directly at him as if staring directly through him. She then held out her right hand, which was clenched tightly into a fist, and remained motionless for an endless moment before finally opening her hand, palm up._

_There, sitting in her palm, was everything he had ever known before that fateful day: the Lost Woods, Kokiri Village, everyone he knew, his accomplishments and failures, his cherished and despites memories…everything. It was all there. Everything…_

_Then something else emerged from the nothingness. It was a hand, a giant hand large enough to hold a Kokiri in its giant palm. The hand had no owner; it was attached to no master. But it had an agenda, because he saw it heading straight for Saria. But he did nothing but watch. He could feel nothing except familiarity, so he expressed no urgency. Saria just stood there as well, showing him everything he had ever known, not caring about the new manifestation. She didn't even do anything when the giant hand encircled her with its powerful fingers._

_The hand remained motionless for an eternity, and Saria didn't move. Then she smiled, and finally lowered her hand. She then said four words that rang in his mind like a shrill echo._

_"Come…back…to…me…"_

CRASH…__

_The giant hand snapped into a fist, destroying everything inside. Saria disappeared with her smile and took everything she had shown him. The crash made no sound, and yet it thundered in his mind like an angry storm. Suddenly, his emotions returned to him, and they pounded against his psyche with full force, trying to overpower the others for supremacy. He felt the pressure inside his heart, and the force was just too brutal for him to stand. He fell to his knees, holding his head in pain, trying to control his feelings as best he could._

_On his shoulder, Navi remained silent. She did nothing to help him or comfort him; she simply sat there, as emotionless and disinterested as before. She looked at him once, but then looked away, back towards the hand that had destroyed everything he had cherished._

_The pain grew and grew, refusing to give him any moment of peace and sapping all of his strength. The experience was tearing his soul apart, trying to destroy him from the inside. He had to transfer his hands from his head to his chest in order to hold back the agony, but nothing could stop it completely. It was as if he were experiencing all of his life's pain in a single, defined moment…_

_No, that wasn't it. He was experiencing all of the pain he _will be facing_! He was experiencing all the suffering of his future! That had to be it! But why…?_

_Then, from the void, he saw a new presence emerge. It was a face. But it was no ordinary face. He recognized that face immediately, and realized that the giant hand belonged to that face. He also understood where all of this pain was coming from…_

_"I understand. You are the cause of all of this. You are the one who will destroy everything I cherish, the one who will give me this pain…but I also understand something else. This is the future. This can change. I will see to that. You will not take anything away from me. You will not succeed. You will not…succeed."_

_The pain was gone. He had conquered his emotions. He could feel his soul being healed, and his strength returning. He stood up, opposing the face in his naked state. Navi remained on his shoulder, but she had changed. She looked like the Navi he had always known, the Navi he cared about. She said nothing to him, but she didn't need to say anything. She just needed to be there…with him…_

_His courage gathered inside his heart. He could feel it._

_"I…"_

_His clothes returned to him._

_"…am…"_

_His sword returned to him._

_"…Link."_

_His name returned to him._

_"And I will not allow you to win!"_

_Link charged at the face, holding his sword up high. He cried out into the void, crying out all his pain, his suffering, and his anger. He will put an end to this. He will not let the face win. He will not let the evil behind that face win. As he flew through the emptiness, his cries shielding his heart from agony, his eyes shed tears that drifted behind him like a visible wind. Inside of those tears were his fears and doubts. He will not back down. Never._

_"I will not let you win…Gaaaaaaaannnnnoooooonnnnnndoooooorrrrrf!"_

It was that scream of his that finally woke him up. Because he rarely dreamed and knew about it, waking up from such a dream was quite an experience. To watch everything fade away and then weave into something else was both nerve-racking and intoxicating, disturbing and intriguing, but Link didn't think he wanted to experience it again anytime soon.

Daylight. It was either that or someone shining a bright candle in his face. But it didn't take him long to figure out it was the former; the blue sky winking at him from above was the first hint. At first he thought nothing of it, but then he remembered the black thunderclouds and fierce rains from last night. Despite his misty vision, he could tell there weren't any dark clouds in the sky, only their white cousins. And since all he could hear were distant bird songs and insect calls, the storms were either too far away for the thunder to be audible.

As his eyesight sharpened, he could make out a dark object to his right and just out of his line of vision. He turned his head, quickly finding his neck muscles to be stiff but movable, and discovered the object was the familiar outer wall of Hyrule Castle New Town, looming like the tree line Link had seen during his unprecedented departure from the Lost Woods. He could also see something else that made his heart beat a little faster: the drawbridge, located a little ahead of him and to the right, was lowered, granting access into the city.

Slipping a sigh of relief through a weak smile on his lips, Link relaxed his head against the soft grass. By the tickling sensation of the long grass against his cheeks, the ground was already dry; he couldn't even feel any soggy mud underneath him. That either meant the mud was a special kind, or the sun had been out for a while. He looked up to the sky, and discovered the latter option was true; judging by the position of Din's Eye, it was midmorning and closing in on noon.

As he lay there, allowing his muscles to relax before the upcoming task of moving them, Link thought about the dream he had just witnessed. That other dream, the one with Princess Zelda and Ganondorf, had been reenacted almost exactly, so there was a chance this one held some kind of significance as well. But exactly what kind of importance did this dream have?

There was one noticeable factor in this new dream: it dealt almost exclusively with the Lost Woods, the only odd thing out being Ganondorf. Link tried to figure out the dream's meaning, but there were so many possibilities. It could've been a dream of remembrance, a dream of longing, or a dream of the possible future… it could've been _all_ of those, by the Three Goddesses!

Still, the dream did show Link one undeniable thing: what he cherished more than anything else. Despite where he had been – Hyrule Castle New City, Zora's Domain, Death Mountain, Lon Lon Ranch – and despite who he had met – Kaepora Gaebora, Princess Zelda, Malon, Impa – it meant little to him when compared to what he had always possessed. He didn't want to admit it – after all, he had been given some wonderful memories during his quest and had made some irreplaceable friends – but nothing he had experienced during his journey outside of the Lost Woods could ever take the place of what was _inside_ of the Lost Woods.

Kokiri Village, his tree home, his friends, Saria…they all had a place in his heart. Even the bully Mido had a spot somewhere! While everything and everyone meant something to him, Link knew his life back in the Kokiri Forest meant much more than anything else.

Lying there, staring at the sky with wide eyes, Link made a vow. After giving Princess Zelda the three Spiritual Stones, he will leave Hyule forever and return to where he belonged. It was a painful decision – there were a few people he wouldn't mind seeing again, especially a certain red-haired girl to whom he had promised to return one day – but it was the right one to make. He was a Kokiri; he shouldn't even be outside the forest. It would be better if everyone outside the Lost Woods forgot he ever existed.

_"It's the right decision,"_ he repeated in his mind, as if trying to convince himself. _"At least I sure hope it is…"_

"You're finally awake."

Link wasn't surprised by Navi's interruption. In fact, he was almost expecting it. He turned his stiff neck to his left, and saw the pink fairy hovering a short distance away from his face. She didn't appear angry or worried in the least; she simply drifted there, watching him with her tiny eyes.

Link widened his smile. "Have I been asleep long?"

"Long enough," the fairy answered. "At first I was a little worried you were unconscious, but when I saw you breathing normally I relaxed. I decided you'd be fine if you were left the way you were, and I took the time to check out exactly what Princess Zelda threw at you last night…"

"Threw at…? Oh, yeah. I remember. She _did_ throw something, didn't she? So what is it?"

"It's an ocarina. That's it, nothing more than an ocarina. I found it lying at the bottom of the moat, so it took me a good many tries to actually bring that thing to the surface. It's a lot bigger than any ocarina I've ever seen, but I can't see anything special about it. Any ideas?"

Link sighed. "Ocarina, huh? Well, I can't think of anything…wait, maybe there was one thing…ugh, I can't think straight right now. It feels like that Barinade's shock attack pierced every muscle in my body."

"Well, I'm not surprised. That attack Ganondorf made against you was pretty intense. Your shield – whatever you call it…Nayru's Love, isn't it? – it slowed the attack down some, but it wouldn't have mattered if you had or hadn't used that shield. The attack was only enough to stun you, which brings up an interesting question: why didn't Ganondorf kill you?"

Hey, that _was_ an interesting question. Why _didn't_ Ganondorf kill him? He obviously had the power to do so, and yet all he did was stun him. Could Ganondorf not bring himself to kill children…?

_"Yeah, right!"_

Straining to flex his arm muscles, Link tried to get up, which was a little more difficult than he wanted it to be. As he lifted himself up as best he could, he muttered through his teeth, "I don't suppose you have any idea as to what's going on. With Ganondorf and Zelda, I mean."

"Not really," the fairy answered. "I've spent most of my time trying to get that ocarina out of the moat. I haven't had time to do anything else."

"I see," Link stated as he finally managed to get himself into a sitting position. He didn't say it, but he couldn't believe he and Navi were having a calm, normal conversation, as if nothing from last night had happened. Maybe she was getting used to all of this. Maybe he just couldn't surprise her anymore… 

"So where is this ocarina?" he asked before he took a deep breath and started to strain his legs to work.

"Still in the moat. I only managed to move it closer to the shore; that thing weighs more than I could bear, even in the water. You'll have to get it yourself, because I sure can't get it."

Link shook his head. "Fine, whatever. Just lead me to it."

As he spoke the last word, he finally managed to stand up, although he had to lock his knees together to prevent his legs from giving in to his weight. He took a moment to steady himself so he could stand without the worry of falling on his face, and then he took a baby step to test his muscular movements. His legs wobbled slightly, but they held him up.

Satisfied, Link turned to Navi, who was already flying towards the moat and the spot where the ocarina lay. Deciding not to push himself, he headed in that direction using small steps; his strength hadn't completely returned to him yet and he didn't want to feel like an idiot by falling on his face. He did stop for a moment to pick up his sword, which had fallen just a short distance from where he had lain, but other than that he kept shuffling.

He reached the edge of the moat in a little over a minute, and when he reached the shore he strained his neck to look down. The water a little murky but he could still see the bottom and everything that lay upon it. The water-filled trench was quite deep, and Link was about to wonder how Navi expected him to reach down and pick anything up from the floor when he noticed something sitting against the shore, a short distance beneath the water's surface.

It was the ocarina, resting on a sand bank. Even then Link could tell just how right Navi was: the instrument really _was_ big, at least bigger than his fairy ocarina. It was also colored a brilliant purple that distinguished it from the moat's floor, and that brilliance seemed to soak the sun's rays like a sponge fungus in a summer rain. As he watched the ocarina through the ripples of the water, Link couldn't help but get the feeling that the ocarina was somehow…_asking_ him to pick it up…

"That's silly," he said to himself as he bent down on his knees and dipped his right hand into the water to retrieve the instrument.

"What's silly?" Navi asked.

"Oh, nothing…"

_ZING…_

Navi didn't have the opportunity to hear the rest of Link's sentence when he suddenly froze, his face petrified in an expression of shock and disbelief. Suddenly growing worried, Navi fluttered in front of Link's face and tried to get his attention.

"Link! Link! What's going on? What happened? Are you all right? Link…Link, no! Stop! Link! _Link_!"

The fay didn't have a chance to say anything else before Link, unstable because of his unexpected freeze, tumbled into the moat with a loud splash…

"Do you think it's safe now, sir?"

The Hylian captain turned to the soldier who has asked that question and squinted his eyes in curiosity. "And why would you be asking such a question, soldier?"

"Well," the soldier began, straining to keep his posture erect before the captain, "after what happened last night, don't you think Ganondorf might try to attack us again? I mean, we're standing at the city's front gate, which right now has the drawbridge lowered and the gate raised, allowing anyone and everyone to enter. I know the front gate is supposed to be open to allow travelers in, but the curfew hasn't been lifted yet and I doubt anyone will come here for a while after the invasion. Who's to say Ganondorf won't try a direct attack after his sneak attack failed?"

The captain shook his head in disbelief, causing his chain mail to rattle like dry leaves being tread upon. Was _this_ one of the Hylian soldiers that was supposed to protect Hyrule Castle New City with his life and honor?

"Listen, soldier," the captain stated, keeping eye contact with the soldier. "It's _because_ of that incident last night that the situation is at its safest. The Hylian army was getting lazy lately, because we felt security was handed out on a silver platter. But Ganondorf proved otherwise; he showed us safety was earned. And I'm sure the king learned that lesson as well. He'll make sure we don't allow such a thing to happen again. Already that hole that desert scum used to get past the city wall is being repaired, and soldiers are being given stricter instructions and consequences for not following those instructions."

The captain took a step back and shook his head again. "Safe, you ask. My good man, Hyrule Castle New City is once again the safest city in the entire world."

"I sure hope so," the soldier uttered, "because I lost a dear friend to him last night. I had to tell his wife this morning that her husband had died at the hands of that…that…by the Three Goddesses, I don't even know what to call him; he isn't human. He _can't_ be, not after what he did to Reginald! I couldn't even recognize his face anymore! I had to keep that detail away from Marshael, but she still cried enough to break my heart twice over…"

"Please, calm down, soldier," the captain pleaded. His request actually sounded genuine and caring, but his tone still had a hint of seriousness in it. "It's been hard on all of us to lose those three great men. But be thankful no more lives were lost last night, which is a blessing considering what happened before that time. Even so, we will make sure Ganondorf is brought to justice. No one attacks Hyrule and expects to get away with it like he did. Mark my words, he will one day get what he deserves."

The soldier tightened his fist to control his sadness and anger. "I know, sir. It's just that…" His eyes then suddenly blinked open widely and his neck snapped sharply. "Hey, look. Someone's coming across the drawbridge."

The captain turned to the drawbridge and, sure enough, he saw someone running across the wooden bridge at a blistering pace. And when he saw how big that someone was, he shook his head in disbelief.

"Well, I'll be," he uttered loudly. "It's just a kid. Wonder what he's doing alone…and out of the city during this time of crisis?"

"Maybe he went out camping with his friends or something?" the soldier suggested. "Or maybe…"

"It doesn't matter," the captain interrupted. "What matters is that we must get him inside the city immediately, and any of his friends if they're still out there."

The two Hylian guards waited for the boy to reach them before they finally stepped in front of him in order to stop his frantic sprint. The boy did stop, but only after a brief attempt of trying to push past the two guards. When he couldn't get past them, he looked up to meet their gazes.

"He's dripping wet, sir," the soldier commented.

"Either he's incapable of drying rainwater from his skin," the captain smirked, "or he just had a little dip in the moat. But that's beside the point. You, boy, what are you doing out of the city? Don't you know there's a curfew until further notice…?"

"Can you help me?" the boy suddenly asked in a frantic tone. "Do you know where the Temple of Time is?"

The captain jerked his head back. "Temple of Time? Why do you ask? Are you not from around here or something? If you're not, then you should get your family and…"

"There's just me!" the boy declared quite forcefully. "Now tell me, where's the Temple of Time? It's very important!"

"Now just hold on a minute here…" the captain tried to say, but the boy refused to allow him.

"Tell me! _Now_!"

The captain sighed. "Very well, if you insist." He then pointed down the street leading to Market Square. "Just go down this road until you get to Market Square, and look for a road to your right that has a sign over it in the shape of an arch with crosses nailed to it. That road will take you to the Temple of Time. But I think you really need to go find your parents and…"

"Thanks!"

Without another word, the boy suddenly shoved himself in between the two soldiers and managed to squeeze his way past them. Surprised by the boy's agility, the two guards watched as the nameless kid ran down the street as fast as he had run across the drawbridge. He disappeared within a matter of moments, as if he had never existed. They were so amazed by the lad's speed that they didn't notice a small, bright, pink light follow him seconds later.

The soldier stepped forward, a couple of steps in front of his captain, as if the act would give him better sight of the long-gone child. "Well, that was strange, sir," the soldier commented.

"Yes, it was," the captain agreed softly.

"He sure is a fast one. I don't think I've seen any kid run that fast or desperately in all my years. It was almost as if his life depended upon getting to the Temple of Time. I've seen some folks in desperate need of religion, but this really beats all. And did you see his clothing? That had to be the ugliest shade of green I've ever seen, and that hat was so…captain? Captain, are you listening? Captain, are you there?"

Puzzled at the sudden silence, the soldier turned around to see whether or not the captain was still listening to him. Instead, he saw a huge, dark blade's sharp tip an instant before it was shoved directly into his eye…

Here he was at last. The Temple of Time.

While not the largest building Link had seen, it had to be one of the most hallowed buildings Link had ever come across because the moment he stepped inside he felt a powerful and yet peaceful presence within. He had never seen temples before, so he didn't know what to expect; this lack of experience might explain why the building had such a profound effect on him.

The room beyond the marvelous yet relatively simple entrance hall was enormous, about three times the size of Zelda's private garden. Rows upon rows of long, wooden chairs were lined all the way down the chamber along the sides, creating a path down the middle of the room to the other end. Windows of brightly colored glass decorated the stone walls at every turn, creating a beautiful display of hues upon the temple's floor. There was no one inside the chamber at all except for him, which is exactly what he wanted.

At the opposite end of the room were the items he had been told about: the altar with the inscription and the Door of Time. Satisfied and smiling, Link started to head for that altar.

"Link!" Navi's voice echoed shrilly moments before she fluttered onto his shoulder, her tiny breath heaving heavily. "What do you think you're doing, just running off like that? One minute, you freeze and fall into the moat, and the next you climb out with a stupefied look on your face and just run into the city! What are…?"

"Zelda," Link answered without stopped his march towards the altar.

Navi jumped off Link's shoulder and into the air above his head. "Zelda? Princess Zelda? What does she have to do with this…?"

"Everything."

Navi tried to say something else, but Link shut her out of his mind. Instead he started to concentrate of the vision he had just a few minutes ago received. The vision he had witnessed the moment he had touched the ocarina. The Ocarina of Time…

_Link, this is Princess Zelda. By the time you get this message, Impa and I are well on our way to Kakariko Village. Ganondorf attacked Hyrule Castle, and we were forced to flee because we would've died otherwise. We're heading for safety until we're sure Ganondorf won't try anything, but unfortunately that means I won't be able to see you again for some time. When I saw you last night, I wanted to stop for you, but with Ganondorf trailing us it wasn't possible. I only pray he didn't do anything to you._

_But Link, because you are here in Hyrule again I'm sure you have all three Spiritual Stones. I decided to give you the Ocarina of Time, the ocarina you are holding right now, so that you could get the Triforce. Ganondorf might still try something, and I want to get the holy relic out of his reach as quickly as possible. And since I am unable to be in Hyrule with you, I'm asking you to get the Triforce alone. Once you get it, you can take it to my father, who will understand and keep it out of harm's reach until I get back. But you must hurry, because I do not know how much time we have._

_The Triforce is hidden in the Sacred Realm, and the only door that place is in the Temple of Time…_

Those words, along with the rest of the message, had entered his mind in an instant, the very instant Link had touched the Ocarina of Time, and he understood them as fluently as he knew every plant in the Lost Woods. He didn't know how Princess Zelda had done it, but right now he didn't care. Something was driving him to do exactly what she said; whether that something was the desire to get home quickly or the desire to get the Triforce out of Ganondorf's hands, he didn't know.

He made it to the altar within a few seconds of entering the Temple of Time. It was a simple altar, made out of thick stone and big enough to allow only a few people to kneel before it. But this altar did have two remarkable characteristics. The first was that within the stone face of the altar were three oddly shaped cavities, evenly spaced out from each other. It didn't take a lot of pondering for Link to figure out what those indentions were for. He patted the bag with the Spiritual Stones lightly just to make sure he knew that he knew.

The second remarkable feature was the inscription written just above the cavities. He read them aloud in his mind, taking in every word slowly. He read them for the first time, but he felt as if he had read them many times before:

_"Place upon this grave Spiritual Stones three. Three become one and one becomes the key. Past these doors lies a portal unseen. Release the lock with a soul found clean. Have in possession the sound of the light. Beware the temptation of the hearts of the night."_

Nodding his head, Link reached for the pouch with the Spiritual Stones.

"Link, might I ask exactly what you are doing?" Navi abruptly asked.

At that moment, Link didn't care about answering his friend's questions, so he simply answered, "Exactly what I'm supposed to be doing."

_Find the Temple of Time, and head to the altar at the far end of the main chamber. There, put the Spiritual Stones in their respective places upon the altar…_

Zelda's words fluttered through his mind like a refreshing breeze as he carefully pulled the three stones out of his pouch and placed them on the altar. They were all shining as brightly as ever, even though none of the windows were shining directly upon the altar; in fact they were so bright that Link had to avert his gaze from them somewhat.

When all three were out of his bag, he reached for the nearest one, the Kokiri Emerald, picked it up, and looked for the cavity in the altar that matched the stone's shape. Discovering the stone belonged in the left-most hollow, Link lowered the Spiritual Stone gently into the cavity, making sure that the gold casings fit into the mold exactly. He pressed the gem softly yet firmly until he thought he heard a soft hiss, as if the stone were signaling it was securely in place.

Pleased, Link began work on the other two. He thought he heard Navi trying to ask him more questions, but he refused to listen to her. His desire to finish this task had taken him over completely, and anything questioning his actions just weren't what he wanted to think about. He pressed on until the other two Spiritual Stones were in their right places, the Goron's Ruby positioned next to the emerald and the Zora's Sapphire placed in the right mold. Those two stones had made soft yet noticeable hisses as well, so Link figured they were in their proper sites.

Smiling weakly, Link took several steps back to survey his handiwork. The jewels were still sparkling as bright as ever, only this time they made the once-plain altar look like a marvelous shrine dedicated to some unknown influence. Although nothing had special had happened because of what he had done, Link could tell something was _about_ to happen. The hallowed air in the temple had changed, changed to a feeling of sacred power that was about to be unleashed somewhere and somehow.

And Link knew how he was going to unleash that power…

"Link!" Navi was now so angry she screamed almost directly into his ear. "Are you listening to me? What in the name of the Three Goddesses are you doing…?"

_Once you have done this, you must play the Song of Time on the Ocarina of Time. Once you do this, the Door of Time will open, and you'll be able to enter the Sacred Realm. Here's the song that'll open the door…_

Zelda's words and the song that followed it interrupted Navi's complaints. Link's eyelids trembled in profound rapture as he heard that song echo in his mind again. The Song of Time was such a beautiful song in its own unique way, but it differed from all the other songs Link had learned during his lifetime. Instead of using soft, gentle melodies like Zelda's Lullaby, calm, flowing harmonies like Epona's Song, or rapid, cheerful rhythms like Saria's Song, the Song of Time utilized a slower, more deeper feeling in its notes. Using the lower notes of the ocarina, the song sounded rich and sad, as if they were someone's tears pleading for the life of a loved one.

Link had no idea what made this song so special, but he guessed it was because it would be used to open the gateway to the Sacred Realm, the very place where the power of the gods lay…

Without a second thought, Link reached for the Ocarina of Time, which he had earlier placed in his pouch right besides Saria's fairy ocarina. As he raised it to his lips, he hesitated for a moment, but only for a moment. He then bit the mouthpiece, took a deep breath through his nose, and started to play. Despite the fact that ocarinas were different from each other and required their unique preparation, Link played the Ocarina of Time as if he had played it all his life. And since Zelda's message had burned the Song of Time into his memory, he played that song just as fluently.

Whether the Ocarina of Time was alive or not, just as Saria had said, he didn't know…or care, for that matter. He just played the Song of Time as profoundly as he could, making sure it could be heard throughout the entire temple. If Navi was still talking to him, he didn't know; his mind had blocked out everything but the task at hand.

He played for what seemed like forever, but when he stopped he knew he had only played for a few minutes. He had closed his eyes for his little performance to feel the full effect; when he opened them again he turned to the place he knew would be affected by the song…

"_Link_!" Navi's scream was so earsplitting that Link couldn't help but turn to face her. "If you don't explain what's going on, I'm going to…"

Suddenly, a soft yet audible rumble caused Navi to fall silent. The ground didn't shake, but the air sure did. It wasn't a powerful rumble, but it was strong enough to get the attention of the fairy and Kokiri. Navi didn't know what was going on, but Link sure did. The feeling in the air had changed again…or rather, it was _changing_, changing by growing more and more sanctified, as if some holy power was being released.

Before Navi could ask what was happening, the three Spiritual Stones erupted into a blinding flash of light, brighter than they had ever shone before. Link and Navi were forced to use their hands to shield their eyes from the powerful light, but Link's curiosity made him peek over his hands to try and see what was going on. Unfortunately, the light was so bright he couldn't stare into it for even a second…

_GRRRRRRRRRRRR…_

The thunder-like sound that abruptly shuddered throughout the Temple of Time was different from the first one in that something nearby was creating it. Although he couldn't see anything, he knew something incredibly large and incredibly heavy was moving by some unknown force, and he knew it was located somewhere at the end of the church, right before the altar…

"Link!" Navi yelled. "What in the name of the Three Goddesses did you do?"

"Just watch!" Link answered.

"Oh, yeah, sure!" Navi hissed dryly, taking Link's comment for sarcasm.

Link was about to make his statement clearer when, without warning, the grumbling ceased with a deafening thud, signaling that whatever had been moving has stopped. Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the blinding light emitted by the Spiritual Stones disappeared. However, Link couldn't see anything because the light had burned into his eyes, leaving dark spots before his eyes that hindered his vision. He had experienced such things a few times after accidentally staring at the sun, but never this severely.

It took about a minute for his eyes to readjust to the glow of the temple chamber, but it took less than a second for him to realize what had moved. When he had entered the temple, he had seen two wooden door-like objects fastened to the granite wall found beyond the altar; then, he thought they were nothing more than decorations. But now he thought different, because the two doors had…_parted_! He couldn't believe it, but they had parted in opposite directions, as if they hadn't been part of the granite wall at all. He couldn't even see the hinges they were swinging upon. And the granite wall…it was _gone_! By some unknown magic, the granite wall had moved out of the way, revealing an opening in the wall. The granite wall was probably what had made that loud rumbling, but right now Link didn't care.

He had opened the Door of Time, the doorway to the Sacred Realm, the doorway to the Triforce…

His heart unable to contain the excitement, Link broke into a run. He stumbled upon takeoff, but he quickly steadied himself and briskly sped past the altar and the Three Spiritual Stones it held. He maintained that speed until he reached the actual door, taking a moment to take in the indescribable aura the doorway was emitting. There was no doubt about it in his mind; the end to his quest lay at the other end of this doorway…

"Mind explaining what's going on?"

Navi was sitting on his right shoulder, more interested than impatient, but nevertheless a little peeved. But Link didn't have any desire to feel bad about not telling the fairy of his actions, nor did he have any desire to enlighten her about them. He simply smiled and said, "Nothing much. I just opened the doorway to the Sacred Realm."

A moment of silence passed before Navi uttered sarcastically, "Oh, is that all? Well, it would've been nice to know what was going on, but I guess you were just too busy to let me know. I suppose you didn't have the necessary energy to just stop what you were doing and tell me in just a few words exactly what you were doing…"

"Good, I'm glad you understand," Link interrupted before starting to walk through the doorway.

It took Navi a relatively short while to figure out a response. "Hey, wait a minute…!"

What lay on the other side of the Door of Time was completely what Link was _not_ expecting. He had imagined that with the Door of Time open, he would walk into a different world or something to that extent, something that would hold the richness that its reputation built for it. But instead, he got something as ordinary as it could get. Instead of the Sacred Realm, he found himself in…another room, circular in shape and smaller in size than the Temple of Time's worship chamber but still slightly larger than Zelda's private garden. Unlike the room with the altar, this room had nothing inside it except for stones, walls, and a window.

It was completely empty!

_"What's going on here?"_ he thought in disbelief. _ "Is this the Sacred Realm? If it is, it's not what I thought it would be…but this _can't_ be it! There's nothing in here…"_

No, wait a minute. He was wrong; the room _did_ have something inside…

"Hey, what's that?" he asked out loud, more to himself than to Navi.

The item in question stood in the very middle of the room, upon a small raised section of the ground. It was tall, about his own height, to be exact, and its shape was very familiar. In fact, although he was standing a reasonable distance away from the object, he could tell exactly what it was. It was a sword, a sword with a blade much longer and deadlier-looking than his sword's steel and a hilt with seemingly remarkable craftsmanship. How it was standing straight up in the middle of the room, he didn't know, but he had a feeling the sword had something to do with his task…

"I think it's a sword, Link," Navi's voice suddenly interjected.

Link made a face. "Thanks, Navi, I know."

Navi made a face of her own. "Well, you could say something instead of stand there like a tree and say nothing…"

"Never mind, let's just see what it's doing there. Maybe it'll lead us to the Sacred Realm."

Navi decided not to argue with that idea – all the better for Link – and the two companions made their way across the floor to the middle of the room. As they climbed the low and very short flight of stairs to the partially raised portion of the floor, Link saw why the sword was standing. Its blade was sunken into the ground, held up by a specially crafted stone that stood about as high as Link's knees. The stone had a peculiar symbol carved upon its surface: three engraved triangles positioned in such a way to create a larger triangle with an upside-down triangle-shaped opening in the middle.

Link didn't know why, but he guessed it had something to do with the Triforce. Zelda had never told him what the Triforce looked like. Maybe this was what it looked like…or at least how it was represented…

"Link," Navi suddenly uttered, "I don't know why, but this sword is very powerful. I can feel its energy radiating from its blade; it feels stronger than anything I've ever seen, even the Great Deku Tree. Why it's sitting here like this, I don't know. Maybe that door back there was put here to guard it…"

"Or," Link interrupted as a flash of inspiration struck him, "it was put here to guard something! I have a feeling that's it. This sword could be a key to the Sacred Realm. Maybe Princess Zelda forgot to tell me about it. Let me think…"

_Once you play the Song of Time, you should be able to enter the Sacred Realm, where you'll find the Triforce. Once you have it, you must get it to safety until I return. When I do, I'll deal with it. There is so much more I want to tell you, Link, but I don't have time right now. Please, wait for me to return. There's something very important I need to tell you. Thank you, Link. You have no idea how much this means to Hyrule, not to mention the world. I will see you again. Farewell._

The remainder of Zelda's message offered no mention of a sword being the final key. Princess Zelda probably didn't know about it. That must be how well guarded the entrance to the Sacred Realm was.

"Got anything?" Navi asked.

"Nothing," Link answered.

"Well, now what are we going to do? The only thing of interest in this place is the sword, and the only thing we can do with it is to try to pull it out. And there's no telling what will happen if we do that…"

"But we can't just stay here and do nothing. I have a strong feeling that this sword is a key to the Sacred Realm, possibly the last key. If it is, then I _have_ to do it. I _have_ to. Who knows? Someone might come along and pull this sword out anyway, getting past the Door of Time and…"

"But that's just it!" Navi sounded very concerned at the moment. "If this _is_ a key to the Sacred Realm, how does the sword guard the entrance? If anyone can just pull the sword out, then how can it possibly be a key? To be a key, there has to be some kind of circumstance for it to be drawn or consequence that follows it being drawn. What if pulling it out of that stone kills you? Did you ever think about that?"

Link _hadn't_ thought about that. Navi was right: what kind of person could pull this sword out, or what would happen if he did pull it out? Since Zelda wasn't here, he couldn't answer that question, and he suspected he didn't have time to wait and find out. He had to decide: should he risk it? Should he risk it…?

"I thought so," Navi continued. "So I guess what we should do now is…"

"I'm going for it."

Navi blinked in amazement. She fluttered in the air for a few moments before flying directly into his face, her light flashing rapidly with worry and irritation. "You're _what_? Did you not hear a word I just said? If you pull that sword, you could…"

"…die, I know," Link finished with an acknowledging nod. "But dying may be better than doing nothing. I can't just sit and wait for someone to come and take this opportunity away. I have to take it now while I still have the chance. If I'm lucky, I'll still be alive."

"But you can't take that chance…!"

Link raised a hand, and the words he then spoke seemed to drown the chamber with a tone so powerful it tore into the fairy's heart, as well as his own. "Yes, Navi, I can."

Navi, unable to say anything in response to that statement, floated in silence for what seemed like an eternity before she finally muttered, "Okay, Link. I understand." The fairy then landed on his left shoulder and sat there; it was her way to give Link permission to do what he had to do, no matter how insane she thought it was.

Mouthing Navi a silent "thank you," Link stepped up to the sword.

The blade was so tall that Link had to climb onto the stone to actually reach the hilt. He planted his feet firmly on either side of the blade, wrapped his hands tightly around the hilt, and made a silent prayer to the person he trusted the most. _"Saria, protect me…"_ He then took a deep, closed his eyes, and gave the sword a solid, upward yank…

_"I'm going to die…no I'm not…yes I am…no I am not…Saria will protect me…she's not here…I trust her…she can't do anything here…why am I here…you already know the answer…am I doing the right thing…you know the answer to that as well…what's going to happen…what's going to happen…"_

_ZING…_

The blade popped out of the stone with a soft clang, as easily as if it had been inserted in a scabbard. With his eyes closed, Link thought his mind was playing tricks on him, but when he opened his eyes he saw it was no trick. The tip of the blade was visible; he had managed to pull the sword out of its stone sheath without any kind of effect. What this meant, he didn't know, but he was just glad he was still alive.

"Navi, look!" he exclaimed cheerily with a wide smile on his lips. "I managed to…"

Suddenly, before he could finish his sentence, a loud screech sound struck his ears. It started at a very high pitch and grew shriller and shriller until it was so sharp he nearly dropped the sword to cover his ears. But the shriek was nothing compared to what he saw; all around the raised platform, from an unseen source in the ground, a kind of blue light was rising from the ground and into the air, surrounding the Kokiri and fairy and sword in a kind of bizarre cage.

Horrified, Link tried to move so he could escape the entrapment of blue light around him, but for some reason he couldn't move. To his complete and utter terror, Link's muscles refused to budge, as if something were forcing Link to stay where he was! Link tried to scream out, but that was denied as well. All he could move was his eyes, and they were staring directly at the walls of light that were encasing him at the moment.

Unable to do anything else, Link watched as the blue light started to grow brighter. It changed from light blue to a dazzling white, and even then it refused to quit. It just grew more and more intense until it spread across the room in a blinding collapse of light. But Link couldn't close his eyelids to shield his eyes, so all he could do was watch as the brightness strengthened with each second, placing him deeper and deeper into its clutches…

_"This is it,"_ he thought. _"This is the trap Navi warned me about. I'm going to die. I'm going to…hey, what's that?"_

Something was moving in the light. Despite the intensity of the light, he could still make out something. It looked like a person, but he couldn't be sure. Maybe someone was coming to rescue him. Maybe it was Princess Zelda…

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh!"

That laugh…

_"No! It can't be!"_

But it was. Just as Link recognized the owner of that cackle, the owner stepped closer to him and showed himself. Although he was still bathed in some of the concentrated light, Ganondorf was easy to recognize; his tall yet well-build stature, his twisted, ugly mug, and his sinister, evil-filled eyes made sure he wouldn't be mistaken for anyone else.

The Gerudo king stared at Link for a moment before he snickered again. "Just as I suspected," he stated loudly so Link could hear. "When I saw you outside the city, I realized the princess had sent someone to be her lapdog and get the three Spiritual Stones. At first I thought you were too much of a brat to be a match for my traps, but I've been proven wrong. And my hunch to follow you has paid off. I never thought it would be this easy, but it was. You've opened the door to the Sacred Realm for me, and you've given me the Triforce as a gift. How thoughtful of you. Yes, kid, I owe it all to you."

His disturbing smirk widened. "And when I find Princess Zelda, I'll be sure to let her know as well. But now I must bid you farewell. I have ultimate power to obtain."

The King of Thieves then raised his head in cruel laughter, making sure Link heard every bit of it. Link wanted to do something – _anything_! – but he couldn't move anything aside from his eyes, and they were beginning to grow useless as well. As he watched in bitter defeat the Gerudo king laugh, he also watched as the white light grew brighter and brighter until Ganondorf disappeared from sight, leaving only the Gerudo's mocking laugh's echo.

His eyes started to shed tears, but his heart had done so already. Every part of his body hurt, but nothing hurt more than his faith in himself. There were so many things he wanted to ask, but one question stood above all others.

_"Why…?"_

At that moment, he found his voice. It wouldn't do any good now, but he cried out in pain and desperation anyway. "_Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo_…!"

Then, without knowing how or why, he blacked out, his scream resonating in his mind like an unforgiving spirit…

"Link…"

Impa looked down at Princess Zelda while keeping her eyes partially on the path before them. "Excuse me, princess? What did you say…?"

"It's Link. Something's happened to Link."

Confused, Impa turned her head and looked behind her, back in the direction of Hyrule Castle New City, now long gone beyond the horizon. "Something's happened to Link? How do you know that? We're far from the city, and…"

"Impa, turn back!" Zelda suddenly screamed. "We must turn back! We have to go help Link!"

Impa's confusion quickly turned to concern. "Princess, I know how much you care about that young man, but to turn back just because of a feeling isn't reasonable…"

"It's not a feeling!" Zelda stated forcefully. "It's a certainty! Link's in trouble! I have to go help him! Turn around now!"

"I'm sorry, princess, but I can't. I have a duty to perform, and that duty's to get you to safety. And even if Link were in trouble, we can't do anything. It would take many hours to get back to the city…"

"Then we haven't a moment to lose!" Zelda was so jerky that Impa had to slow Puresnow down. "We have to go back! As Princess of Hyrule, I order you to turn back!"

At first, Impa didn't know what to do. Did she dare refuse a direct order from a member of the Royal Family? But her intuition as the princess' protector told her to do so. "I'm sorry, but we…"

"Then I'm going alone!"

Zelda then tried to leap off of Puresnow's back, but Impa was ready. She used her arm to catch the escaping princess and press her close to her chest. Zelda tried to struggle out of her guardian's clutches, but Impa was too strong. "I'm doing this for your own good, princess. Trust me when I say there's nothing you can do."

"No!" Zelda shrieked as she continued to fight back. "There has to be something I can do! I can' t just leave Link like this! I have to help him! I have to! Link, I'm coming! I'm coming to help you! Link! Don't leave me! Link! Link! _Liiiiiiiiiiiink_…!"

"So…_that's_ what your destiny was."

Kaepora Gaebora smiled as only an Owl could smile while he scratched his lower body with his left claw. He had finally gotten his magic to work, and to his amazement he saw everything. He saw Link, he saw Link's actions, and he saw Link's future self. Why he hadn't been allowed to see these visions before, he didn't know, but it didn't matter. He saw everything…well, everything except what he _really_ wanted to see.

Link's future…

When he finished scratching, Kaepora stretched his wings out, which caused more blood to trickle down his feathers. The wound he had received from that hunter's arrow had grown worse with each passing day of his journey, and his last stretch of the voyage had really taken its toll. He had refused to allow the wound to heal because he had to reach Princess Zelda in time. Thankfully, he had fulfilled his mission, but at a terrible cost.

He could still fly, but with great pain all across his wing. He had no doubt the wound was infected because of his neglect, and he was in no condition to find food. He was growing weaker with each passing minute, and in time he just might close his eyes and never open them again. He didn't know; his magic refused to show him _his_ future. But at least it showed him Link's…

Link, the Mage-Bound who had the power of the gods at his fingertips. Link, the _Magi-Con_ who now grows from the Child of Destiny to something even greater. Link, the greatest mystery he had ever seen in his lifetime. There was no telling how Link was going to handle the future; all Keapora could see was what he would become, not what he was going to do. His magic wasn't as powerful as it used to be…

Speaking of which, he wondered what he would become when he died. Would he become an Owl again, or would he become what he had been before? Or would be something different…? Ah, it didn't matter. Death was of no importance right now. If he died this day, then so be it. He had done what needed to be done, and that was it. He just hoped Link would see Hyrule through the dark ages it was about to undergo, because what little of the future Kaepora could see he didn't like…

As he gazed into the sky and his uncertain future, Kaepora Gaebora reflected upon one feeling he knew now to be true: he would never see Link the Kokiri again.

Link the Kokiri…

"He has done it, dear sister. He has found what he has been searching for. He has found the sacred relic."

"Indeed he has, dear sister. And he shall use it to rule this world, just as he had desired."

"We have done well in raising him, haven't we, dear sister? He has become far more than we have ever hoped."

"Indeed, dear sister. When I first saw him, I knew he would grow to be the greatest of all kings to rule the Gerudo. And with the sacred relic in his possession, that rule shall be extended to every kingdom on this world."

 "Such a task is very daunting, dear sister. Even with his newfound power, he will need help. Shall we go to his aid?"

"It is not necessary, dear sister. He is far more powerful than we, and he is capable of doing what needs to be done. He will devise ways to overcome any handicap he should come across. What we need to concentrate on right now is that young one lurking outside the temple."

"I agree, dear sister. She is one of the Gerudo, but she is different from the others. I can feel her heart, and it is not what I see in the other Gerudo. I sense kindness and sympathy, things the Gerudo should've abandoned when they took the oath."

"Shall we destroy her, dear sister?"

"No, let us wait, dear sister. Let us see what she wants, and then we'll decide her fate. We might find ways to use her if the opportunity presents itself."

"That seems very sound, dear sister. But we should be careful not to let her get too close to the truth. She probably doesn't suspect anything, but the moment she does, she must be dealt with, by whatever means are deemed necessary."

"You are right, dear sister. We shall do whatever is necessary when the time comes. But for now, let us watch her and learn what she plans to do."

"Agreed, dear sister. She will be dealt with in due time. What shall we do before then?"

"I do not know, dear sister. There is not much to do here except watch the world and dream. What we can do is take pleasure in that our son has taken a step towards the ultimate dream of the Gerudo. I am very proud of our son. Aren't you?"

"Indeed I am, dear sister."

_Three months._

_It's been three months since that fateful day. The day that Link was sealed by the final key of the Sacred Realm, the Master Sword. Ever time I think of that name, Master Sword, I cannot help but feel it was my fault Link was sealed by its magic. I knew nothing about the sword, so Link removed it without knowing the consequences. But then, none of us would've guessed he was the…the…I can't even write that title, because I feel so ashamed to have been the one to give him that title. If I had only known about the Master Sword, Link would've never been trapped. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him. Even now, I still have these feelings for him, and they grow stronger every day. A part of me wants them to go away, but another part of me doesn't. If only I could see him again to make sure…_

_Ganondorf's armies of darkness have been on the march for what seems like forever. It's impossible to live a moment without fearing his evil. I still can't believe he has the Triforce…well, at least in a sense. With that power, there's no one to challenge him. Impa has sent word out to neighboring lands for help, but so far there have been no response. I sometimes feel guilty that on that fateful day, when the Sacred Realm was opened, I cried out for Link and not for Hyrule. But I could hear his scream, hear him cry out in pain. It was so real…but that's no excuse. Hyrule is dying, and will be destroyed if Ganondorf continues his advances._

_With all the Hylian guards destroyed, all that remains are the Sheikah. They have the power to slow Ganondorf's onslaughts, but they won't be able to keep him back forever. If help doesn't arrive soon, I fear Hyrule will forever be lost. I'd hate to think of what would happen to this world under his cruel hand, but right now that's what's on everyone's mind. I can only pray the Sheikah don't risk their lives too greatly, because if they're gone, there's nobody left to help us._

_Even as I write these words, I can't help but think back to that day, the day the world stood still…_

"Princess Zelda?"

The voice surprised Zelda so much she nearly scribbled in her diary. She jerked her head and looked behind her, her face in a worried flush, but when she saw who was standing in the doorway she sighed in relief. "Oh, it's you. Please, don't scare me like that."

"I'm terribly sorry," the newcomer apologized. "I'm just here to tell you that it's time for practice."

"Already?"

"Afraid so."

"Can you wait just a few more minutes…?"

"I can wait, but I doubt Impa would. She left me in charge of your training while she's away, and I don't want to disappoint her. She is my aunt, after all."

Sighing, Zelda nodded and turned back around to close her diary. She then stood up and headed to the doorway, where the newcomer was leaning against the frame. She stopped within arm's length of the person, threw back her hair, and locked gazes with the newcomer.

"So, what are we doing today?"

The person thought for a moment before answering, "Oh, I just thought we'd do some archery today. Once you master that, we'll start with close-range combat. Maybe the dagger, or, if you feel up to it, we could start with the sword. How does that sound, Zelda?"

Zelda smiled a weak yet noticeable smile and combed her fingers through her hair. "It sounds wonderful, Sheik."

*The conversation between the two "sisters" is attributed to TPOC.


	34. A Hero Awakens

**Chapter 34: A Hero Awakens**

The sky was perfect that day, with Din's Eye sparkling wondrously through the sporadic patches of clouds against its crystal-blue backdrop. Around the Lost Woods, trees and flowers were in full bloom, bragging to everyone who was lucky to seem them with their rich green leaves and vibrant blossoms. Even the grass had their own bragging rights as they swayed in the gentle breezes, becoming carpets of emerald wind.

This, thought Link, was the perfect day. It was everything he had hoped it would be and then some. And in his own special way, he was going to make it even better…

It was midday, the time of day Link liked to leave Kokiri Village and take a walk in the forest. He was in the midst of such a walk, and he loved every bit of it, from the sun's rays tickling his face to the blades of grass caressing his legs. Saria was with him, as usual; ever since Link had returned from the quest given to him by the late Great Deku Tree, she had spent more time with him than she had before. She had grown quite fond of him, even going so far as to hang onto his arm wherever the two of them went, like she was doing now.

Link didn't mind her company; in fact, he welcomed it. These days, she was all he needed to feel at peace…

It was just the two of them today; Navi and Katl were attending the annual Service of Respect, a ritual the fairies performed in honor of the deceased Deku Tree. But Link wasn't bothered; in fact, he somewhat liked the fact he was alone with Saria. It would make what he was going to do today that much easier. He just hoped he wouldn't lose his nerve…

The two Kokiri continued on their hike through the forest, arms locked and smiles wide, until they came across exactly was Link was looking for: a clearing in the trees, one filled with brightly-colored flowers and relatively low-growing grass. He had been to this clearing many times before, but never before had he taken the time to really admire it. After today, however, he would surely remember it, down to the last detail…

"Let's take a rest here, Link," Saria suddenly asked. "I like this place, for some reason."

Link didn't know whether to be pleased or amazed at the idea. _"Talk about timing…."_

"Okay, Saria," Link replied. "We can do that. We can sit…over there, on that hill."

Link then led his friend over to a small rise in the clearing, a rise large enough to be seen as a hill compared to the rest of the surrounding ground. Saria then led the charge by letting go of Link's arm and lying down upon her back against the hill's slope, with Link following suite moments later. The two of them then looked up at the sky, watching the calm winds carry the bright, white clouds away in silence.

They didn't say anything for several minutes, and it was Saria who finally spoke up. "Link, how long ago was it?"

"How long ago was what?" Link asked.

"That you left this place to go on the quest of the Great Deku Tree? How long ago was that? I can't even remember anymore."

Link shrugged. "I don't know myself. I'm sure it's more than four years, but it can't be greater than eight or nine. It's probably around six or seven years, eight at most. Why do you ask?"

Saria shifted her bodyweight before responding, "I guess I'm just curious. Every time this time of year comes around, I'm always reminded of that day, the day you left this place. I'll never forget that day, because when you left, a part of me left with you. I don't know if I ever told you that, but that's what really happened. I'll never forget that day. Never."

Saria then tilted her head a little so she could look at Link. "By the way, you never did tell me everything that happened out there. Even after all this time, you haven't said anything about it. Why is that?"

Link hesitated. He didn't know the answer to that question himself. But after a bit of thinking he managed to figure out an answer. "I think…it's because what happened out there…doesn't really matter to me that much. Whatever I did out there was nothing compared to what I have here, in the Lost Woods. I guess at first I just didn't want to think about it because it was so painful, but now I don't want to think about it because I don't have to. I can't even remember much of it anymore. All I want, all I need, all I have…it's right here."

Saria smiled slightly before turning her gaze back to the sky. "That sounds reasonable. But after what you told me through our ocarina chats, I would've guessed you had done something important. I just hope you're not lying to yourself about that."

Something inside Link hoped that as well. He didn't know why, but he felt something in his mind, something strange. It felt like something was struggling to reach him, attempting to remind him of something but unable to because of an unseen force. He tried to ignore it, but he couldn't…

Wait…what was that? Just his memory just flash him a picture of someone? He couldn't remember who it was, but it looked like a young girl with flowing red hair…

"Speaking of which," Saria suddenly interrupted as she sat up with a start, "how's your ocarina-playing going?"

Glad that he could concentrate on something other than peculiar memories, Link sat up and turned to his friend. "They're going pretty well, actually. I've managed to get to a point where I can add my own variations. Would you like to hear one? I've brought my ocarina with me."

Saria smiled a smile of heartfelt contentment and placed a hand over her chest. "Link, I would love to."

Smiling in return, Link reached for his pouch and pulled out his ocarina, which was the fairy ocarina Saria had given to him on that fateful day – for some reason, he vaguely recalled having _another_ ocarina, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Dismissing the idea, Link lifted the instrument to his mouth, wrapped his lips around the mouthpiece, and started to play.

The clearing was filled with the sound of exquisite music for what seemed like a treasured eternity, and when Link finished playing Link wished he could've played longer. When he saw the look in Saria's eyes, he knew she wished so as well.

"That was beautiful," Saria praised, her eyes already showing the signs of tears. "I've always dreamed of hearing you play like that, and it's wonderful to finally hear it. I'm so proud of you, Link. I knew you could do it. What was that song, again? I can never remember those names of yours."

"It was…Epona's Song," Link replied. 

"Epona's Song," Saria repeated. "Such a simple name for such a beautiful song. Why do you call it that? Who exactly is Epona?"

"I'm not sure," Link answered, scratching his head to loosen some grass from his hair. "I don't think I'm the one who named it. But it doesn't really matter what it's called. I'm just glad I could play it like that…for you."

More tears started to well up in Saria's eyes. "For…me? Link, you're so sweet. I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again. I'm glad you came back to me. I don't what you to leave me again. Ever."

At that moment, Link knew the time was right. It was now or never.

"Saria," he began as he lowered the ocarina to the ground, "there's actually something I wanted to ask you today."

Saria lifted her head in curiosity. "Oh, really? What's that?"

"We've been friends ever since…well, I can't really remember, but we've been friends for a long time now. For as long as I can remember, you've always been there for me, during the good times and the bad times. There wasn't a single time I didn't need you that you weren't there. You've been the best friend I could ever have, and a lot more.

"And ever since I returned from that journey out of the forest, you've been an even greater friend to me. You've hardly left my side, and I thank you greatly for that. Whenever you're with me, I feel at ease, at peace. When you're with me, I feel I don't need a guardian fairy. You're all I need to feel complete, to feel whole. Saria, you mean more to me than anything else in this world."

Saria was starting to tremble, as if suspecting what was going to happen but unable to believe it. "Link, what are you trying to say? What is it you want to ask me?"

Link's own eyes started to well up with tears. "What I'm saying is this." Link then moved into a position where he was sitting upon his knees and facing his friend with his hands clamped together. Saria let out a soft gasp of realization, because all Kokiri girls knew what this meant. "Saria, I love you. Will you be my wife?"

Saria's face betrayed her disbelief in Link's proposal. By the way she hesitated, Link knew Saria had waited for this moment but still was unable to believe it. As he sat there upon his knees, waiting for an answer, he silently prayed she would say yes. 

When two Kokiri become husband and wife, not much actually changes except in that they make a vow to be together until the end of their days. A Kokiri couple was actually very rare, mainly due to the fact that they maintain the outward appearance of children. Because they never "grow up," Kokiri most often see other Kokiri as just friends. For two Kokiri to become a couple, the two have to love each other unconditionally and promise to be there fore each other always.

Saria had been doing that for Link for as long as he could remember. Now he wanted to repay her kindness by always being there for her.

Tears starting to flow down her cheeks, Saria tried to say something but couldn't manage because of her trembling. Link patiently waited until she was able to control her shaking so she could speak. "I…I…Link…I…"

Then, without warning, Saria's shaking stopped and she gave a weak smile. She then moved her body into the position Link was in – kneeling, hands clapped together – before she spoke again, this time without a stutter. "Link, I would be honored to be your wife, if you will be my husband."

Even though Link had asked Saria to be his wife, it was traditional for her to ask him to be her husband. He had expected that request, but he felt nervous hearing it, all the same. He took a brief moment to gather up his courage before he answered, "Saria, I would be honored to be your husband."

As soon as Link uttered the word "husband," Saria could control herself anymore. Her eyes burst open with tears and she cried out in a loud whisper, "I love you," before throwing open her arms and pushing herself forward to embrace her new husband. Link, unable to hold back his tears as well, released them and opened his arms to welcome his new wife.

Sadly, he never had the chance to even touch her…

He was waking up. He was finally waking up from his endless dream. But the dream had been so real…so real that even now, while he was awakening from it, he questioned whether it had been more than a dream. Had he really lived those years in the Lost Woods, or had the reality of the dream simply been enhanced because all he could've done during that time was dream?

It was hard to tell, but despite that he knew that he _wanted_ it to be real. That dream, or whatever it was, had been exactly what he wanted. He wanted to live his life in the Lost Woods, without any outside influences interfering. He wanted to live where he belonged, where he had lived all of his life. But most of all, he wanted to live the rest of his days with Saria, the person he cared about the most.

That dream had offered everything he desired, and now it was gone. Why? Why did he have to leave that place? Why did he have to wake up now? Why? Why…?

Unable to answer anything for some unexplained reason, Link decided to just open his eyes.

White. Everything all around him was white, brighter than anything he had ever seen before. It was like staring into pitch darkness, but using the color black's complete opposite instead. At first he thought he had gone blind, but a quick movement of his left hand in front of his face disproved that theory. Speaking of which, when he moved his hand he felt absolutely not stiffness in his muscles and joints. And yet he somehow felt sure he would experience _some_ kind of rigidity in his body…

He waited for something to happen, and his patience was rewarded. Within a few moments, the whiteness started to fade, turning instead into a kind of brightness. That brightness in turn began weakening, weakening until it resembled ordinary light. Soon Link could see vague shadows, and then he could make out colors. In a short while his complete vision had returned to him, but it still took a moment for him to really see anything clearly…

It was about then that Link realized he was standing on solid ground; he had felt like he was floating before, for some reason. He tested his legs by pushing down against the floor, and indeed the ground was solid. Deciding just to make sure, Link looked down at his feet…and felt his heart jump into his throat. By now he could see properly, and what he saw, what he was standing upon was a very familiar symbol. Familiar in that he had seen it moments before he had fallen "asleep."

It was the symbol a large triangle constructed of three darkly shaded triangles with a hollow triangle in the middle. It was the symbol…of the Triforce.

He had been unsure then, but now he was certain. That symbol was indeed the icon of the Triforce. And he was standing upon it, right in the spot where the hollow triangle was placed. And if this was indeed the symbol of the Triforce, he was standing in a very important place, a place important enough to have that sign carved in the floor. But where exactly _was_ he…?

Preparing himself, Link looked up. To his complete amazement, he discovered that the Triforce symbol he was standing upon was nothing more than an _island_! The symbol was nothing more than an island found in a sea of _water_! And the water…no, wait, it wasn't water. It certainly didn't _look _like water. It looked more like…_light_! Yes, light! And Link knew where he had seen that light before. It was the same light that had surrounded him the moment he had pulled the…

"…sword?" he mumbled out loud in a soft voice, a voice he felt like he hadn't used for a long time, before he looked at his right hand, the hand he hadn't moved yet. Sure enough, there, gripped firmly in his right fist, was the sword he had yanked from the podium. He didn't know how he was able to hold it with just one hand – it was a heavy thing, after all – but he didn't really care. He just wanted to know what exactly it had _done_!

He stared at it for a moment before he finally looked up again, looked up at the sea of blue light. But he quickly discovered the sea was hardly a sea; it was more like a small pond. The light flowed all around the Triforce-shaped island for a short distance before it…dropped off. Link didn't know how to explain it, but the light flowed over some bizarre edge of the pond in every conceivable direction. It was like being on the top of a very tall pillar with water flowing over the top, but by the emptiness Link saw _beyond_ the pond he didn't think he was on any kind of pillar.

The surroundings were pitch black, blacker than the darkest night during a thunderstorm. It was more like a void, a void where nothing existed, not even light. But something did exist on the _outskirts _of that void, and they were just as unbelievable as the disappearing sides of the pond of light. They were _waterfalls_ of light, small yet breathtaking waterfalls that flowed out of nothing and emptied into nothing as well. Their sources and emptying pools were nonexistent; how they were _floating_ in the middle of the void was unimaginable. Although they were smaller, they were by far more beautiful than the waterfalls he had seen in Zora's Domain.

Where in the world _was_ he…?

As he looked around him, his eyes taking in everything in a dreamy and wistful manner, he noticed that the island he was standing on wasn't the only island in the pool. There were several smaller islands positioned around the edge of the pool, each one circular in shape and each one with a different symbol engraved on its surface. They were all even different colors; one was rich green, another was intense blue, another was…

Wait a minute. There was something standing on one of the islands, the one colored a deep yellow…no, not something, but some_one_! Link snapped his full attention to focus on this person, his body readying itself for anything possibly dangerous. But he quickly deduced he wasn't in any kind of danger…or at least none he could clearly discern.

The man on the yellow island possessed the average built of a Hylian: tall but not so much so, plump but not obese. Grandiose robes that appeared too big for him hid his entire body from the neck down; they were so big his hands were even covered by the clothing's enormous sleeves, which had been tied closed for some reason. The robes seemed to show off every shade of red and orange available, although bits and pieces of yellow, white and blue were noticeable in several patterns.

Because most of his body was concealed, the man's focal point was his head, which appeared smaller than normal due to his massive clothing. He looked to be quite old, due to the stark whiteness of his hair, which was absent from his scalp but stretched across his upper chin, along his outer cheeks, and above his eyes like wild bushes. His mouth was partially hidden by his moustache, and his nose stuck out like an ugly welt. His eyes were tiny compared to the eyes of other people Link had seen, but for some reason they held a lot more mystery and fascination. He looked harmless, but Link wasn't about to let his guard down because of that.

The two stared at each other for what seemed like forever – oddly, Link was looking _straight_ at him, not _up_ at him. Was the old man farther away than he seemed? – and Link made sure he had the sword in his hand ready for any possible attack. The tension in the air wasn't relieved until the old man finally spoke.

"Finally, after all these years. Welcome, Hero of Time. Welcome to the Sacred Realm."

The old man had spoken three different sentences, and yet Link hadn't understood any of them. "Excuse me?" Link asked, his voice sounding a little more confident...and a little bit deeper than usual. "What are you talking about? Who are you? Where am I? And what's going on here?"

The old man appeared to cough before continuing. "Forgive me, Hero of…I mean, Link." So, the old man knew Link's name. "I am Rauru, the Sage of Light and guardian of the Temple of Light. You are in the Chamber of Sages, located within the Sacred Realm…or the Dark World, as it is known as now."

More words that Link didn't understand. Oh, sure, they answered some his questions, but they didn't explain them. "I'm sorry, but I'm still not following you. I know what the Sacred Realm is, but I've never heard of the Chamber of Sages before, and I know very next to nothing about the Sages, other than you sealed up the Sacred Realm and hid the Spiritual Stones." At least that was what Zelda had told him once. "I don't even know how I got here. And you still haven't answered some of my questions. Will you please tell me exactly what's going on here?

Link knew he sounded a little demanding, but right now he didn't feel like being pleasant. Rauru remained hesitant for a brief moment before he finally sighed and shook his head quietly.

"Very well," he uttered. "I'll tell you everything I know. In the early days of Hyrule, long before the times of the world you've lived in, the sacred relic known as the Triforce was the binding force that held our world together. But with its incredible power came many people who coveted it. In order to protect the relic from evil hearts, the gods chose six men and women to be the guardians of the Triforce. They became the first six Sages of Hyrule, and they set about to protect the Sacred Realm from all who desired the power of the Three Goddesses.

"To protect the Triforce, the six Sages sealed the Sacred Realm and created only one entrance. To guard this entrance, the Temple of Time was built over it and sealed behind the Door of Time, which was in turn sealed by using an elaborate system of keys. As you witnessed, unlocking the Door of Time required the three Spiritual Stones and the Song of Time played upon the Ocarina of Time. Those locks alone would've been enough to keep the Triforce and Sacred Realm safe, but one final lock had been put in place as a safeguard.

"You see, the six Sages decided that there would be only one reason to unlock the Door of Time to get to the Triforce, and that was when the land of Hyrule was in great danger. So to make sure the Triforce would never be used for unnecessary intentions, the Sages placed one final key just beyond the Door of Time, the key that would open the entrance to the Sacred Realm. That key was the Master Sword, a mighty blade believed to have been forged with the residue material of the Three Goddesses' departure from this world, the same material of which the Triforce is made. The six Sages made sure that only one person other than themselves could pull the Master Sword from its pedestal, and that person would be the one chosen by destiny as the one who will save Hyrule from the darkness and evil that would befall it. That person is the Hero of Time."

As Link listened to Rauru's story, he didn't know what to think. It sounded like nothing more than a more elaborate version of what Zelda had told him before he left to find the two remaining Spiritual Stones. But if what Rauru said was really true, then was the sword he was holding in his hand really the Master Sword? But then…did that mean he was this…Hero of Time person? How could that be…?

"But what…?"

"As time went by," Rauru continued, as if not hearing Link's intended question, "people forgot about the Triforce and its powers, so the six Sages were no longer needed. But to make sure their power would awaken when the time arose, they constructed six temples to harbor each Sage's power until the appropriate day. One of these temples was the Temple of Light, the temple I guard. The Temple of Light is located directly within the Sacred Realm, and it is within this temple where the Chamber of Sages is located. You see, although the Sages were no longer needed, they believed that at least one Sage should remain to watch over the sacred relic. That duty befell the Sage of Light, and he has watched over the Triforce all his life until this very day."

Rauru then lowered his head, as if remembering a painful memory. "Yes, I am that Sage. I am the Sage that swore to protect the Triforce within the Sacred Realm for all of eternity. But that duty was taken away from me, stolen from me seven long years ago when an evil man named Ganondorf entered the Sacred Realm and took the Triforce for himself."

Ganondorf. That dreaded name. Link's muscles suddenly tensed up, as if readying for a battle of some kind, but Link made no move except to mutter, "Ganondorf?"

"Yes, Ganondorf." Rauru then looked up again to eye Link. "Seven years ago, he saw his opportunity to take the Triforce when you made the decision to open the entrance to the Sacred Realm. You probably wouldn't have been able to do anything to stop him anyway, but something happened that made sure of that. When you pulled the Master Sword from its pedestal, it sealed you inside a magical containment field. You see, the Master Sword found you too young to be the Hero of Time, so it sealed you up until you were old enough to wield its power. That was seven years ago."

Seven years. Seven years. He kept using that phrase as if it meant something to Link, and now he was talking about how Link had been too young to hold the Master Sword! He was a Kokiri, for crying out loud! Didn't Rauru know that…?

"I can see that you are confused by my words," Rauru suddenly stated. "I can see in your eyes that you have many unanswered questions because of the way you were raised."

_"The way I was raised? What are you talking about…?"_

"Link, this will be hard for you, but I want you to look at yourself. Look down at yourself and tell me what you see."

Starting to get a little anger mixed in with his confusion, Link decided just to do what the old man wanted and looked down.

When he did, he nearly died of fright.

He expected to see the short, little boy body he had had for as long as he could remember, but he saw a much taller version instead. In place of his squat, stubby legs were long, thin, and brawny ones. His flat upper body and chest had grown more muscular and broader, and his arms were longer and far more robust. His eyes told him he was a lot taller, and he seemed to have more strength than he remembered having.

The next thing he noticed was his clothing. He was still wearing a green slip shirt, but it was a lot bigger and longer to accommodate for his larger body. He reached with his left hand to feel his head, and he found a hat there that was exactly like his old one, but again this one was longer. He even had matching boots that were scaled up in size. But then he discovered his new wardrobe. His arms and legs were no longer naked; now he was wearing a tight white undergarment that extended all the way to his writs and ankles. And on his hands – why didn't he notice them before, he wondered? – on his hands were leather gauntlets that allowed only his fingers to poke through. Wrapped around his left shoulder and down to his right hip was a strap, probably for a scabbard. But it definitely wasn't for his own, small sword; by the weight he felt on the strap, the scabbard was too big. Could it be for the Master Sword? And what else did he feel on his back? It felt like…a shield…?

His mind racing with questions and his face filled with disbelief, Link glanced at his new body for what seemed like forever before he looked up and eyed the pool of blue light. Deciding to take a chance, Link shuffled his way to the edge of the Triforce-shaped island, where he knelt down and looked over the edge. A part of him wanted the fluid-like light to have a reflection so he could make absolutely sure, but another part of him silently prayed it didn't.

Surprise, the liquid light did have a reflection, albeit a somewhat hazy one. But it was all Link needed to see what he had dreaded the moment he had looked down at himself. Looking back at him through his reflection, eyeing him like a separate entity was a person he recognized and hardly recognized at the same time. Link saw a face that was distinctly his own but possessed a much…_older_ aura. His soft, gentle facial skin seemed to have toughened, and the shape of his face had grown taller while thinning out. His beautiful golden locks were longer and straighter, reaching all the way past his ears, which had also given way to a growth spurt of their own by becoming more stretched and lankier. Even his eyes had changed; they were slightly smaller but more commanding and attentive.

It was as if someone had taken his original face and reshaped it completely, leaving only a vague memory of the original work. But Link knew the truth; he didn't know how it was possible, but it was the only possible explanation.

He had grown up.

As if to reassure himself that the face was his own, Link used his left hand, which was trembling uncontrollably, to touch his cheek. But the moment his fingers caressed his skin, he stumbled backwards and cried out in horror.

"No! What in the name of the Three Goddesses _is_ this? What happened to me?" He then looked up at Rauru, who was looking at him calmly but with an air of regret lingering over his head. "You! What did you _do_ to me? What have you done, old man? Whatever you did, _undo_ it! I demand you undo whatever you've done to me! I…!"

"I did nothing to you, my boy," Rauru uttered sadly. "All I've done is show you what you've become, nothing more. It was your decision and yours alone to pull the Master Sword from the pedestal, and it was that decision that led to you being sealed away for seven years."

Link's face gaped in horror when he heard that phrase again. "Seven years? Is that how long I've been sealed away?"

"Yes."

Link suddenly stood up in protest. "But I'm a Kokiri! I'm not even supposed to age! Seven years should mean absolutely nothing to me! Why is it I've aged like this when I…"

"I cannot answer that question," Rauru interrupted politely. "Fate has forbade me to tell you anything about this matter. The only one who can tell you is the one who raised you."

"The one who raised me…? The Great Deku Tree! You mean the Great Deku Tree! But he's dead! How can he tell me anything if he's dead?"

"Again, I cannot answer that. But trust me when I say that all will be revealed. And try to understand that it will be revealed at the proper time and place. Any sooner or earlier and the path of destiny you walk upon might be destroyed. We cannot allow that to happen."

Link was starting to get confused again. "Path of destiny? What are you talking about?"

Rauru lowered his head once more. "Link, I know this will be just as hard for you to accept, but listen to me. Because you are the Hero of Time, you must save Hyrule from the fate that has befallen it."

The fact that Link was an "adult" was more than enough to upset him, but this new bit of news was just as disturbing. "What?" he cried in bewilderment. "What do you mean I have to save Hyrule? What do you mean…?"

"Ganondorf."

At the mention of that dreaded name, Link felt a chill run down the back of his neck and all the way down his spine. His voice froze, forbidding him to say anything for a brief moment, and his eyes widened with alarm. When he could finally speak again, all he could do at first was repeat that frightening name.

"Ganondorf…Ganondorf…what about Ganondorf? What about him?"

Rauru raised his head again. "When the Master Sword sealed you away seven years ago, the entrance to the Sacred Realm remained open, allowing anyone to enter the holy land where the Triforce resided. Ganondorf seized the opportunity and entered the Sacred Realm to claim the Triforce. When he entered the Temple of Light, I did my best to stop him, but his evilness was too much for me. All I could do was watch as he took the Triforce for his own ambitions. Because he possessed the Triforce, the Sacred Realm began to reflect his black heart, turning from a golden paradise into what is now known as the Dark World. But Ganondorf wanted more than the Sacred Realm; using the power of the Triforce, the very power of the Three Goddesses, he conquered the land of Hyrule in less than seven years."

The Sage seemed to sigh heavily before continuing, "All that is left of my beloved temple outside of Ganondorf's influence is this Chamber of Sages, which is where you have remained sealed during your seven years of sleep. But now that you have awoken, you can wield the Master Sword as the Hero of Time and save our world from the foul touch of Ganondorf."

Link was so overwhelmed by the old man's story that he could actually feel his legs weaken due to the strain. But he kept himself steady and fully erect as he said, "But if I really am the Hero of Time, what am I supposed to do? How can I save this world from Ganondorf?"

Rauru seemed to have anticipated the question. "Your first task is to awaken the five other Sages. Because of Ganondorf's evil, they cannot sense the great sorrow Hyrule is going through and thus refuse to awaken. To awaken them, you must go to the Temples of the Sages and find a way to release the power of the Sages. Once all five other Sages have awoken, we will help you find a way to destroy Ganondorf."

Link didn't know what to think. As much as he hated Ganondorf, he didn't know if he was really up to this daunting task. He had had enough trouble collecting the Spiritual Stones, and Ganondorf had easily overpowered him during their first face-to-face confrontation. Now he had to awaken five Sages by going to various temples and then face the very man who had tricked him seven years ago…it was all too much to bear. Was he really this Hero of Time? He had so many unanswered questions…

"There is one more thing I need to do for you," Rauru interjected. "To aid you in your journey, I will give you some of my power. It may not be very powerful at the moment because of the weakened state of the Temple of Light, but it will give you some protection. Please, take this Medallion of Light and use its power to guide you."

Rauru then suddenly lifted his arms into the air, and Link heard a loud noise above him, like a wind whistling through multiple trees at once. He looked up, and saw a small yet bright ball of white light descending towards him. Instinctively, Link reached up with his left arm so he could catch it, and within a matter of minutes the ball of light was in his palm, raised above his head.

Then, with out a sound or twinkle, the light disappeared, and all that was left was a large, round medallion about the size of his head, glistening in the eerie sparkles of the waterfalls of blue light. Unable to say anything, not even a thank you or a question of curiosity, Link lowered his hand so he could be a better look at the enormous piece of jewelry. It was then he discovered that the medallion was colored the exact same color of Rauru's island: deep yellow. And even though Rauru's heavily robed body was covering it, Link was sure Rauru's island's symbol was the same as the one on the medallion.

The token was certainly beautiful, but it appeared more of a burden than anything else. It was far too big for him to really carry it around, and it didn't seem to have any of the power Rauru had promised…

_ZING…_

Suddenly, without warning, Link felt powerful surges run up his arm, as if lightning strikes were coursing through his veins. The jolts caused his fingers to reflexively close around the medallion, holding it tighter and tighter until…the medallion abruptly disappeared in thin air, leaving only a brilliant, golden flash and flecks of yellow dust. But Link didn't even notice the medallion's unexpected evaporation; the strange power continued to flow through his arm, up his neck and down his rib cage, and all the way to his brain and heart as if the medal were still there.

The experience only lasted for a few seconds, but the rush was so brutal Link lost control of his legs and fell to his knees. His breath suddenly grew violently desperate while he gulped in air as if he had been underwater for several years. Sweat ran down his face in streams, and blood rushed to his face like a plague. He tried to speak, but his voice felt strained and completely useless.

Then Rauru unexpectedly spoke up. "Stand up, Hero of Time."

Instantly, Link felt all the symptoms of the attack disappear. His expressions of pain were immediately replaced with expressions of puzzlement of wonder, but he unwittingly decided not to say anything as he did as Rauru instructed. He still wasn't comfortable with his title as the Hero of Time, but he realized he didn't have a say in the matter right now.

When he was standing up completely, Rauru continued, his face now more grim and serious than Link had ever seen him before. "Your quest to awaken the five remaining Sages will now begin. When you leave this Chamber of Sages, someone will be waiting to guide you. Now go forth, Hero of Time, and walk your path of destiny. Deliver us from the evil that is Ganondorf, and bring harmony back to this world."

At the very moment Rauru uttered that last word, everything suddenly grew bright before Link's eyes. But for some reason this time, he didn't shut or shield them…

When the light subsided, Link blinked in surprise to see where he was. He stroked his eyes with his leather gauntlet-clothed hands just to make sure, but when he looked again he saw the same thing. He was back in the Temple of Time, standing right in the room where he had found the Master Sword. He looked around the barren room for a few moments, looking for something, anything, that might explain his situation. He found nothing except barren stone walls and the chamber's lone window.

Link suddenly felt alone, the emptiness of the room seemingly taunting him. Desperate for some kind of solitude, Link looked down at the Master Sword, which was still in his right hand. It was a magnificent blade, indeed; several times longer than his dagger-like sword and much more impressive, the blade seemed to glisten in the limited availability of light in the chamber, creating an uncanny shimmer along its edges. The hilt itself was colored royal purple and crafted into a miniature work of art; for some reason, it fit Link's hand perfectly. Upon one surface of the blade, located a short distance from the hilt, was etched the now-familiar sign of the Triforce. He had a feeling he would be seeing that symbol a lot in the future.

He examined the blade for a brief while before he decided to get going. If he was going to find this guide of his, he might as well look for him. He obviously wasn't here. He then decided to sheath the sword in the new scabbard on his back. He gripped the sword tightly and, with one smooth motion, slipped the sword in the scabbard. It fit perfectly, and he had done the task as if he had performed it all his life.

Nodding in satisfaction, Link started to head for the only exit in the chamber. But as he strutted his way down the small platform in the floor, he couldn't help but wonder, _"What have I gotten myself into now? By the Three Goddesses, is this even real? Am I still dreaming? It seems too ridiculous to be real. How can I be the Hero of Time? I'm not even a Hylian! Why would I be the Hero of Time if I'm not even from this land…?"_

Suddenly, Link heard something behind him, something like the sound of someone following in his own footsteps. Link stopped walking, hesitated, then whirled around, pulling both the Master Sword from its scabbard and also removing his new shield from his back. He didn't know how or why, but he suddenly felt prepared to face any one who wanted to challenge him, be it any of the hideous creatures he had killed or Ganondorf himself.

To his surprise, he found an ordinary person standing near the stone where the Master Sword had once resided. The stranger had stopped walking a split second before Link had hesitated, and now that new arrival was standing before Link, unafraid of the possibility of Link attacking.

The stranger was a boy – he had the apparent build – and stood about Link's height (if Link were capable of making such a comparison, he'd say the boy was about his age). He wore a deep blue, one-piece suit that wrapped around his body tightly, showcasing all of his muscles and curves. Over his chest was a torn white shirt with a bizarre symbol of a red-colored eye with three triangular eyelashes, and the shirt had a large collar that rose well above the boy's neck. The boy had probably faced some kind of trouble, as his lower arms and one of his fingers were clothed in bandages; even his head was wrapped in dressing, although Link guessed the head wrapping were more for decoration.

Link was very cautious about this newcomer, particularly because he couldn't see the boy's face. The enormous collar that climbed past his next covered the lower half of his face, and his bandaged cap hid his scalp. Only his eyes and a part of his nose were visible, and even then his long, golden locks of hair concealed one of his eyes and that whole side of his face. He appeared to have no weapons on his person, but after his encounter with Ganondorf, Link knew weapons weren't that difficult to come by.

Link kept the Master Sword pointed straight at the stranger and made sure his shield was positioned correctly for any kind of attack. The two locked gazes for a long moment before the newcomer finally spoke up. His voice was gentle yet firm, a sign that he managed to maintain some kind of dignity during whatever troubled times he had been through.

"After all these years, the day has finally come. Greetings, Link, the Hero of Time."

So this person also knew Link's name, and he also called Link the Hero of Time. Link chose not to loosen his stance as he said in reply, "Who are you? And how do you know my name?"

The boy took a few steps forward and then stopped again before answering, "My name is Sheik. I am of the Sheikah, the people of prophecy and the ones chosen to guard the Royal Family."

The Sheikah? Wasn't that Impa's people? Did this boy named Sheik know Impa? And if he did, then did he also know where…?

"The Sheikah?" Link blurted out, lowering his sword slightly. "Then do you know where Princess Zelda is?"

Sheik seemed to hesitate when the question was asked, but he didn't hesitate for long. "Princess Zelda is safe; you need not worry about her. She is in my care, so you can be assured she will not be harmed. However, I cannot allow you to meet with her at this time."

"Why not?" Link asked,suddenly growing suspicious again.

"Because of Ganondorf." That name again sent a cold shiver down Link's spine. "Ever since he stole the Triforce and conquered Hyrule with his cruel hand, he has searched endlessly for her in hopes to exploit her influences over the people. Meeting with her now might compromise her safety, and that is the last thing we need at this time."

Although Link really wanted to see Zelda again, he could see the logic in Sheik's words. And by now, Link could see Sheik wasn't anything to be cautious of. Even so, he kept the Master Sword in his hand and his new shield on his arm; it just made his feel a little more secure.

The two young men shared another moment of silence before Sheik spoke again, "Even now, as I see you standing before me, holding the legendary Master Sword in your hand, I can see you are truly the Hero of Time. Although I must admit, I never thought the Master Sword would choose your attire in the likeness of your upbringing."

Link blinked in puzzlement. "Chose my attire…excuse me?"

"You are probably wondering why you are wearing clothing that matches your Kokiri clothes, and why you possess such things as a scabbard for the Master Sword and a new shield. The reason is that only the Hero of Time may hold the Master Sword, and the Hero of Time requires garments worthy of that title. So the sword chooses what the Hero of Time shall wear, and in your case it has chosen to give you garments harking back to your days with the Kokiri. I expected you to be wearing the glory-filled armor of Hyrule, but the Master Sword has chosen otherwise."

Sheik then paused, indicating he was probably smiling under that enormous collar of his. "But the sword still chose to give you a shield bearing the crest of the Royal Family as well as the symbol of the Triforce, so you are not isolated completely from the people you are destined to save."

That phrase – "the people you are destined to save" – reminded Link of his current situation and something Rauru had mentioned. He lowered the Master Sword and his shield and uttered, "Tell me, do you happen to be the one who will guide me? Or are you here to take me to the one who will guide me?"

"I am the one here to guide you," Sheik answered, "but only as far as I am able to. You see, I have duties to perform in preparation for the final battle against Ganondorf, so I must leave you to do much of your quest without my help. However, I will provide you with what is necessary to complete your tasks, including where to start. The first temple is the Temple of the Forest, located in a place you know very well. The Lost Woods."

Temple of the Forest? In the Lost Woods? Link couldn't believe his ears; the first temple he was supposed to visit was in the very place he wanted to go. Now he could go and find out if his home and all his friends were all right. But more importantly, he could see Saria again…

"The Lost Woods, huh?" Link smirked. "Don't worry, I can get there easily enough. I just need to know where the temple is and…"

"I do not know where the Temple of the Forest is," Sheik interrupted. "No one has seen that temple ever since its construction, for the Lost Woods has been considered too treacherous for outsiders to enter. However, I have visited the forest many times over the years to search for the temple, but I have been able to find nothing. The only ones who know where the temple can be found are the denizens of the forest, the Kokiri, and they do not take kind to strangers."

Sheik then started to walk forward. "But you might be able to find away to ask them where the temple is, as you were once one of them. I'm sure you can find someone who will be willing to tell us what we need to know."

Saria…

"But first," Sheik continued as he continued walking, moving past Link and waving his hand in the air, motioning for Link to follow him, "I need to show you out of the city. Follow me."

Sheik's actions happened to fast that Link didn't have time to argue or give his say in the matter. All he could do was sheath his sword, return his shield onto his back, turn around and follow Sheik out of the temple.

It was horrible. Just horrible.

Signs of things to come were seen even before Link left the Temple of Time. When he and Sheik exited the room where the Master Sword had once resided, he saw the main hall and gaped in shock. All of the pews that once dwelled within the main hall were gone, left as scraps of timber lying all over the floor. The beautiful stained-glass windows had all been shattered, their multicolored glass strewn everywhere like a broken rainbow. The floor itself was cracked and torn up, and the walls were crumbling into disarray. The only thing that remained intact was the altar Link where Link had placed to the Spiritual Stones, and to his amazement the three gems were still in their respective slots. But the stones' luster had faded and their beauty was nothing more than a faint shadow of itself.

Outside, things got even worse. The once-beautiful façade of the Temple of Time was in just as much disrepair as the inside of the church; its beautiful gray brick was now dark with soot and grime, and the roof was in desperate need of repair. The streets that led from the church to the center of the city were also practically ruined by decay and neglect. Ugly moss lined the cracks like a parasite, and fissures spread across the roads like intricate yet sloppy spider webs.

The houses didn't fare that much better either. The colorful sidings and vibrant roofs were falling apart, some so severely that they had collapsed into piles of rubble with rotten wooden beams poking through like decayed skeletons. Evidence of fires and vandalism was everywhere; Link could only imagine what kind of turmoil Hyrule had gone through during his seven years of slumber.

_"And to think,"_ he thought to himself as he strolled down the street with Sheik by his side, _"this is what you wanted to forget…"_

All he had seen was upsetting by itself, but it was Market Square that was truly heartbreaking. The once exquisite square that had been filled with shopping booths, restaurants, and fun-loving people was deserted, a void where happiness and love had once reigned. The streets were in the worst condition he had seen yet, the surrounding homes were charred and destroyed with disturbing severity, and the empty fountains were a painful reminder of the lost innocence of the city. It was one thing to see streets and homes decimated, but to see a place that was once a center of joy and delight was something else.

Link was so flabbergasted by the new look of Market Square that he had to stop to keep back the hurt in his heart. Sheik stopped also, as if knowing why the Hero of Time needed to halt their progression out of the city.

"It's terrible, isn't it?" Sheik asked rhetorically. "Ever since Ganondorf's dark reign, this city has seen neither joy nor happiness. Not even the sun shines on Hyrule Castle New City; Ganondorf's evil is drawn to this place so powerfully the sun cannot penetrate the thunderclouds that hover overhead. But believe it or not, Market Square was once far more horrifying than it is now."

Sheik then slowly lowered his head. "A few years ago, some lone wolves tried to take back the castle, but they never made it farther than Market Square. All of them were killed on the spot by Ganondorf's army. They were foolish to try a head-on attack in the first place, but still…all that unnecessary bloodshed…all those lives lost for no reason…it makes me sick just thinking about Ganondorf's cruelty. If there were any way I could stop him, I'd do it now…"

"Hey, there's someone over there!" Link suddenly interjected before he started running towards the center of the square.

Sheik looked up. "Someone over there…?" Suddenly, his eyes widened in horror. "No, Link, wait! Don't go there! Link!"

Link must've blocked out everything, for he didn't even notice Sheik's warning. He just ran up to the middle of Market Square, right where one of the now-decimated fountains stood, and walked around it. On the other side of the circular fountain he found the very thing he had seen: a person, shuffling his way around the square with crooked knees and horrible posture. His back was facing Link, but Link could tell this person was in terrible pain.

Link didn't know what this person was doing here, but he had to help him. He walked up to the person and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Excuse me, sir, what are you doing here? You have to come out of here with us and…"

At that moment, the person turned around with startling speed, and Link saw his face. What Link saw made his blood freeze and his skin crawl. The person's face was…a skull. A small yet malicious-looking skull colored a sickening red, covered with a thin layer of dead skin. The eye sockets were empty, but Link could feel the creature somehow looking at him. The decayed skin around the mouth was peeled back, revealing rows of long, rotting teach attacked to moldy, black gums. The rest of the body was colored an earth-like brown, but it was no more disgusting. Like the face, it was a skeleton wrapped in decayed skin, but this skin was soiled with putrid grime. Every bone and bare muscle was visible; it looked like the creature hadn't eaten anything its entire life and yet somehow found a way to stay alive. It looked weak, but Link knew such assumptions were deadly.

Link was about to run away when the creature opened its mouth and let out a short yet high-pitched scream. When it reached Link's ears, the Hero of Time froze on the spot. And when he tried to get away, he found to his complete horror he couldn't move. He tried to do everything he could to get his muscles to respond, but whatever the beast had done wouldn't let him go.

As he watched in terror, the monster shuffled its way up to Link and leaned forward, reaching for Link's neck with it bony hands, the creature's empty eyes never seeming to leave Link for a second. The moment Link thought he was going to die was when the monster opened its disgusting mouth, showing off its rotten teeth coated with trickles of yellow saliva…

_SLASH…_

Without warning, a glint of white metal sliced through the creature's squat, stubby neck like a silver wind. An instant later, the beast's head flew off its shoulders, its mouth throwing spit in every direction. There was no blood seeping from the wound, just sagging skin and a vile, charred pulp. The head landed on the ground a short distance away from the body, which a split second later fell limp to the floor into a lifeless heap.

Almost at once, whatever had caused Link to freeze disappeared and the Hero of Time could move again. But he was still in shock over what had just happened…or over what had _nearly_ happened. What _did_ happen, anyway…?

"Link, are you all right?"

It was Sheik. Link turned his head to the side and saw him standing within reaching distance, his right hand holding a small yet deadly looking dagger. He was breathing heavily and what was visible of his face was sweating. Even Sheik's eyes were wide with fear and urgency. He had obviously cut it close…

"Yes, I'm…I'm fine, thanks," Link muttered as he breathed a sigh of relief and wiped some sweat off his brow. "What…what was that thing?"

"It's a ReDead," Sheik answered. "It's the resurrected carcass of someone who died fighting against Ganondorf. It's Ganondorf's cruel way of pitting our former friends against us. The ReDead roam Hyrule Castle New City as its shadowy protectors, rooting out anyone who might try something. They look weak, but if you're not careful they are very dangerous. Their screams can freeze someone's soul just long enough for them to tear off their victims' necks and rip out their hearts."

The description of the ReDead sent a shiver down Link's spine. "I'm…I'm sorry about that. I never knew…"

"Don't worry, I was here to watch your back. But please be careful next time. I had to save you at the last minute because I didn't want to get frozen by this ReDead's scream. We were lucky this time, but we shouldn't always trust luck from now on."

Link nodded his head. "I guess you're right. So, why don't we get out of here?"

Sheik turned his gaze to Link's, and Link was sure the Sheikah was smiling. "That sounds like a great idea. Let's go."

Even the drawbridge wasn't anything to look at; it had collapsed in the middle and was partially submerged in the moat, which was filled with a slimy muck instead of crystal-clear water. Link and Sheik had to jump across a small gap to get across the broken drawbridge before they could set foot on solid ground. When Link's foot touched the soil, he somehow felt a little bit more confident in whatever he was about to face.

"Okay, Sheik, so why don't we head for the Lost Woods and…?"

"I'm sorry, but I have to leave you for now."

Link jerked his head around to face Sheik. "What? What do you mean…?"

"As I said before, I have to leave you to do much of your quest without my help. Now is one of those times. I have been waiting for your awakening for several days now, and I need to return to Kakariko Village so I can let everyone know I am still alive. However, there is still something you must do before you can set out for the Lost Woods and the Temple of the Forest."

"Oh, and what's that?"

"You need a horse."

Link's eyes widened in surprise. "A…a horse?"

"Yes. Hyrule has grown full of Ganondorf's evil, and there will be times when you need to traverse the land as fast as possible. Walking will not be good enough; a horse is the only way you can move across the land quickly enough. And horses have become a luxury during these times of war, so no one will simply give you one."

"So how exactly am I going to get one if they're so valued?"

Sheik turned to meet Link's gaze. "Do you know of the Lon Lon Ranch?"

Link's heart skipped a beat when he heard that name. "Lon Lon Ranch? Yes, I know of it. Why do you ask?"

"The Lon Lon Ranch is the only place the still breeds horses in Hyrule, but the owner refuses to sell them except to those with unheard of amounts of money. He is a very cruel man who sympathizes with Ganondorf, and he lives a lavish lifestyle because of it. But he still possesses some of the strongest horses in the land, and they are what you need for your journey."

Link couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew Talon well enough to know that the man Sheik had described was not Talon. But then again, who knows what Ganondorf had done to him? Anything could happen in seven years. And if Talon had indeed become what Sheik had depicted, then what had become of Malon…?

"But if he only sells his horses to those with lots of money, then how can I buy…?"

"Ask him what his best horse will cost, and tell him you'll pay it back fourfold in the future. Once we defeat Ganondorf, I will see to it personally that he gets his money. If he still refuses to sell, then do whatever you can to get. Steal it if you have to. I know it isn't the most ethical thing to do, but time is running out. Then, once you get a horse and maybe some supplies, head to Kakariko Village, where I will meet up with you and go with you to the Lost Woods."

Link couldn't help but agree with the plan. "Sounds good to me. But where is the ranch from here…?"

Sheik pointed in the exact opposite direction of the city walls. "It's a little over a day's walk in that direction, to the south. And once you get the horse, Kakariko Village is to the northeast of the village. Hopefully, you can get proper directions at the ranch. But don't let the owner of the ranch know who you are; if he finds out, he might tell Ganondorf, and that's the last thing we need…oh, and here. You'll need this."

Sheik then produced from nowhere a small brown sack and gave it to Link. "This food should last until you get to the ranch. And just hope the owner isn't stingy enough to sell you more supplies. Good luck on your journey, Link. I'll see you again in Kakariko Village."

Thanking Sheik for the supplies, Link looked down to place the sack on his belt…and his suddenly noticed something he hadn't seen before. Several of his things were still on his belt, including his glass bottle and his ocarina bag, which he could tell was holding two ocarinas: Saria's fairy ocarina and the Ocarina of Time. Smiling, Link fastened the bag to his belt and looked up to face Sheik again…

…but he was gone. He had disappeared, as if he had never existed. All that was left was a gentle wind and the Sheikah's words echoing in his mind. Perplexed, Link scratched his head…and almost immediately felt something move under his cap.

The moment he remembered her was the moment he heard her tiny, familiar voice. "Is it time to wake up yet…?"


	35. Aged Memories

**Chapter 35: Aged Memories**

Link didn't sleep a single wink during his journey to Lon Lon Ranch. The mere thought of what had happened to Talon and what might've happened to Malon kept his eyes open and his strength up to par. He maintained his course by never looking any other direction except the right one, and he did as little as possible so as not to distract himself. He did stop on a couple of occasions to eat the supplies Sheik had provided, but other than that all he did was march south. Towards the ranch.

By now, the storm clouds hovering over his head were a distant memory behind him, and the gaunt atmosphere was also absent. But reminders of Ganondorf's control over Hyrule were still around him. During his travels across Hyrule, the countryside had been picturesque and eye pleasing, teeming with marvelous fauna and flora to admire. Now everything had a death-like feeling to it, as if life refused to show itself. Once-beautiful trees and grass were withered and cracked, and fields of flowers were nowhere to be found. The only animals in sight were large black birds, and they sounded so irritated and malnourished it was easy to deduce food was scarce. The sense of decay even affected the clouds, which hung in the air like gray, rotting carcasses.

Link was in a way glad that Navi didn't want to speak right now; he didn't feel like talking himself. Still, he could remember exactly how she reacted after he had told her what was going on. He could even remember her tiny face when she acknowledged his words by seeing how his outward appearance had changed…

"But…but this is impossible! How can we be sealed away like that for seven years? And even if it _is_ true, then why was _I_ sealed away? Oh, sure, I flew under your hat after you pulled that sword out because I didn't want to see anything…but I'm not this Hero of Time they claim you are! Why was I sealed up? Just because I happened to be with you at the time? That can't be! It just _can't be_! I won't believe it! I just _won't_! I swear, this isn't happening! I must be dreaming! How can you be grown up? You're a Kokiri! A _Kokiri_! Kokiri don't grow up! Either that, or you're not Link, and I think I know who my charge is! Then again, I haven't been with you for _that_ long…tell me you are Link! Just tell me you're Link…and tell me this is a dream! Please, just tell me this is a dream! I want to wake up from this nightmare I'm having! Please, just wake me up! Wake me up…wake me up…wake…me…up…!"

After that Navi had refused to say anything else. The shock had been so great she just fell silent and slipped under Link's hat, never to be seen again. Link thought this was best, for it would take some time to adjust and understand what was going on. If she needed him, he'd be there for her. But even though he couldn't hear or see her, during his journey to Lon Lon Ranch he had felt tiny droplets of water upon his scalp several times, indicating Navi had been crying; it was obviously hard for her to really understand anything right now.

But to be perfectly honest, Link didn't understand it all himself. The explanations of Sheik and Rauru had been of some help, but there were still things he didn't understand. Why was he grown up when he was a Kokiri? Why had he been chosen as the Hero of Time? And when did he have to relieve himself of that title? He just wished Princess Zelda was here to answer his questions, but right now he was completely alone save his guardian fairy, and she wasn't in a particular mood to talk.

By the Three Goddesses, what had happened to him…?

* * *

The journey came to an end the afternoon of next day. It was the smell that first alerted Link he was back on the farm, but it wasn't until he saw the silhouette of the farmhouse in the distance that he knew for sure. At first, he couldn't believe it; he had trekked almost nonstop across Hyrule to get to the farm, and the strain on his muscles made it hard to believe he had finally made it. But when he convinced his mind that his eyes weren't lying, he smiled and started to run towards the farmhouse. 

Unfortunately, the moment he made the decision to run was the moment fatigue conquered his strength. All the pain from his constant walking had been masked by his determination to get to the ranch, and now that he had finally made it there was nothing to conceal the soreness in his limbs. The first step he took felt like walking through fire, and the next step was even worse. He tried not to think about the pain, but it was so overwhelming it managed to stop Link in his tracks after only five steps forward.

Unable to move forward anymore, Link could only fall helplessly to the ground as his legs turned to pulp. Ironically, he didn't feel anything when his knees struck the rock hard ground with a loud crack. He tried to stay upright, but his upper body strength left him as well, forcing him to sink face first to the ground. The impact of the hard soil against his face was partially softened by his chest taking the burden of the blow, but it was enough to knock Link's head silly.

As he laid there, his body feeling completely limp and utterly useless, Link realized he hadn't said a single word when he saw the farmhouse, not even a cry of joy or a word of relief. He tried to say something to make up for it, but his fall had lodged his voice in his throat. He didn't know why, but he smiled, as if accepting defeat against his tiredness. Maybe a little sleep would do him good and help him recover.

Then again, look what seven years worth of sleep did for him…

It didn't take long for him to black out, whether he wanted to or not. The last thing he remembered before he slipped into darkness was an approaching shadow off to his left, not doubt some bird seeing if Link might make a tasty meal in this gods-forsaken world…

* * *

Insert song lyrics here

It took a second for Link to realize he was listening to words, and a second longer for him to realize they were being sung. They drifted through Link's mind like an enchanted wind, reaching his ears but not fully registering with his mind, as if no one were ever meant to understand them. To Link, they didn't even seem to be real; they sounded more like gibberish than real speech. They could easily be part of another dream…

…but something told him they were real; he just had to open his eyes to confirm it. So he tried, and to his surprise, he succeeded.

The first thing he saw were soft white walls that was the home to several paintings and other assorted wall ornaments. Then he noticed a light blue door off in the far corner, and a writing desk next to it, followed by a cupboard…oh, forget it. Link was feeling far to tired to really care where he was. He could feel he was in a bed, and he could feel a wet cloth rest upon his brow where he had struck his head upon the ground. Someone had taken him in and was caring for him, and had even taken the time to remove his sword, shield, and the rest of his things and place then in a neat pile just to his left; that was what mattered, not where he was being cared for.

The only other thing he wanted to know was _who_ exactly had brought him in…

"Oh, you're awake. Thank goodness."

That voice…Link knew exactly who possessed that voice. It sounded a little different, but the same tone and clarity was unmistakable. Straining his stiff neck muscles, Link turned his head to his right…and found the little red-haired girl, only now she wasn't so little.

Malon had aged almost exactly the way Link had aged: she had definitely changed, but her underlying appearance was still there. She was taller – of course – and her figure had matured into a more curved, defined type, the kind Link had seen during his brief visit to Market Square. Her fiery red hair had grown and it flowed more naturally down behind her neck and along her shoulders. The top part of her dress resembled the slip dress he had seen her wear seven years ago, but now it looked more like a shirt with a long scarlet dress wrapped around her waist. If there was one thing to remind Link of the young Malon, it was her face. Her facial features had definitely grown, but the gentle innocence remained in her eyes and around her lips.

In short, Malon was a grown version of her younger self. That was all there was to it.

Too stunned to say anything, Link only watched as Malon slowly walked in his direction, her hands holding some kind of cloth. She stopped when she was within reaching distance of the bed Link was lying in and leaned over to examine his face more closely. The silence that followed and the look in her eyes made Link think she would say something like "nice to see you again, Fairy Boy" or "I hope you're feeling okay, Link, because I've got some things we're going to do today."

Instead, Malon uttered, "It's been a while since we've had a visitor at the ranch. You're first newcomer I've seen in about a year, and the first person my age in over five years. You're very lucky I was taking a walk through the fields earlier today, or else I wouldn't have seen you fall down on your face. You were running quite a fever and you were even bleeding across your temple. I hope you don't do that to yourself all the time."

She didn't recognize him. Malon didn't _recognize_ him! As if the green hat didn't give him away! Then again, it has been seven years…but still, judging by the way she acted when he left the ranch, he thought she'd at least remember what he looked like. But on the other hand, he shouldn't really judge her like that, not after what was happening…

Deciding to test her, Link decided to reply to Malon's concern. "No," he whispered gruffly, "I don't do that to myself all the time."

"Oh, you can speak," said Malon with a grin. "That's a good sign, but that hoarseness is a sign the fever hasn't broken. You'll have to remain in bed for a while longer."

No good. She didn't recognize his voice, even though it was a little croaky. Maybe she had forgotten about him…no, that didn't seem right. Something else was up, something that had happened during his seven year sleep. Something that was obviously painful for her. And even though he didn't know what that something was, he feared it might have had something to do with him.

Maybe it would be best for him not to reveal who he was…

"By the way, my name's Malon," the farm girl suddenly declared gently. "What's your name?"

"Oh, I'm L…" Link stopped talking and quickly roamed through his mind for an alternate identity. He used the first name he could think of. "…Mido. My name's Mido."

Malon widened her smile until it grew mischievous. "Mido, is it? What a peculiar name. It sounds almost foreign. Mind telling me where you're from?"

Link started to blush, so he quickly thought up an answer for the curious farm girl. "I'm from…I'm from a place far outside the borders of Hyrule. I don't know the name of the country because my parents never told it to me; they just told me I was born in a faraway land and not Hyrule. So even I don't know where I'm from."

"I see" Malon giggled. "So where are your parents…?" Suddenly, Malon's smile disappeared and her eye grew heavy. "No, wait, never mind. After what's happened these last seven years, it's best not to dig into anyone's past and let painful memories resurface."

Malon sniffed softly before lifting the rag in her hand to her eyes. As she wiped a few emerging tears from her cheeks, she added, "Please do me a favor, Mido. Please don't let the lord of the ranch know you're here. He doesn't like me doing things other than my chores, and if he finds out I'm keeping you here he'll take out his anger on the horses. Promise me you won't let him know you're here."

Link could feel Malon's heart sink, so he couldn't help but promise. "I swear he will not even see a footprint," Link swore. "But tell me something. Why is your father so cruel to you like…?" Link suddenly realized his tongue had slipped and he quickly tried to correct himself. "That is, I'm _assuming_ he's your father. Else why would you be living here on the ranch…?"

"The lord of the ranch is not my father."

Link's eyes widened in surprise, but he tried not to show Malon his disbelief. "He isn't? Then who is he? A relative of yours?"

"No." Tears started to run down her face more freely now, some escaping the cloth Malon held. "The lord is a former worker of this ranch, a sour-hearted man called Ingo. He and my father never got along, and I always suspected Ingo wanted to rule the ranch his own way. When Ganondorf conquered Hyrule seven years ago, Ingo saw his opportunity to take control and he swore allegiance to that horrible man. Ganondorf repaid Ingo's loyalty by casting my father out of the ranch and putting Ingo in charge. I never even got a chance to say goodbye to my father."

Malon paused to take a breather through her crying. "Over the past few years I've wanted to go out and find my father, but the horses have always kept me here. Ingo can be horrible sometimes, but he is most cruel to the horses. He sees them more as trophies than living creatures and he doesn't care how they are treated just so long as they make him look good. I have to make sure he doesn't hurt them…or even worse…"

Malon again paused to cry a little before adding, "I'm sorry, Mido. I don't know why I told you that. You don't even know who Ingo is, so why should you care what he does?"

"But I do," Link cried without thinking. He was glad that Talon wasn't the one that Sheik had mentioned, but he was still horrified to learn that Ingo, the bad-tempered stable worker he had crossed paths with once, which was one times too many, was treating both the horses and Malon this way. He couldn't just let Malon assume he didn't care when he truly felt for her.

"What I mean is," Link continued, quickly realizing his mistake, "just because I don't know Ingo doesn't mean I don't care about what he does. I love horses, really I do and to treat them badly isn't something I can just walk away from. And you…" Link blushed slightly. "…you're far more important than horses. To treat a human being badly, especially someone like you, would be an unforgivable sin. After what you did for me…today, I mean, I don't even want to think about it. Look at you, Malon. You're a very kind person. Why _shouldn't_ I care?"

A weak smile appeared upon Malon's tear-stained face. "That…that's very nice of you to say, Mido. No one's ever said anything like that to me, at least not during these hard times. You don't know how much that means to me. Thank you so much. Thank you."

Malon whispered her last sentence, and it was so soothing that Link's blush deepened. "You're…you're welcome…I suppose."

Malon kept her weak smile and kept her eyes pinned on Link's face as she reached with one of her hands to the base of her neck, where she proceeded to wipe some sweat from her skin. During her swabbing with her palm, she accidentally pulled her shirt collar down a little, revealing a little more skin underneath.

Link happened to gaze there briefly, and when he did his eyes widened in astonishment. He didn't see anything that he shouldn't have – which was a good thing, because he would've felt guilty about it for the rest of his life – but he did see something more interesting. The pulling down of her collar revealed something hanging around her neck, something he had seen before. It was the necklace with the red jewel, the one he had given her at the end of his first meeting with her.

_"She's still wearing it?"_ Link thought.

"You like this necklace?" Malon suddenly asked, snapping Link back to his senses. His face turned a bright red, far brighter than his previous blush, and he quickly tried to defend his integrity.

"I…I…no, I…I didn't…didn't see…what I mean is…they weren't visible…no, that's not it…"

Malon's smile suddenly widened, and her lips released a soft chuckle. "So, you're a gentleman, are you? Well, at least there's one left in this world. Then I take it you _were_ looking at the necklace, right?"

Deciding not to make a fool of himself again, Link just nodded. But Malon laughed again anyway. "It's nice of you to notice it," she uttered as she looked down at it as best she could. "I've had it with me for about seven years now. I don't know why, but it keeps me at peace whenever I feel like I'm going to fall apart. And I never forget about the one who gave this to me. Whenever I hold this, I remember him, as clear as day. Even though I haven't seen him for seven years, he's still here with me, helping me through these tough times. He's like the brother I never had…and sometimes, I feel he's even more than that."

Malon then looked up and locked gazes with Link, who came to the idea she would recognize him. Who else could she be talking about…?

"_Malon_!"

Malon suddenly spun around and looked at the door, frozen. Link also sat up in bed and stared at the door. He remembered hearing that voice, but he couldn't recall to whom it belonged…

"Malon!" the voice boomed again. "Where are you, you little wench? You have to clean out the horse water troughs! If you don't show yourself this minute, I'm going to use my snake whip on your precious Epona!"

Malon's face drained itself of blood. She turned back to Link, who was still looking at the door, and hissed softly, "It's Ingo. I have to go now. Please keep your word you won't come out of this room. If he finds you, he'll beat me and then…hurt Epona, my beloved horse. So please don't leave this room. My chores are going to take all night, so I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight, Mido."

Nighttime? Was it close to nighttime already? Come to think of it, the sun did seem have kind of an orange glow right now…but Link didn't have time to confirm this with Malon. Before he could say anything, she disappeared through the light blue door, calling out to someone as she closed it. The last he heard of her was her voice as it faded away in the unseen distance…

* * *

Midnight. 

He didn't need anything to tell him it was midnight; his natural instincts were his timepiece. So when the appropriate hour struck, his eyes sprang open and he sat up as if he had intended to do so to begin with. He didn't even need to rub any sleep from his eyes; in fact, he felt awake enough to fight with his sword! Or at least his strength had recovered enough to give him that belief…

The bedroom wasn't completely enveloped in darkness; the window curtains were too thin to keep the bright moonlight out. Even so, everything in the room looked like a washed shadow of itself, giving everything an eerie and gloomy look. Someone might describe it as a dream, but Link knew all too well how real dreams could be…

Link didn't need much to know that Malon hadn't returned from her chores, and he also didn't need much to know she _should've _returned by now. His time at the ranch had taught him Malon knew her way around the farm and how to do whatever was needed. Oh, sure, she may have never been given chores this laboring or time-consuming, but even then she would complete them in a relatively short time. Unless, of course, she lost her enthusiasm for the horses, and Link couldn't believe that for one moment.

She had to be somewhere outside the farmhouse; this was her room, after all. Knowing her, she would rather sleep in a chair instead of sleep in a bed in another room. But then where was she? She could be anywhere…

Suddenly, Link knew where she was. It was the only place she _could_ be. And if she was there, then…

Link quickly threw the covers off his body and leapt out of the bed, rushing to the window at a brisk pace. When he reached the curtains, he grabbed them and threw them apart with incredible force. He then stared out the window, and saw the full moon staring back at him. Now he was certain.

_"So, she's there again. I guess I can't blame her. Should I go and see her? But then would she recognize me…? What should I do?"_

It took ten seconds for him to make up his mind. Moving as gently as he could, Link shuffled his way back to the bed…and slowly removed his cap from his scalp, being careful to make sure Navi was still inside. The fairy hadn't appeared to him all day, either because she was sleeping or still reluctant to see him and face the truth. He decided it would be best to leave her completely alone for a while.

Besides, he wanted to be alone himself for when he faced her.

As he gently placed the cap upon the soft bed sheets, Link thought, _"So, how am I going to get out of here without waking Ingo?"_

The moonlight shining through the window gave him an idea…

* * *

Jumping from a second story window wasn't that much different than jumping from a high tree branch, actually. The only difference was that Link had to use his legs to propel him forward so he wouldn't land on the roof and alert Ingo of his presence. But when he landed on the soft soil below, it felt like something he had done all his life. Maybe this was why he had survived those falls in Dodongo's Cavern… 

But that didn't matter. He had to find the old storage barn where Malon was holed up in. After conjuring up the vague direction of the barn, Link took a deep breath and started running as fast as he could.

He found the barn easily, as if he had lived on the farm in Malon's place. He also found the door he had used the last time he had entered it. It was wide open, probably left that way by someone's carelessness or Malon's hastiness. Seeing nothing unusual, Link stepped right through the door…and immediately discovered something awry.

He couldn't smell anything…or see anything.

All of the stored milk that Malon said was going into making cheese, all of the stale white liquid that gave off a powerful and unholy stench…it was all gone. Now, that might seem like a blessing, but for Link the sight made him quiver. Did that mean Ingo didn't care about the cows and had gotten rid of them? Or was Ingo using them for other purposes…?

Link didn't want to think about it. The one time Malon had told him about beef he nearly got sick at the thought. And now was not the time to allow his journey's rations to come back up…

_"Okay, then, where is that entrance, Malon? Where did you hide it?"_

He found the entrance easily, mainly because the crates that hid it were still in their place, and thankfully the crates were moved in such a way that the tunnel was clearly visible. All Link had to do was get onto his knees and crawl forward, and soon he would be in the room where Malon was. So he did…

_THUNK…_

…and struck his head on the barn wall, sending his head spiraling back with a snap. At first, Link thought the tunnel had been walled up, but he quickly discovered his head had been too high.

_"Tunnel's a lot smaller than I remember,"_ he grumbled as he lowered his head and continued his advance into the corridor…

* * *

He arrived in the small room at the end of the tunnel in record time, and when he could he stood up so he could look around the tiny quarters. It wasn't too difficult for him to find what he was looking for. 

At the very end of the room, sitting on her knees with her head in her hands, was Malon with her back facing towards Link. By the soft yet noticeable wails echoing in the chamber, Link could tell she was crying, and it wasn't just a simple cry. It was the kind of cry that released all kinds of horrible things, from anger to hurt to heartache to loneliness. She had probably been crying like this ever full moon, crying like this to release all of the resentment that had built up in her heart.

When Link witnessed this, he felt like crying himself. But he kept his tears hidden away and instead mumbled loudly, "Malon?"

Malon's head immediately jerked up and turned around, showing her dirty tear-stained face and dry, red eyes. When she saw Link, her eyes widened in disbelief. "Mido? What are…how did you…what are you doing here? How did you find this place?"

"I watched you from the bedroom window," Link lied. "I saw you head in this general direction and later decided I wanted to see how you were doing. So I snuck out of the house and tracked you to this place. It wasn't easy, but I've wandered the world long enough to know how to look for the right signs in order to find someone."

It was a weak defense, but that was all Link could come up with during his trek from the farmhouse to the barn. He just hoped Malon wouldn't see through it and realize who he really was…

Without warning, Malon turned her head back around. "You must be a pretty good tracker to find this place," she muttered. "That can only mean you're a survivor of these horrible times we live in. Me, I don't know if I'm a survivor or a casualty. Every full moon I come to this place to find the answer, but all I do is ready myself for the next time I ask myself that question. I'm just about ready to surrender, surrender to these terrible burdens on my shoulders and the pain in my heart."

A soft sniffling sound indicated Malon was shedding more tears. "I…I love my horses…I love Epona…so very much…but…but I…I want to see my father…I want…to see…my daddy. I want to see my daddy…"

His heart sinking like a stone thrown in water, Link decided to say something. "Malon, if…if you want me to leave you alone here, then I'll willingly do so…"

"No…" Malon's whisper pleaded. "Don't leave me…"

"Malon?"

Suddenly, Malon leapt to her feet, turned around, and darted her way towards the standing Link, landing squarely against his body and wrapping her arms around him. Link was so stunned by this sudden act that he didn't know what to do; he didn't even know what Malon was doing! Why would she suddenly get up and embrace him…?

"Please," the farm girl abruptly continued. "I never thought to ask you to come here, but now that you're here I'm glad you did. Please don't leave me here, alone. It's been so long since I've felt the loving touch of another person, even something like a simple hug. I hardly even know you, Mido, but I can tell you are someone I can trust. I'm not asking you to do anything for me except… to let me hold you, to let me know I'm worth at least that much."

As Malon pressed her tear-smudged face into his chest, Link wondered if he had made the right decision coming here. But one look at Malon's heartbroken face told him he had made the right choice. Deciding to comfort her as best he could, Link raised his right arm and wrapped it around Malon's waist; he thought about using both arms, but determined it might make her uncomfortable to be embrace fully by a "stranger."

_"I wish I could tell you Malon,"_ Link thought as he stood there with Malon in his arm, _"that you're worth so much more…"_

They stayed together like that for about half an hour before they both decided to return back to the farmhouse.

* * *

"I have a confession to make, Malon." 

Malon's face didn't show any signs of surprise when Link said those words as he was slinging his sword and scabbard onto his back; her face showed more curiosity than anything. "And what's that, Mido?" she asked humbly.

Link hesitated before he finally replied, "I deliberately came to this ranch for a reason. I'm here to buy a horse from this farm. The best horse this place has, in fact."

Now Malon's eyes showed off disbelief. "You're here to buy a horse? The _best_ horse? Does that mean…you're a member of a royal family…?"

"No, I'm not," Link answered as she started to place his shield on his back. "I'm here with special orders to get the best horse Lon Lon Ranch as to offer. That's all I can tell you."

Malon took a few steps forward towards Link until she stood in the rays of the morning sunlight the bedroom window allowed inside. "But if you're not a member of any royal family, how can you expect to pay for one of this farm's horses? Ingo charges unheard of amounts for these horses, and he won't sell any of them unless the buyer has some kind of connection to the rich."

Link smiled a smile he made sure Malon couldn't see. "Some kind of connection to the rich, huh?" he muttered under his breath. "Well, then I should have no trouble."

"Did you just say something?"

"Nothing important," Link answered as he picked up his hat and put it on his scalp, trying to make sure it didn't look like he had a fairy sleeping inside. "But here's something I'd like to ask you. Could you please show me your best horse?"

Malon's jaw dropped, flabbergasted. "Didn't you just hear me? I said you can't expect to buy one of these horses…"

"Malon, it'll be all right," Link gently interrupted as he turned his gaze to meet Malon's. "Now please, take me to see your best horse."

"But…"

"Trust me."

Malon stammered for a brief moment before she finally relaxed and released sigh of defeat. "Very well, Mido. I'll show you the best horse this ranch has to offer…"

* * *

Link didn't need one of his prophetic dreams to guess who the best horse on the ranch was. When Malon pointed to her at the far end of the enormous pen with all the other horses, he recognized her instantly. Just like Malon, she was now all grown up, a long cry from the young foal of seven years ago. Her magnificent red coat had developed a fiery tinge, and her white mane flapped in the wind like a wild, captured bird longing to be set free. But while she had grown, she still had a deep sense of independence and loyalty lingering around her. 

Yes, she had grown up, but she was still Epona.

"You see that red horse over there?" Malon asked Link as she pointed. "That's the best horse on the farm. Her name's Epona, and…"

"But I thought you loved her too much to sell her."

Malon jolted her head sideways to face Link with an astonished gaze. "What…how did you know that? How did you know I liked her that much?"

"Just by the way you mentioned her that one time," Link lied without a single pause or stutter; he was getting better at lying like this. "I mean, last night you hinted that you loved Epona so much you couldn't leave her to look for your father. If that isn't devotion, then I don't know what is."

Malon seemed to believe Link's lie, although it was becoming evident she was growing more and more unsure about her new friend's words. "Well, I guess I can understand that…"

"But let me ask you a question," Link interjected. "If you love Epona enough that you don't want to sell her, then why did you show me her as the best horse on the ranch? Do you sincerely believe I won't be able to buy her, or is there another reason?"

Malon hesitated, as if contemplating whether or not to say something important, but it didn't take long for her to make up her mind. "Actually, there is another reason, although I suppose you can call it a ray of hope. By the way you talked about the horses, you seem to have a lot of respect for them and don't seem like the kind of person to treat them badly. I guess I thought that if you were able to buy Epona, you could give her the proper care she deserves, not like what Ingo gives her."

"And you trust me just like that?" Link asked immediately afterwards. He didn't know why, but this conversation felt completely natural, as if he were used to such discussions. "There's a possibility I could be lying, you know. If I take Epona away from here, I just might treat her as badly as Ingo, maybe even worse. Why do you trust me like this? You barely even know me."

Link suddenly realized it was happening again. Just like before, Malon trusted him completely, even though she hardly knew him. Why was that? Had she grown too trusting of strangers because of Ingo's spitefulness? Or was she seeing in him now what she saw him seven years ago…?

"I…don't know," was all that Malon gave as an answer to Link's question. "I guess…I just do, and I don't need a reason to trust someone like you. Because…I just can."

Link realized the conversation was going nowhere. Whatever secrets or ideas Malon had about the way she trusted people like him, only she would know them. He remained silent and thought for a moment, trying to think up something to talk about. As he thought, an idea suddenly crossed his mind, and it didn't take him long to figure out a way to ask Malon about it.

"So, Malon, is there anything special about Epona you'd like to tell me about?"

The look Malon gave Link was an indication she was both surprised and relieved that he had changed the topic of conversation. "Let me see, what can I tell you about Epona? Well, I can certainly tell you she's a very free-spirited horse. She doesn't like the idea of being tamed by anyone; Ingo has tried his best over the years to do so, and he's broken several bones in the process. To become her friend, you have to win over her affection, make her realize you want to be her friend and not her master. So far, only I and one other person have been able to win her affection."

Link smiled faintly; he knew very well who that "one other person" was. "So, how _do_ you win her affection?"

Malon hesitated. "I'm…I'm not sure if I should tell you here. Maybe when we're alone and there's no chance of anyone eavesdropping…"

"I don't think we're in danger of that happening," Link politely interrupted. "Besides, if you're that cautious, you could just whisper it to me. Please?"

The moment of silence that followed Link's plea was so loud it overpowered all other sounds around the pair. Malon seemed to hold her breath during this time in reluctance, unable to decide whether or not to reveal the secret to Epona's friendship out in the open. But finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Malon released a sigh of acceptance and relaxed her tense muscles. "Very well, Mido, if you insist," she whispered through her breath. She then raised the volume of her voice by just a little so she could say, "The secret to wining Epona over…is a song."

"A…a song?" Link repeated, trying to sound as surprised as he could. "What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said," Malon continued, this time with her voice a little softer. "There is a song that my mother sang to me before she died, and it's this song that Epona really likes to hear. When she hears it, she instantly recognizes the singer as a friend. For that reason alone, I only teach the song to my closest friends, but even so only two people have managed to really establish a trusting bond with her. I'm one of them, and the other's a good…friend from long ago."

A trusting bond? Is _that_ what Link had established with Epona back then? All he did was touch the young horse, nothing more. But then again, Malon knew far more about horses than he ever could…

Malon's voice suddenly seemed to lighten up a little, and a smile appeared to match. "But I'm sure you can also win her affection if you try, Mido. You definitely seem like the kind of person who could manage something like that."

Link scratched his head, hoping Malon wasn't going off into some kind of girlish fantasies. "Well, I guess I could try," he admitted. "But could you sing me the song? I won't be able to try anything unless I know the song."

"Sure thing," Malon replied as she took a step away from the pen and turned her entire body to face Link. "Now, I'd better tell you a little bit about this song. I just call it Epona's Song, but you can call it what you like, okay?"

"Actually, 'Epona's Song' sounds pretty good."

"All right, then. Let's see…oh, I'm going to sing softly so Epona doesn't hear us and come running here. That might attract unwanted attention. But I'll sing loud enough for you to hear."

"Go right ahead, Malon," Link insisted. "I'm all ears."

Malon widened her smile before she took a deep breath and started to sing Epona's Song. It had been a long time since he had heard Malon sing it, and he instantly remembered how playing it on his ocarina paled in comparison to Malon's version. Malon's singing had only improved with age, for the child-like touch in her voice was gone, replaced by a more mature silkiness that suited the gentle melody well. He could listen to her sing it forever…

Wait a minute. Malon wasn't just singing the actual melody; she was also singing words! He suddenly remembered the strange song he heard just before waking up yesterday, and recognized that this song was that very tune! He had no idea when Malon had put words to her treasured song, but he guessed it had been during the last seven years. Why? Because even though he couldn't understand them, the lyrics sounded sad and tragic, as if containing all of Malon's years of grief and heartbreak.

Link felt as if his own heart was about to break as he listened to the strange and beautiful yet haunting words of Epona's Song:

Inser lyrics here

Both Link and Malon jerked their heads around in the direction of the loud bellow behind them. When he saw who was standing a short distance away from them, Link felt as if an old ghost were haunting him.

Unlike Malon, Ingo hadn't changed much since the last time Link had seen him; he looked exactly like the lean, potbellied, work-stained man who had once taken care of Lon Lon Ranch's horses. Now, however, he looked more like a trusted attendant of the Royal Family, thanks to the gaudy clothing he seemed to wear and show off as a badge of status. His face also had one new touch to it: while it looked exactly the same as before, his eyes were different in that they now exhibited the hidden sentiment Link had noticed long ago.

And that sentiment was bitterness and sourness.

Malon and Link remained motionless for about a minute as Ingo glared angrily at them, his lips refusing to state why he had called out Malon's name so harshly. The only thing that was on Link's mind was whether Ingo had heard Malon's singing or even the significance of Epona's Song…

"What are you doing here, you little wench?" Ingo abruptly snapped, his hands crossed firmly across his chest. "You're supposed to be cleaning out the stalls this very minute, and yet I find you dilly-dallying out here with someone you allowed in here without my consent!"

Malon immediately started to shake with fear. "P…p…please, Lord…I…I…Ingo…" she stammered as she took a few steps forward towards the man. "For…for…forgive me…I…I…I was just…"

"You were just what?" Ingo interrupted rudely. "Showing him around? You know very well I don't allow his putrid kind to purchase or even look at my precious investments. And seeing that you were stupid enough to do that, I shall have to punish you by whipping a horse of my choice."

Malon immediately started to break down. "No, please, Lord Ingo. Don't hurt the horses. Punish me instead, I beg of you. I'm the one who broke the rules, not the horses. They don't deserve to be punished…"

"Shut up!"

Without warning, Ingo suddenly raised his right arm and slapped Malon's right cheek with the back of his hand. The clapping of Ingo's hand against Malon's cheek was so loud that it sounded like something nearly broke, and the force of the blow was so intense that Malon fell to the earth, landing in the soft grass with a mute thud. She then simply lay there on the ground, unable to move and daring not to cry in front of her master.

"Don't you dare talk back to me, you little whore!" Ingo barked as he pointed an accusing finger at the young farm girl. "You should thank me for allowing you to stay here as long as you have. If I didn't need you, I'd have you thrown out of here to join your pathetic father…"

"That is _enough_!"

Both Ingo and Malon raised their heads to turn to the owner of the commanding voice, which just so happened to belong to Link. He had grown angrier and angrier with each callous word Ingo had spoken to Malon, and that slap to her face had only increased the rage two-fold. He wasn't about to sit back and let his friend be treated like this; she really did deserve more than that hug he had given her last night, and he was going to prove it right now.

"What do you want?" Ingo asked when he gained his arrogant confidence back.

"Your fight is not with this young girl," Link answered in a stern and imposing tone. "Your fight is with me."

"Oh, and why is that?" Ingo sneered.

Link then made a surprising move by folding _his_ arms and placing a smirk upon his lips. "The reason this fine young woman showed me around your farm is because she was showing me prospective buys. I am here to purchase one of your horses."

Ingo's face twitched with surprise and his thin eyes widened greatly, but he quickly lost that shock and started to snicker. "What? You? Here to buy a horse? Don't make me laugh, you little brat. You can't possibly afford one of my horses…"

"I can," Link interjected. "In fact, I can pay you four times the asking price of your best horse."

Those words caught Ingo's attention. "Four times, eh? Well, I suppose you can give me the money right now so you can back up your claim?"

"I cannot pay your price right now," Link admitted with the same firm tone, "but I promise you that you will get your money in the near future. I am a man of my word, so you can be assured I am not lying about my claim."

Ingo stared at Link for about a minute before he started to chortle softly. Within a few seconds, his chuckling had grown into a loud and blatantly mocking laugh that Ingo couldn't seem to control. "You…really expect me…to believe that?" he managed to utter through his laughter. "I can't believe…I nearly believed you! I should've known…you were nothing more…than a common thief…trying to swindle me out of…one of my best horses! How gullible…do you think I am?"

"Gullible enough to think you can tell me these horses are yours."

That stopped Ingo's laughter almost immediately and replaced it with a look of scorn. "What did you just say, you piece of garbage?"

"You must be deaf, so I'll say it again!" Link uttered, this time a little louder and with a defiant facade upon his face. "You can't fool me into thinking you're the one who takes care of these horses. All you do is sit back and exploit the work of others so you can later take the credit for yourself. I'd like to know one time, just _one_ time, when you truly cared for these wonderful creatures yourself, excluding the times you patted them on the faces while showing them off to potential buyers. You may say these horses are yours, but they are not, and it sickens me to think that you have the right to say such a thing."

Ingo was turning red, the kind of red that indicated he was growing more and more enraged. "You sure are confident for a lying thief, aren't you?" he muttered through his heatedness, trying his best not to throw a punch at the person who had just chewed him. "And I suppose you know more about horses than me?"

"I just very well might!" Link threatened, his hands waving around with their fists clenched tightly.

"Oh, is that so?" Ingo threatened back. "Well, would you like to prove that lie of yours?"

"You bet I would!"

"Very well, then." Ingo suddenly lowered his voice's volume and lowered his hands, placing them behind his back. The sudden shift from resentment to calmness was uncanny. "We shall test your accusation through the only sure way: a horse race. Just you and me. We shall each pick a horse this ranch has to offer and compete in a single-lap race around the farm. Whoever wins the race shall be the one who knows more about horses, as it will take great skill to choose and ride a horse in this race. But to make things a bit more interesting, we must raise the stakes a little."

Link flinched in puzzlement and cautiousness. "What do you mean?"

Ingo sneered. "We must each wager something of great importance so the loser will learn his lesson well. Me, I will wager whatever horse you have your eye on. If you win the race, you can have the horse of your choice. How does that sound?"

Link smiled. "It sounds like a good deal. As for me, I'll wager…my life. If you win, I'll be your loyal servant for the rest of your life. Good enough for you?"

Ingo's lipped widened into a grin showing his horribly dirty teeth. "More than enough."

"Mido!" Malon suddenly cried from the ground. "Don't do it! Please, don't…"

"Do we have a deal…Mido?" Ingo asked, ignoring Malon's cries and extending his right hand out towards Link.

Link hesitated, but only for a second. He nodded confidently and grabbed Ingo's hand with his own. The two men then shook their hands firmly before Link replied, "We do."

"Excellent," Ingo snickered. "The race will be tomorrow. I'll give you all of today to choose your horse…and to have your last moments of freedom. Just do me a favor."

"What's that?"

"Try to put up a decent fight!"

Ingo then started to howl with uncontrollable laugher as he turned around and headed for the farmhouse, his cruel cackle echoing across the plains of the farm like a haunting vision. It was only when Ingo disappeared from sight that Link started to think about what he had done.

_"How do I get myself into these things?"_

_

* * *

_

"Mido…how could you do that? Why did you just wager your life like that as if it were nothing?"

"Because there was nothing else I could wager," Link answered. He was leaning upon his arms against the fence that surrounded the horse pen, his head facing the horses that quietly roamed the enormous enclosure. His eyes had a somewhat distant look in them, for he knew he had made possibly one of the biggest mistakes of his life.

But it was true; there was nothing else he could've wagered. He dared not wager the Master Sword or Ocarina of Time, and his other items were too insignificant to be of interest to Ingo. And since money didn't work the first time, the only thing Link had left to wager was his own freedom.

"But that was still a foolish thing to do," Malon commented as she stepped next to the gazing Hero of Time. She had gotten up from the ground several minutes ago, but she had only gathered up the courage to speak to Link now. "So are you really going to race Ingo tomorrow? He may not care about the horses as he should, but he's a master horseback rider and he has a special horse bred solely for racing. Are you ready to face up to that tomorrow?"

"Malon…" Link started with a lump in his throat. "To tell you the truth, I've never ridden a horse in my life."

Malon's face turned pale and her mouth gaped open like a clearing in a tightly knitted forest. "You…_what_? Then how you could you say those things? You have no idea what it takes to ride a horse! You can't just get on a horse's back and expect to become an expert horseback rider. You first have to gain the horse's complete trust and confidence, and _then_ learn how to ride it! How do you expect to do that in less than a day?"

Link paused before allowing a weak smile to creep upon his face. "But I've already achieved the first thing you mentioned, Malon."

Malon's shock turned to a mixture of fear and confusion. "Excuse me? What do you mean…?"

"I've gained the complete trust and confidence in one of your horses, that's what."

Malon was so stunned by this bit of news that all she could say was, "Which one?"

Link answered with one word. "Epona."

"Epona? What do you mean Epona? You haven't done_ anything_ with her yet…except see her grazing in the pen, of course. How can you have gained her trust when you've done absolutely nothing with her?"

"Because I _have_ done something with her."

"Oh, really. When, exactly? Last night?"

"No."

"Then when?"

"About seven years ago."

When Link uttered those words, a numbing silence seemed to fall over the couple, as if it were a sin to say something after that phrase. Malon stood still in amazed confusion, and Link simply remained still, making sure he was looking straight at Malon's face. He had decided enough was enough; he wasn't going to keep up the charade any longer. Malon deserved to know the truth, not the lies he was feeding her.

And yet, even with that blatant hint, Malon still couldn't figure out what Link was trying to tell her. "I…I don't know what you're trying to say, Mido. What do you mean…?"

"Malon, think about it," Link said calmly yet firmly. "You said yourself that only two people have won over Epona's trust: you and one other person. Now, if I claim to have won over her trust, then what does that make me?"

The look in Malon's eyes indicated she was beginning to understand, but something inside of her refused to believe it. "I…I'm still confused. What exactly are you trying to tell me?"

Link sighed, and then decided to use the most obvious indication of his identity he could think of. He raised his left hand and directed it to his left ear, where he proceeded to gently tug upon a thin ring of silver pierced through his earlobe. "Malon, do you recognize this?"

When Malon saw that earring, the air around the two of them went dead still. Impossibly, Malon's skin grew even paler and her eyes grew even wider. Understanding suddenly crept into her face, as well as the painful truth along with it. She tried to say something a few times, but the shock prevented her from speaking until she could get her astonishment under control. When she could talk, she uttered that name she probably hadn't uttered in a long, long time.

"Link?"

Link closed his eyes and nodded gently with acknowledgement before opening his eyes again and saying, "Yes. It's nice to see you again, Malon."

As if on cue, Malon started to quiver and shake quite violently, indicating her shock was weakening her. "But…why…?"

"I…I don't know," Link admitted. "I guess…I just wanted to protect you."

"Protect…me? From what?"

"From me, of course."

Malon gawked like a surprised bird. "From you? What…?"

"Think about it, Malon. Why didn't you recognize me when you saved me yesterday? I'm dressed in basically the same clothing from seven years ago, and I look almost exactly the same, and yet you didn't seem to recognize me at all. I didn't know why, but I figured that trying to find out would be too painful for you. So I decided not to tell you who I was, to let you figure it out by yourself when the time was right. But I'm tired of lying to you; after what Ingo did to you, you deserved to know the truth. And that's why I'm telling you I'm the Kokiri you invited to this ranch seven years ago. I am Link, Malon. I am Link."

Link tried to sound mellow in his speech to Malon, but it was still too much for the farm girl to bear. The moment he said his name again, Malon fell to her knees, raised her hands into her face, and started crying. Her bawling was so loud and so uncontrollable that it nearly tore Link's soul apart.

"Malon, please try to understand," Link pleaded as he attempted to get near her, but Malon suddenly gave Link a tear-filled message that showed she was anything but understanding.

"Just go away," she hissed. "Leave me alone. Just go away."

When Malon uttered those words, Link felt something inside of him snap, as if something had been ripped from his body. He had never heard those words spoken to him before, especially from one of his friends. They sounded so surreal, so unreal, that Link couldn't help but ponder the unlikely possibility that they weren't meant for him!

"Malon…I…I didn't mean to upset you…"

"Just go away…"

That last plea was nothing more than a whisper, yet Link considered it the most painful one yet. He was starting to feel something hollow inside, but he refused to believe Malon was actually telling him such a thing, even though a part of him knew believing such a thing was absurd. But he approached her anyway, his hand reaching out to touch her.

"Malon…please, don't cry. I'm had a reason, I really did…"

"Go away…go away…"

"Malon…"

The moment Link mentioned her name again, he placed his right hand on her shoulder…and almost immediately Malon reacted. Her right hand snapped to attention and brushed Link's hand from her shoulder with incredible force as if it were nothing more than an annoying insect. Link instinctively grabbed his wrist with his left hand, but his eyes were focused on Malon's face, which was now looking directly at his own.

When she glared at Link, she may as well have taken the Master Sword and driven it through his gut. Her eyes presented every available emotion Link never thought he'd see direct towards him from her; sorrow, betrayal, mistrust, and disgust were the ones that stood out.

And yet, Link still held a glimmer of hope that all of this wasn't real. "Malon…" he started as he tried again to approach her, but Malon stopped him by twisting the knife already buried in Link's heart.

"Get _away_ from me!" he demanded so vehemently that Link actually took several steps back. "I don't even want to _see_ you! Why are you still making fun of me? Go away! I said go away! _Go away_!"'

"Malon, please…"

"Shut up!"

Without warning, Malon rose to her feet, turned in the direction directly opposite of Link, and ran as fast as she could. But just when she looked like she would disappear over a small hill, she suddenly tripped and fell to her knees once more. She then seemed to try and get back up, but she abruptly gave up and buried her face in her palms yet again, sobbing loud enough for Link to hear her.

Either her strength had drained from the shock, or she really just wanted to cry. For Link, neither possibility was a pleasant thought.

"Malon, I…" Link started to call out to her before he caught himself. Although he really didn't want to even think about it, he had no choice but to do so. Malon wouldn't even listen to him, and trying to even approach her would simply be a waste of time. Link then did finish his sentence, but only as an inaudible whisper. "I'm…I'm sorry."

As he stared at the miserable farm girl kneeling just a stone's throw away, her wails clawing at his ears every minute, Link considered approaching her one more time, but knew it would be pointless. As much as he didn't want to depart from her like this, Malon obviously wanted him to leave her be.

Starting to regret what he had just done, Link lowered his head in shame, turned around, and started to walk away, his eyes affixed to the ground and his hands dangling to his sides. All the while he whispered to himself his last words to Malon, over and over:

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"

Malon didn't even notice his departure; she just remained where she was, crying both her eyes and heart out as hard as she could and as long as she could…

* * *

Due to statement on April 27th concerning the usage of song lyrics in fanfiction, I've decided to remove the lyrics to Epona's Song on this site. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause - I don't want to do it myself - but I do plan on releasing this fic in a PDF file once the story is finished; the lyrics will remain intact in that file. If, however, you want the original page(s) with the song lyrics, please use the e-mail found in my profile and ask me to send them to you.  



	36. A Song for Epona

**Chapter 36: A Song for Epona**

When Link looked up and saw Din's Eye already starting to set over the horizon, he prevented himself from using the old "time sure flies by" line. His awakening in the Chamber of Sages had spoiled that phrase for him forever, and he didn't feel like being reminded of the magical entrapment that stole seven years of his life and allowed him to live a dream he dearly wanted to be real but in the end was nothing more than a hollow fantasy. Just the thought of his imprisonment made him bitter, and right now the last thing he wanted was to feel bitterness.

Misery would do just fine.

The tree had been resting against for the past several hours didn't feel as comfortable now, as if it were prodding Link to go do what he had to do. But Link knew it was his pride more than anything that was urging him to stand up. His bet with Ingo seemed just as stupid as before, but his pride didn't want to allow him to back down from that challenge. Oh, sure, Link could just steal a horse during the night – he knew Epona's Song, he could coax Epona to go with him – but he knew he would regret reneging this as long as he lived.

Honor. He tried calling pride honor, but that sounded too ridiculous and mocking of what honor really stood for. Maybe the right word was stupidity…

"Oh, boy," Link sighed as he hung his head between his knees and gripped his hands together behind his head. "How many times must I make these mistakes? Am I being tested…or punished? Maybe this is my punishment for pulling that blasted sword. Maybe it's _my _fault that Hyrule is like this. Maybe…"

"What did I say about people talking to themselves?"

Despite the familiarity of the voice, it startled Link and caused him to jerk his head upward. He was so startled, in fact, that he didn't have time to say something in response when a well-known fairy fluttered out from under his hat and in front of his face, her wings releasing their memorable drone. Her face was covered by her vivid pink light, but Link could tell she was smiling, albeit feebly.

"Navi…?" Link started but couldn't finish when Navi answered her own question.

"People talking to themselves are considered loners, people who don't need anyone other than themselves to survive. I sure hope you haven't fallen into that persona while I was moping around under your hat."

Link wanted to say something in defense of his personality, but something that Navi said made his ask her something else. He couldn't help smiling as he inquired, "Excuse me, but did you just admit you were moping around under my hat?"

The accusation didn't even faze Navi. "Yes, I did. I'll admit I acted a little selfish when I heard what had happened to us. I refused to believe it at first, but when I _had_ to believe it I tried to ignore it, hoping it would go away. But every time I thought it had left, the truth came back to haunt me; every single time that happened, I cried. I'm sure you could tell when that happened."

"Yes, I could," Link assured, recalling the times he felt Navi's tiny tears upon his scalp.

"Anyway, all that moping lasted until last night, I believe. It was then that I realized, 'this is stupid. Are you just going to sit under Link's hat the rest of your life while he faces this new challenge alone?' It didn't take me long to decide that I wasn't going to do that. So here I am, ready to face whatever is thrown at me."

Link nodded, glad to see that Navi had regained her confidence and spirit. But one thing still bothered him. "If you decided last night, then what have you been doing under my hat until now? Did you not want Malon to see you?"

"No," Navi replied rather sheepishly. "It's just all that crying had tired me out, so I fell asleep and just now woke up."

Link wanted to stick out his tongue in gentle disgust, but decided not to.

But just when the mood seemed to lighten up, it turned serious again when Navi continued speaking. "So, I take it you're going to go through with this race with Ingo tomorrow."

Link's smiled faded away like a much-needed dream. "I guess I am," he confessed. "And to tell you the truth, I think it's one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made. If I lose, what kind of Hero of Time will I be? The one who has to serve a cruel horse rancher's every beck and call? The only good that can come out of this is that Malon will finally have a friend to talk to…but I doubt Ingo will give us that kind of privilege…"

"Tell me something, Link," Navi suddenly interrupted. "Why do you think this is one of the biggest mistakes you've ever made?"

Link started his answer by repeating his previous words. "If I lose, what kind of Hero of Time…?"

"Link, what did you just say?" Navi interjected again, this time a little more forcefully.

Link was starting to get confused. "Navi, are you deaf or something? I said, 'if I lose…' "

"Exactly!" Navi cried out as loud as she could.

"Exactly what?"

"Listen to those words carefully, Link. You are going on about _if_ you lose, not _when_ you lose. And yet you're talking about tomorrow's race as if you've already lost. Now tell me, why call your little race with Ingo a mistake when the _real_ mistake hasn't even been made?"

"_Real _mistake? What exactly are you getting at?"

"Just think, you thick-headed idiot. Think about what you did back at Death Mountain. You volunteered to rid Dodongo's Cavern of those vile creatures, and when you did you thought it was a mistake. Think about what you did at Zora's Domain. You got yourself eaten by that enormous fish god despite everyone's threats and common sense, and when you did you thought it was a mistake.

"And look how those mistakes turned out. You saved the Gorons by giving them back their food supply, and you rescued the Zoras' beloved princess by guiding her past those electric monsters. Now tell me, are they still mistakes?"

Amazingly, Link understood what Navi was trying to tell him. "You mean…it's not a mistake if I find a way to correct it?"

Navi's light started flickering gently. "I see you still have your senses. Does that mean you understand your current mistake?' "

"Yes," Link uttered with some conviction. "My mistake…isn't really a mistake…unless I lose that race tomorrow."

"Which means…?"

"…that I have to do all I can to correct that mistake…" Links abruptly stood up and erected his back, making sure he felt like he was dwarfing the tree behind him. "…and that means doing all I can to win that race tomorrow!"

"You got it!" Navi cried with joy before she calmed down and added, "And thank the Three Goddesses. I never thought you'd understand everything that quickly."

Link made a face, but it didn't last very long because the determination in his eyes had no room for childish attitudes. He glanced up at the sky, watching the dismal gray clouds float away upon a dying wind trying to find life in a dying world. But he didn't concern himself with those clouds or the state of Hyrule. Right now, his eyes had one goal in sight, and that goal was to beat Ingo and win whatever horse he had his eye on.

And he just so happened to have one very special horse in mind…

"Come on, Navi, let's go," Link said as he started walking away from the tree in the direction of the distant farmhouse.

"Where are we going?" Navi asked as she started to trail beside him. Trail beside him for the first time in seven years.

Link flashed a devilish smile. "To help a couple of good friends of mine…."

* * *

Nightfall was sovereign over all when Link reached the ranch farmhouse. Everything was quiet; not even the evening insects wanted to fill the desolate farm with their mystical songs. Everything was still; even the wind took no interest in the ranch's desperate need for some kind of life. It was as if the farm had soured with Ingo's heart, and Link found that idea very believable.

Speaking of Ingo, he was most likely inside the farmhouse, sleeping. The man's ego could be split into several pieces and one portion could most likely fill the emptiness the ranch had experienced since Ganondorf's rule. Link clenched his fist when he recalled Ingo's despicable treatment of Malon today. He hoped Ingo would choke on that pride of his in tomorrow's race…

Like everything else, the stables offered no sounds to be heard. Hoping that wasn't a bad omen of any kind, Link approached the stable door and pushed it in as gently as he could, hoping it wouldn't create some unpleasant rasp with its hinges. To his relief, the door made absolutely no noise other than the disturbance of the air around it. Feeling lucky, Link stepped into the stables to find the friend he had "bonded" with all those years ago.

To Link's amazement, he found Epona almost the instant he closed the stable door behind him. At the far end of the room, clothed in the gentle rays of a dying torch above her stall, Epona lay upon a bed of neatly laid straw. In the faint torchlight, she appeared as a timid forest animal with a primal instinct. She clearly noticed Link's arrival, and while she appeared cautious of his presence she wasn't about to run away from him.

When Link laid his eyes upon the fiery horse's own eyes, he couldn't help but smile. "There you are, girl," he whispered to her as he started advancing towards her.

Almost immediately Epona snorted, prompting Link to halt his progress. The young mare obviously didn't like the idea of someone she didn't recognize approaching her, and Link guessed she would do everything she could to make sure he was aware of her dislike of his attempts to approach her. But the Hero of Time's smile didn't waver, because he knew exactly how to get the horse to accept him.

He reached for his pouch containing his two ocarinas, thought for a moment, and decided to use Saria's fairy ocarina. Maintaining his grin, Link then lifted the instrument to his lips and started to play Malon's song for the vigilant horse.

It didn't take long for the song to affect Epona; a few notes into the song, the tense mare jerked her head into the air and twitched her ears in tiny semicircles, as if making sure her hearing wasn't lying to her. Epona then relaxed her anxious muscles and lowered her head, giving a longer yet much gentler grunt, a grunt that signaled it was all right to approach her. In fact, Epona's Song eased the horse so much her eyes hinted that Epona was close to falling asleep!

Knowing that the last thing he wanted was for Epona to fall asleep, Link stopped playing the song after one sequence and loomed towards the horse, trying his best not to do anything to startle her. But Epona didn't seem to even flinch at Link's advances, even when the Hero of Time stood directly over her. The sleepiness in her eyes had left, thankfully, replaced by a serene sentiment that indicated Epona was somehow…glad to see Link.

Making sure his smile never left him, Link reached out and gently touched Epona's face with his right hand. Epona didn't even cringe; in fact, she seemed to _demand_ that Link touch her! Finding that Epona accepted his hand, he decided to see what would happen if he stroked her. When he did, Epona sniffed at him, but not in warning but in thanks.

Link found Epona's reaction welcoming and confusing at the same time. He was glad Epona welcomed him so, but he wanted to know why.

"You're a strange one, aren't you?" he whispered to the young mare. "I met you only once before and yet you already treat me like I'm Malon. I know you can't talk to me, but I'd just like to know why you trust me like this…"

"She just does, Link."

Link allowed his smile to fade slightly. "But I'd still like to know why, Navi…"

The pink fairy suddenly quivered in front of his face. "Link, I didn't say anything."

"You didn't? Then who…?"

"Turn around."

Link did as Navi instructed…and nearly jumped back when he saw the familiar shape of the Lon Lon Ranch farm girl standing in the shadows a short distance away.

"Malon…" he stammered, trying to find the right words to say after what had happened earlier today. "Wha…what are…?"

"Please don't say anything," Malon pleaded as she stepped closer into the faint torchlight, displaying her tear-painted face. She was still wearing her daytime clothing, meaning she hadn't even gotten into bed yet. Had she been lying awake and just now decided to check up on the horses…or had she been waiting here all along…?

"Malon, I'm…I'm sorry I…"

"I said don't talk, Link," Malon asserted firmly, although with the same humbleness as before. "I want to say this before you speak, so please hear me out." The farm girl then lowered her head but kept her eyes open. "I…I'm not angry with you for lying to me about who you were. I never was. And…I'm not mad you for the bet you made with Ingo, either. I didn't approve of it in the least, but it wasn't enough to make me angry. There was another reason why I was mad with you…mad enough to tell you off like that."

Malon wilted her head down further. "I said those things to you…because I thought you had forgotten about me."

When Malon uttered those words, they were enough to coax Link into breaking Malon's plea for silence. "Forgot about…wha…?"

"Seven years ago," Malon resumed, as if not hearing Link's mutterings, "when we said our goodbyes, I only asked you for one thing: to never forget me. You gave your word, and I sincerely believed you. That promise stayed with me like this small stone around my neck; whenever I glanced at this necklace, that promise always resurfaced. Every time I looked at that stone, I always told myself you would one day return to this farm.

"Then Ganondorf came. When he conquered Hyrule and gave the ranch to Ingo, that promise faded away like my dreams. This necklace still reminded me of you, and to tell you the truth it actually once stopped me from taking my own life, but it no longer reminded me of your promise. I figured you had to survive just like me in this cruel world Ganondorf had created, so my hope for you to keep that promise was a selfish one that I eventually pushed into the far corners of my memory. All I needed was your memory to stay alive; that was it."

Tears started to snake down her cheeks and her fists were starting to clench together tightly. "Then you showed up, claiming to be someone called Mido who wants to buy the best horse on the ranch. At first, I thought nothing of it, but when you revealed whom you really were, something inside of me snapped. Thoughts raced through my mind like a winter's gale, including the promise you made never to forget me. And soon an idea formed in my head: you _had_ forgotten about me."

By now, Malon was so overwhelmed by her tears that she had difficulty standing up, so she decided to kneel in order to continue her story. "At the time, it all made sense. You had forgotten about me. You came to the ranch looking not for me, but for a horse, meaning an animal was more important to you than I was. You hid your identity from me so your precious time wouldn't be wasted with my repulsive friendship. And you wanted to choose Epona so I could suffer through the rest of my pathetic life without my only remaining friend. I figured I was now nothing to you except a little girl you could use for your errands…by the Three Goddesses, I came close to actually _hating_ you!"

Then, as if on cue, the pain in her face softened and her lips bared a faint, almost-invisible smile. "But then…after thinking about it a little more, I realized just how stupid I was to think of you like that. Your interest in my troubles, your hug last night in the barn, the way you stood up to Ingo…it all went against everything I had made you out to be. It was then I realized you hadn't forgotten about me."

Malon turned her head upwards to match her gaze with Link's. "It was I…who had forgotten about you, forgotten about everything you had ever been to me and what you really mean to me. And that's one of the reasons why I'm here: to ask for your forgiveness. Link…can you ever forgive me?"

Link remained motionless for a moment, unable to think of anything in response to Malon's confession. He felt like an eternity had passed when he finally made a decision, and that decision was to stoop to Malon's level…literally speaking, of course. Without rushing or dawdling, Link shuffled a little bit forward before he knelt down with the red-haired farm girl, just within arm's length of her. It was there he decided to ask a question that had been on his mind for a long time now.

"I'll…I'll forgive you, Malon…if you answer just one simple question."

"…What's that?" Malon asked nervously.

Link took a deep breath before he uttered, "How…can I mean this much to you? The amount of time we've spent together pales in comparison to the amount of time you've probably spent with some of your other friends. And yet…you treat me like I'm one of the most important people in your life. I…I just don't understand, Malon. How…can I possibly mean this much to you?"

Malon blinked in surprise, wiping several tears from her eyes with her long, silky eyelashes. She gawked at Link for a brief pause, as if suddenly unable to speak, before she suddenly started to…laugh? Well, it wasn't necessarily a laugh more than it was a light chuckle. But either way, she somehow found Link's question _humorous_…

Suddenly, without warning, Malon leaned forward and pushed her face directly in front of Link's, smiling like a forest animal with secrets it refused to reveal. Link, incapable of reacting in time, simply remained immobile. Malon then slowly maneuvered her face around Link's head until her mouth was directly next to his left ear, and she then whispered something that sank into Link's mind like a fallen tree in deep mud:

"You just do."

Then, without warning, Malon sprang forward and wrapped her arms around the boy in front of her. Link, caught off guard by Malon's embrace, actually nearly choked because Malon was hugging him so tightly. It was only when she loosened her grip on him slightly that he had the breath to ask her something.

"Malon…why are you hugging me?"

"Because you forgave me."

"But…but I didn't say anything."

"You didn't need to, did you?"

That question caught Link off guard more than Malon's hug. As hard as it was to believe, she was right. He didn't need to say anything. By the Three Goddesses, this girl was something else!

"No," he muttered, unable to stop himself from smiling. "No, I guess not."

Link was somewhat surprised when Malon released him from her embrace almost immediately after he said that; her hugs usually lasted a lot longer. But he wasn't in the mood to question unimportant differences like that. There was still one thing he wanted to know from her.

"Malon, you mentioned my forgiveness was _one_ of the reasons you came here. Was there another one?"

A devious smile broke on Malon's lips. "Why, yes! To help you learn how to ride Epona, of course!"

Link nearly jumped up with sudden realization. He had completely forgotten about his race with Ingo tomorrow! How could he disregard something that important the moment a beautiful yet wacky red-haired girl walked into the room?

"You…you're really going to help me?" was all that Link managed to say in response.

Malon placed her hands on her hips, as if offended by Link's lack of faith. "Of course I am, silly! Did you really think I'd let you learn how to ride Epona all by yourself just because of a little misunderstanding between us? You can't get rid of me that easily! You've already taken the first step, but the second step does require a little practice. But I have confidence in you, and I'm sure Epona does as well."

Malon then stood up, keeping her eyes fully trained at Link the entire time, and widened her smile before holding out her right hand, palm up. "So how about it? Are you ready to learn how to ride a horse?"

Link knew there was nothing else he could do. If he didn't take her hand, she would pester him until he did. If he tried standing up by himself, she would force him back down so she could help him up herself. Shaking his head in mild defeat, Link reached out with his left arm and grabbed Malon's hand, squeezing it gently. Malon surprisingly squeezed gently as well before using her farm girl strength to lift the Hero of Time to his feet.

The moment that Link stood his full height, something unexpectedly burst into his mind…something he and Malon had said all those years ago. Without even thinking about it, he realized now was the best time to get it off his chest.

He locked eyes with the red-haired girl, took a deep breath, and uttered, "Malon, once this is over, I'm…I'm going tell you what I've kept from you. You told me seven years ago you'd hope I'd find something in you to trust you with my secrets. Well, I think I've found more than enough. Tomorrow, whether I win or lose, you'll find out exactly who I am. Is that all right with you?"

Malon seemed to blush in the faint torchlight as she replied, "Perfectly all right. In fact, it sounds wonderful…Fairy Boy."

It felt so warm, Malon's hand…

* * *

The morning of the day that could forever change Link's life was unexpectedly cool with gentle breezes blowing in from every direction. But Link didn't complain in the least; the gusts helped minimize the appearance of the sweat on his brow.

He stood at the very spot he and Ingo had quarreled yesterday, his eyes watching the horizon where the farmhouse lay. He was trembling slightly out of worry and uneasiness, but he stood tall and proud, prepared to face whatever consequences came him way. At Malon's request, he had removed all of his belongings so he didn't weigh Epona down as much; the horse could withstand the extra weight, but today's event was a test of speed, not strength.

Speaking of Malon, the farm girl was right by his side, also staring in the direction of the farmhouse. Her trembling suggested she was just as nervous as Link, if not more so, but she refused to let it show on her face. To dampen her quivering a little she started fiddling with her fingers, and when that failed she fingered the stone on her necklace. And when that failed she resorted to actually speaking to the boy next to her.

"Ingo will come here on his horse, Jova. He wants to poke as much fun as you as possible before the actual race, so what better way to humiliate you than to make his appearance on horseback when you can't even ride a horse?"

Link didn't turn to face Malon, but instead cracked a tiny smile on his lips. "I guess he would. But we both know better, don't we?"

Malon released a soft yet audible chuckle. "Yes, I suppose we do. But still, are you sure you feel ready to ride Epona?"

Link widened the smirk on his lips a little. "With your help, how can I not be ready?"

"That wasn't my question. I asked you if you're sure you _feel_ ready, not if you _are_ ready."

Link's smile faded. "Gee, Malon, you sure know how to analyze your questions and their answers, don't you?"

"One of the peeves of being a farm girl, I guess," Malon sighed, giving Link a brief side-glance before turning her gaze back to the distant horizon. "But seriously, I'm just asking you because it's one thing to _say_ that you're ready and another thing to _feel_ ready. It can mean the difference between a successful ride and a quick trip to the ground…or, in your case, your prize and your freedom."

As much as Malon's words sounded too idealistic, Link understood what she was saying. "When you put it that way, I guess…actually, I _know_ I feel ready. Thanks to your help, as well as Epona's, I'm confident I can do this."

Malon turned her head downwards. "Good, I'm glad," Malon uttered.

But regardless of those words, Link knew that Malon was anything but glad. And he could probably guess why she wasn't as happy as she claimed to be. If Link won this race, it would be a no-brainer to figure out which horse Link would choose as his prize. And despite Malon saying she would love Link to take Epona, he couldn't help but wonder if she really meant it. Besides, she had been talking to "Mido," not Link, at that time.

After what happened yesterday, did she still want Link to take Epona away from her?

Twisting his gaze in Malon's direction, Link started, "Malon, let me ask you something. What will you…?"

"So, _there_ you are!"

The piercing hoarseness of Ingo's voice caused both Link and Malon to turn their attention to the direction of the farmhouse. Sure enough, they saw the regal and important-looking figure of Ingo heading straight towards them, seated upon the back of a powerful-looking horse.

Malon had told Link a little about Ingo's specially bred racehorse, Jojo, but description couldn't do this horse justice. The beast stood slightly taller than Epona and its hair was tinted a light yet rich brown save for its mane, which boasted a much darker shade of its hair color. Every limb the animal possessed rippled with muscle and its enormous head rose high above the man who dared to challenge its master.

Ingo was dressed in his extravagant clothing from yesterday, so Link couldn't help but make a face at the man's showiness. Luckily, Ingo didn't notice and simply moved his prized racehorse closer and closer to the pair of Link and Malon until he turned Jojo around in such a way that the ranch owner could survey the two of them clearly.

"You're just waiting here so you can admit defeat, is that it?" Ingo sneered, his eyes locked on the Hero of Time. "I'll understand if you'll forfeit the race because of your inability to handle a horse. Of course, that means you'll starting working here immediately, and…"

"Did anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?"

Link's question caused Ingo to jerk his head back in surprise before he grew red with anger. "What did you just say to me, you little brat?"

Link, leering at Ingo as he leaned against the fence of the pen with his arms folded, answered, "It doesn't matter what I just said. All that matters is that I'm not forfeiting the race. I'm not backing out of this for your amusement. You wanted this race, so I'm going to give you one. Fair enough?"

Ingo was still heated about Link's mocking question, but he managed to hold back enough anger to reply, "Yes…more than fair. So I take it you have a chosen horse?"

"Oh, yes, I have. In fact, it's waiting at the beginning of the course even as we speak."

That remark made Ingo straighten his neck with interest. "Already waiting for you at the start of the course, eh? I didn't know you already knew where the course was laid out…"

"That was my doing, Lord Ingo," Malon gently interjected as she stepped forward. "I decided to show him the course beforehand so there would be no time wasted the morning of the race."

Ingo eyed Malon suspiciously before he finally uttered, "You did, did you? Well, at least you're good for something." The ranch owner then returned his gaze to Link. "All right, then. Since you think you're ready, we might as well get started. You know where the starting point is, so I'll meet you there."

Without another word, Ingo used his reins to guide Jojo around before giving the horse a brutal slap on the back. Jojo reared slightly into the air before trotting off quite hastily in the direction of the race's starting point. Link and Malon simply stood and watched as the cruel man disappeared over the nearby horizon.

When she was certain Ingo was gone, Malon turned her attention to Link, who was still smirking in Ingo's direction. "Link, are you sure it was a good idea to mock him like that?"

Link's sneer quietly faded as he replied, "I really don't know. Maybe I thought making him mad would break his concentration, or maybe I just didn't think at all."

Malon placed her hands on her hips and sighed with a shake of her head. "Tell me, Fairy Boy, do you always act impulsively like this?"

Link shook his head as well, more at himself than at Malon. "All the time, Malon. All the time."

* * *

The sun had completely risen over the horizon by the time Link and Malon arrived at the starting point of the race. As he had promised, Ingo was waiting for them, his baneful eyes keeping an impatient close watch on the two adolescents. Jojo seemed just as eager as Ingo to start the race, as his body twitched in every conceivable manner. It was pretty obvious that Jojo was a powerful horse whose life completely revolved around racing; Link just hoped his own choice of a horse would be enough.

Speaking of which, Epona was standing in the exact spot Link and Malon had left her earlier. Link had suggested tying Epona down to something, but Malon had discarded the idea; Epona would never abandon her friends like that. The young mare wasn't as fervent to race as Jojo was, but she did show off something that Jojo lacked: confidence. Whereas Jojo showed off, Epona limbered up; while Jojo crowed, Epona prepared.

Two different horses, two different strategies. One of these horses' riders will win the race today, Link knew. The other will wish the bet had never been made…

"So you finally decided to show up!" Ingo abruptly hollered at Link. "Get on your horse now before I decide to make you race me without a horse!"

"Okay, okay, I'm coming," Link assured dryly at the irritated ranch owner before he turned to Malon. "Well, this is it. Let's see if last night's efforts pay off."

"Don't worry, I have complete confidence in you and Epona," Malon declared with a gentle smile. "By the way, what question did you want to ask me before Ingo interrupted us back there?"

Link curled up one side of his mouth. "I'll ask you after the race," he replied after a slight hesitation.

Malon rolled her eyes. "Still determined on keeping your secrets from me until the very end, huh?"

Link jokingly nodded. "You could say that. Anyway, here I go."

Link then turned and started heading for Epona so the race could start and Ingo could just shut up. But as he was about to take his first step, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder that halted his advance. He didn't have to turn around to know it was Malon's hand.

"There's one more thing I should tell you before you start the race," the farm girl's gentle voice uttered.

"Oh? And what's that?" Link inquired curiously.

Malon didn't answer straight away, but instead leaned her face forward until it was right beside Link's head. She also happened to snake both her arms over Link's shoulders and clasp them together against his chest. She then whispered into Link's ear, "If all else fails, talk to her. That is all she needs."

Before Link could ask what those words meant, Malon nestled her cheek against Link's and gently placed a kiss there. Link's face immediately grew red and his voice couldn't find anything to say, so Malon had the opportunity to ask him, "Do you understand?"

Link nodded yes in response, even though he really didn't. Malon widened her smile.

"Good!" she abruptly yelled in a giggly voice before throwing herself a step behind Link, her arms waving wildly in the air. Then, in an unexpected move, faster than Link could react, Malon used her arms to shove him gently yet firmly in the direction of Epona. As the Hero of Time stumbled a bit, searching for his balance, Malon added in the same cheerful tone, "Now go and win yourself a horse race, Fairy Boy!"

Deciding not to look back at her and therefore provoke anything else, Link simply made his way to his horse. His blush had disappeared with Malon's push, and his posture was straight as can be in order to show Ingo Link was ready for the challenge. But even so, Link couldn't help but scratch his head as he wondered, _"Am I just not meant to understand her, or am I just that pathetic…?"_

He was glad he didn't ask that question out loud because he knew which answer the fairy under his hat would've given him…

* * *

"So you know the course?" Ingo asked Link impatiently as the Hero of Time climbed into the saddle on Epona's back.

The question sounded more like a statement, but Link answered it anyway. "I do."

Ingo waited until Link had Epona's reins firmly in hand before he continued, "Then I take it you're ready to race."

Link gave Ingo a condescending side-glance. "I'm ready to do more than that, like, say, _win_ this race."

Ingo's moustache twitched with agitation. "Big words for a boy who doesn't even know how to ride a horse. I take it you spend all of last night learning how to actually get _on_ the horse?"

Ingo added a harsh chuckle to his question, but Link wasn't fazed in the least by Ingo's intimidations. Instead he simply concentrated on making sure he felt as comfortable as possible, as well as ensuring Epona also felt relaxed. A tense horse was more likely _not_ to obey its rider in high-pressure situations, he recalled; he just hoped Malon's advice came through for him.

After all, like she said, today's race would mean the difference between his prize and his freedom…

Link patted Epona gently on the side of her neck before he uttered loudly, "Okay, Ingo, let's cut the unnecessary garbage. I'm ready to race, and if you are, let's get started before I lose my patience."

Ingo's eye twitched with excitement. "Finally, you said something sensible," he hissed in a mocking tone. "But I'm going to make sure you eat those words after I win this race."

_"Not if I make you eat them first,"_ Link thought.

Almost instantly, the air around the farm fell silent, as if the entire world stopped what it was doing to watch the horse race between the two opponents. The wind died down to a breathless trickle and every natural sound imaginable vanished. The resulting stillness was so deafening that Link swore he could hear it scream at him. Everything movable in sight, from the swaying dry grass to the decaying clouds, stopped their progressions, causing the scenery to morph into an eerie, lifeless painting.

Although Link tried to remain calm, he could already feel the sweat drain down his forehead and underneath his clothing. His jaws clamped together as if in dire need of each other, and his grip clasped the reins as if they were the greatest treasure in all of Hyrule. Link's anxiety also rubbed off a little on Epona, who was scraping one of her feet restlessly against the dead pasture.

If only the race would begin…

"_Go_!"

Without warning, Ingo's coarse voice broke the silence. The penetration was instantaneous, but it shattered everything. It came so fast that Link thought it was some unknown creature howling because it had caught its prey. When he finally realized what it was, Ingo had already started moving forward on the back of Jojo, gaining a momentary lead in the race.

_"Oh, no!"_

Sweat now emptying down his face like blood from an open wound, Link instinctively did what Malon had taught him to do: he gave the reins a solid whipping and called out as loud as he could, "Hyaaaaa!"

The effect was immediate, but Link could see every action, as if played out for him in slow motion. The moment the reins lashed against the horse's neck, Epona's muscles rippled with untold supplies of energy. As soon as Link cried out, her ears shuddered in a semi-circle and back again. She had been signaled to move forward, and using the recently released energy she pushed herself forward with an abrupt yet smooth thrust.

Epona's start to the race was nothing short of perfect, exactly the way he needed it to be.

Had Link not felt the saddle beneath him, he would've at first thought he was flying. But that effect immediately vanished the moment Epona's front hooves landed on the ground with a thud. And yet as quickly as it was destroyed, it was also rebuilt; Epona seemed to touch the ground for only a split second each time before soaring once again like a flying squirrel on a temperate wind.

With each step Epona took, her speed escalated and her stride grew longer. Within a matter of moments, Epona had reached a pace fast enough to force her white mane in waving in one direction, the direction opposite of the one Epona was traveling. As he held on for dear life, Link tried his best to look for Ingo, but the wind in his eyes forced him to squint and thus limit his range of vision to just beyond Epona's head.

After what felt like an eternity but probably really amounted to half a minute, Link decided to take a chance and expose his eyes to the piercing blows of the wind in his face. Taking a deep breath and making sure his hold on Epona's reins was secure, Link forced his eyelids open…and almost immediately he saw Ingo. The ranch owner and his racehorse had already gained quite a lead thanks to Link's hesitation at the start. But thankfully, closing in on that lead wasn't a lost cause. He had faith in Epona; she could catch up!

_"Let's do it!"_ Link screamed in his mind before giving the reins another ship across Epona's neck, signaling he needed more speed. The horse willingly complied with an abrupt yet effortless burst of power, driving Epona forward.

By now, Link had forgotten about the stinging sensation in his eyes caused by the wind; all he thought about now was the race and how he needed to close the distance between him and Ingo. Several times Ingo had turned his head and looked behind him, undoubtedly to see where Link was in relation to him; every time Ingo seemed to snarl, turn his head back around, and whip Jojo on the rear austerely with his hand. Apparently Ingo wasn't pleased Link had managed to keep up with him thus far and was trying to widen the gap between him and his competitor.

Link, however, wasn't going to give him that privilege.

As Link urged Epona to close the distance her and Jojo, the first bend in the course suddenly appeared. Link suddenly shifted all his attention from closing the gap to making the turn; one wrong move, he knew, and Ingo's lead would increase up to twofold. There had been a reason Malon made him practice turning at high speeds for over three hours last night…

Marked by nothing more than a dirty clump of dried berry bushes, the first turn was probably one of the tamer bends in the race. Still, Link had to make the left turn perfectly; he didn't want to give Ingo the satisfaction of an increased lead. Speaking of Ingo, Link watched as Ingo hit the corner first. It was probably due to Jojo's life-long training as a racehorse that Ingo made a flawless turn around the bushes. Link also thought he saw Ingo give Link a mocking side-glance as he finished making the turn.

_"Get ready, Ingo!"_ Link thought devilishly as he tightened his grip on his reins. _"I've got a surprise for you!"_

Immediately after thinking that, the first turn presented itself. Link watched the bend anxiously, waiting for the right moment…and then yanked the reins in the appropriate direction with all his might. Epona responded by turning her head where Link wanted her to see, bringing her entire body with her. The angle Link had chosen forced Epona to turn in such a way that her speed wasn't entirely compromised. She did slow down, but only marginally. When Epona faced the intended direction, Link returned the reins to their proper place, allowing Epona to move forward again at regular speed.

The turn was almost seamless; Link couldn't remember making a better turn during his practice runs last night. Ingo obviously thought Link's turn was pretty good as well, for the ranch owner didn't look too pleased. That was exactly what Link wanted.

_"Come on, Epona!" _Link's mind cried out as he begged the horse for another burst of speed with the reins. _"We can do this! I believe in you!"_

Link didn't know why, but when Epona unexpected gave him a brief side-glance he thought he could hear her say, _"I believe in you, too…"_

_

* * *

_

From then on, the race was a tight one. Ingo still managed to keep his lead, but Link refused to allow the gap to widen further. With each bend, each one sharper than the last, Link proved to Ingo he was more than a worthy challenger by refusing to get left behind in Ingo's dust. And with each stretch between bends, Link made it clear that Epona was more than a match for Jojo's speed by closing in with each step she took.

Ingo, once merely irritated with Link's uncanny ability to complement his own abilities, now grew restless and infuriated. Every time he looked back and saw Link's smirking face, he cursed under his breath and slapped Jojo's rear to make his horse go faster. Link simply responded by giving Epona's reins another lashing, and the mare managed to match the opposing stallion's pace effortlessly.

The race dragged on seemingly forever, but Link hardly cared. He had managed to decrease the distance between Epona and Jojo considerably; Ingo was so close that he could see the man's moustache twitch with fury. The man was so close Link could hear his muttered curses as if they were screamed in Link's face.

Link knew it was now or never. Right after the next bend, he was going for it.

Both riders perfected the next corner immaculately, and the moment Epona faced the right direction, Link made his move. He lifted his legs a little before digging them as hard as he could into Epona's sides. Epona knew what this signal meant; it was the signal for her to push herself to her fastest speed as long as she could hold out. She eagerly complied, filling her muscles with raw strength.

Almost immediately Epona showed just how powerful she was. With her efficient and thundering stride, she forced herself forward, gaining a position directly next to Jojo before, to Ingo's surprise and rage, gaining the lead! Ingo's lips cried out every curse it could think of, but Link ignored them and simply looked back at the irate ranch owner, leering as best he could.

_"How about that, Ingo?"_ he taunted in his mind. _"I'm winning! I'm winning! Who's bragging now? Not you! Ha, ha, ha! I'm winning! I'm winning! I'm…hey, wait a min…oh, no! _No_!"_

Link quickly turned his attention back to the race…and promptly realized the mistake he had made. He had forgotten about the shortest stretch of the race, the stretch where the sharpest corner of all lay at the end. He had forgotten Malon's advice _not_ to use Epona's raw power during this stretch because it was far too short _and_ making the end turn too fast could be dangerous.

To Link's horror, he could already see the corner approaching, and he didn't have time to slow Epona down enough to make the turn safely.

_"No! This can't be happening! _No_!"_

But it was. Before he could react, Epona charged past the corner at neck-breaking speeds. In a panic, Link threw the reins in a random direction, forcing Epona to change her course. Link then realized too late that the direction in which he had pointed Epona was too sharp. His body caked with sweat, he could only watch and wait for Epona to lose her balance and unwillingly throw him to the ground.

Miraculously, Epona somehow didn't lose her balance, although she did stumble while trying to turn around. When Link didn't see the ground rushing toward his face, he started to feel relieved. But that was until he realized that in order to maintain her stability, Epona was slowing down, almost to the point where Link was sure he could _walk_ faster than her!

_"No! Don't do this to me! Not now! Please, I beg of you!"_

Without thinking, Link whipped the reins as hard as he could in order to get Epona back up to speed. But his efforts seemed to do nothing except give Epona unnecessary lashings. It was only when Epona faced the intended direction that she finally responded; she leapt forward and started running again as if nothing had happened. But this time, Link could feel a difference in her movements. Instead of smooth and flowing, it felt rough and uneven. The unexpected turn at that sharp corner had destroyed her rhythm, and Link could only imagine how long it would take for her to get it back.

In the meantime, the damage of Link's foolishness was done. Ingo had taken advantage of Epona's stumbling and had pulled ahead again, this time gaining a much bigger lead than before. In desperation, Link kicked in Epona's sides to coax her raw energy again, but to his dismay Epona refused to use it. For whatever reason, tiredness or stubbornness, the mare wouldn't give Link the privilege of the trick that had helped him to pull ahead.

It was then that Link remembered one other thing. After the sharpest corner of the track lay one more corner and the final stretch, the stretch to the finish line. And thanks to his stupidity, he was going to lose; there was no way Epona could catch up now.

_"By the Three Goddesses, what did I ever do to deserve this?"_ he bawled, already feeling tears of fear and desperation streaming down his face. _"Now I must suffer at the hands of this man for the rest of my life! Some Hero of Time _I_ turned out to be! I've failed! I've failed! I've…"_

…fails, talk to her. That is all she needs.

Malon's words before the race ran through his mind so suddenly and so clearly that he could've sworn Malon had spoken them to him right there and then. But he wisely spent no time thinking about whether or not she was nearby and instead thought about the meaning of the words.

_"Talk to her…talk to her…does she mean talk to Epona? I'm not sure about it…but hey, I'm not the one who knows all there is to know about horses! But what can I say to her? What can I say that'll help me? What!"_

It didn't take him long to figure something out. "Epona!" he called out as loudly as he could. "I'm sorry for that last corner! I know I should've been concentrating more on the race and not on taunting Ingo, which is why we're losing right now. But I know that if you hadn't done what you did back there, losing this race would've been the least of our problems. You're the one who has carried me this far, and I know you can take me all the way. So please, all I ask of you is to help me win this race. If you help me, I'll help you. I have faith in you, Epona. I know you can do it. Will you help me?"

After saying that short speech, Link realized how cheesy it really was. Did Epona really listen to it? Was it all she really needed to win this race…?

Suddenly, Link felt it. He didn't have to look down to realize what was going on; he just felt it. Epona's stride had found its rhythm again, the one she had maintained throughout the race until that last bend. He could even feel her muscles replenishing and her movements growing more and more graceful. Within a matter of seconds, Epona had come the horse that had made that spectacular push at the race's beginning.

"You…you're listening to me, aren't you?"

Epona didn't make any noise in response, but Link could almost swear she was somehow telling him, "Yes, I am. Now that I've kept my end of the bargain, you keep yours. Show me what to do, and I'll do it."

As Link wiped away the remaining tears on his face, he smiled. "You got it. Let's do this."

With Epona back to her regular self, Link gave the reins another whipping. Epona responded by increasing her speed, like she had done before. Link's spirits were immediately lifted; he had complete confidence in this horse and her capabilities. She would help him win the race…or die trying.

Results of Epona's astounding stimulation emerged immediately. Already Epona was closing in on Ingo and Jojo, who had almost disappeared over the horizon thanks to Link's slipup. But now they were close enough that Link could make out Ingo's face, and when the ranch owner looked back and saw how much Epona had caught up to Jojo, he had more surprise than anger in his eyes.

The last turn of the race wasn't the sharpest corner of the race, but it did have one thing the other corners didn't: a mud patch surrounding it. Malon had told Link last night that Ingo had made that spot of land a part of the race course so he was guaranteed winning. Thanks to underground springs, the mud patch always remained damp, making the ground slippery and very dangerous. Only a well-trained horse could make the corner at high speeds, and Jojo was just such a horse. Of course, all horses had to slow down in some way or another, but Jojo had to decelerate only slightly.

Malon had made Link practice that area quite a bit last night so they could find the fastest speed Epona could take the corner without losing stability. Link knew Epona's capable pace at that corner, but with the finish line approaching he knew it wouldn't be enough. He realized he had to take a huge gamble, all or nothing. But unlike that sharp corner behind him, he wasn't going to do it without permission.

"Epona," Link cried out, "I'm going to have to ask you for a favor! The upcoming corner is where we used to slow down so we could get past it, but right now that would almost guarantee us losing the race. I want to take the corner at full speed! It's incredibly risky, and there's a chance we could both get hurt. But it's the only chance we have and I feel we must take it. Will you do it? Will you take the risk?"

Again, Link didn't need to hear any sound from Epona to know that she agreed wholeheartedly with his request.

"Thank you…my friend," Link uttered gently. "Then let's go for it."

* * *

Ingo, meanwhile, getting more and more irritated that Link was closing in behind him, snarled and cursed with every step Jojo took. He had never lost a horserace in his life and he wasn't about to lose one to a little brat who had the nerve to mock him. He will make that boy pay, thanks to the upcoming and final corner of the race. No one except Jojo can make this turn at neck-braking speeds, he knew; Mido would either have to slow down to make it safely or go in fast and crash. Either way, Ingo would pull ahead and cross the finish line, winning the race and thus his challenger's life.

And boy, did Ingo have ideas for Mido after he had that boy's life in his hands…

The corner was in sight. The mud looked especially slippery today, meaning Ingo was virtually guaranteed a gain in his lead. But he knew he had to slow Jojo down just a little bit, because even Jojo had a limit. But Ingo had trained his horse well; Jojo could take the bend at speeds another racehorse considered its maximum pace!

_"You're mine, boy!" _Ingo thought gleefully in his mind. _"You're _all_ mine!"_

Moments before Jojo's hooves found the mud, Ingo pulled the horse's reins back to slow Jojo down to the correct speed. Jojo attained the proper speed moments before the loud, nauseating sounds of squeezed mud echoed under his feet. But the sounds didn't last too long, as it didn't take long for the racehorse to make it out of the deadly corner with Ingo smiling evilly. He had done that corner so many times he could complete it with his eyes closed.

Now the race was securely his.

_"Ha! I've won, boy! I've won! You belong to me! Your life is mine to control! When I get my hands on you, I'm going to make sure you wished you never came to this farm! Just wait and see what I have in store for you!"_

Ingo was in such a good mood that he decided to run the last leg of the race at the speed he had used to leave the final corner. To make his victory all the more sweet, he looked behind him to see how his challenger was doing. To his complete delight, Mido was entering the bend at full speed, a lot faster than Jojo had taken it. Ingo had no idea how a plain horse like the one Mido was riding could match Jojo's pace, but it didn't matter. Mido's horse will slip, both horse and rider will tumble out of control, and the race was out of Mido's hands forever.

"I've won, boy!" Ingo cried, raising his right hand into the air to shout his triumph. "I've won! I've won! I've…what the…? No! It's not possible!"

But it was. To Ingo's complete disbelief, Mido's horse wasn't slipping! The horse was taking the corner as if it were running on solid ground! Of course, the flying mud and sickening squelching sounds showed otherwise, but that still didn't deter Ingo from the fact that Mido's horse was actually taking the corner at an impossible speed.

"Slip!" Ingo demanded, his face growing red more out of fear than anger. "Slip, you stupid animal, slip! You can't do this! _Slip_!"

But his cries were too late. Mido's horse had already left the muddy bend the moment Ingo started shouting for it to slip. When Ingo realized his adversary's horse wasn't going to skid and was heading straight for him at a blazing pace, Ingo turned his attention back to his own horse.

"Move!" he ordered Jojo with several harsh slaps on the horse's rear. "Faster, you dim-witted beast, faster! Come on, go! Go! Faster! Go! Go! _Go_!"

Ingo's motivations forced the horse to go slightly faster, but his efforts were all in vain. A matter of seconds after witnessing the incredible feat of his opponent, Ingo looked to his left and saw Mido and his horse riding right next to him, the boy's eyes partially facing ahead of him and partially facing Ingo.

Ingo, his tight face growing white with panic, made an attempt to say something but couldn't find anything to say.

Mido, however, did have something to say…

* * *

"Sorry I wasn't able to eat my words!"

Link's brief taunt was just that: brief. After his mess-up back at that sharp corner, he wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. Epona had done something incredible for him, and he wasn't going to waste this opportunity given to him. After jeering at Ingo with that quick statement, he returned his attention to the race, the one he was going to win.

By now, the finish line was in sight. Marked by two wooden pegs placed side by side, the two horses and their riders would reach the finish line within half a minute if they kept their current pace. Link, however, wanted Ingo to feel his pride destroyed so he could feel the pain he had given Malon and her horses for the past seven years.

"Epona, this is my final request for this race! I want you to run as fast as you can to that finish line! Will you do it for me…no, will you do it for Malon?"

Epona gave Link her silent yet understandable approval.

"Then here we go!"

Without another word, Link sank his heels into Epona's sides as hard as he could. Immediately thereafter, Epona opened her strength to its full potential and soared forward like a wild wind in a thunderstorm…maybe even faster! But whatever speed she ended up with, it was fast enough to leave a dazed Ingo on his treasured racehorse gaping in Epona's dust.

"Yes, Epona…you're doing great…yes, we're almost there…almost there…go for it…go for it…we're almost there…come on, nearly there…come one, Epona…we're nearly there…we're…we're…!"

_ZANG…_

Link never thought crossing a finish line on a horse would create some kind of sound, but that's exactly what happened. The moment Epona's feet made it past the two wooden stakes, everything went dead still, as if sound suddenly ceased to exist. Like the beginning of the race, motion turned into slow motion. Emotions bombarded Link's heart all at once, but they were all the emotions he had hoped to experience: joy, delight, relief, amazement, excitement, and others he couldn't begin to identify. Basically, there was only one way to describe him at that very moment.

Pleased.

His lips straining to keep the enormous smile on his face, Link pulled back Epona's reins and brought the horse to a screeching yet gentle stop. The moment Epona stopped trotting forward and stood still, Link felt compelled to wrap his arms around the horse's neck and cuddle his face against her magnificent mane.

"Epona…!" he exclaimed as blissfully as he could. "We did it! We actually did it! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I cannot say this enough, but thank you! By the Three Goddesses, thank you…!"

"Liiiiiiiiiink!"

Link snapped his head back in amazement, thinking that Epona was actually speaking to him. But he quickly recognized the voice and realized it wasn't Epona's. He lifted his head and turned to his right, and sure enough, he saw Malon, running straight for him and Epona while waving uncontrollably. Powerless to hold back his enthusiasm, Link waved back as hard as he could with one arm.

"Maloooon!" Link cried back. "We did it! Epona and I won! We won!"

Malon didn't yell anything in response; instead she continued running as fast as she could, her red dress flailing behind her. Link, unable to stay on Epona's back any longer, released the horse's neck, jumped down to the ground, and waited for Malon to reach him. The farm girl arrived at the spot where Link and Epona stood within a matter of seconds, and it was evident she wanted to hug Link for his incredible accomplishment.

Link welcomed the embrace with open arms, and when the farm girl collided with the Hero of Time they both clasped each other tightly. Link, his cheerfulness uncontrollable, lifted Malon partially off the ground and started to swing her around in circles. Malon, also incapable of controlling her delight, accepted Link's gesture with gleeful giggling. Link responded by laughing as loud as he could.

Link spun around Malon for only a few moments, but that was all it took for them to feel satisfied. When he was finished, he gently placed the farm girl back on the ground; oddly enough, neither Link or Malon made a move to release the other from their embrace. But since they were too thrilled to really notice, they just talked anyway.

"Link, you did it! I knew you could do it!"

"Yes, we did!" Link replied, unable to bring himself into taking full credit for his victory. "Epona was marvelous. You were right; talking to her was _all_ she needed. I've never seen anything like it! I don't know how it happened, but it did! Epona just responded as if she were a person. It's incredible! How did it happen?"

"Why question why something happened," Malon uttered teasingly, "when it just happened? You don't really need to know, now do you? You won the race, and that's all you need to be concerned about."

"I guess you're right," Link admitted. "But let me just say…I couldn't have won the race without your help, Malon. You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you."

"You're welcome…Fairy Boy."

It was then that Link realized just how close Malon was to him. He tried not to blush, but he failed in the attempt. Even though he was glad his friend was happy for him, he couldn't help but wonder about Malon's behavior. Even though he accepted her answer to his question last night – "You just do" – he still wasn't satisfied. He had to know why Malon acted the way she did around him.

Maybe he shouldn't have asked _how_ he could mean that much to her. Maybe he should've asked her _why_…

"_Malon_!"

Both Malon and Link turned around with a jerk, and sure enough it was Ingo. Link hadn't even noticed the man's arrival after crossing the finish line, but it was easy to tell that Ingo wasn't in a good mood. He was standing a short distance away from his horse and an even shorter distance away from the Malon and Link, his face red with rage and his arms crossed against his chest.

"Malon! Get over here now!" the ranch owner demanded, using his face to indicate where he wanted the girl to stand.

Link quickly returned his glance to Malon. "Malon, don't go. You don't have to…Malon, wait!"

But it was too late. Before Link had a chance to say anything more, Malon released Link and started towards her master. Link tried calling her back, but his pleas didn't register with her. She simply moved forward until she was standing directly in front of the infuriated Lord Ingo. There, she lowered her head and spoke as calmly as she could.

"Yes, Lord Ingo?"

"You taught that boy how to race a horse last night, didn't you? Answer me! _Now_!"

Malon answered with a timid nod of the head.

"Then do you realize that _you're _the reason I'm going to lose one of my prized horses to that good-for-nothing brat? _You're_ the reason I have to hand over one of my best animals without getting _anything_ in return! You have no idea how angry I am with you, you little wench! I'm going to make sure you pay for this for _years_ to come! You'll wish you had _never_ seen that boy in your life by the time I'm through with you! Do you understand me? _Do _you?"

Malon remained quiet for a moment, but then her sagging fingers suddenly curled up into fists and she muttered something under her breath. Ingo, not in the mood for games, screamed, "What did you just say to me? _Speak_!"

Malon lifted her head so her now tear-filled eyes were level with Ingo's sour face. The conviction in her voice echoed loudly as she stated compellingly, "I said, 'I'm not the reason you have to give away one of the horses.' _You_ are!"

Ingo nearly went berserk when he heard Malon say that. "I'm…_what_? How dare you talk back to me, you little whore! How dare you…!"

"Shut up!" Malon interjected as forcefully as she could, leaning forward to emphasis her message. "Listen to yourself! Listen to what garbage you're trying to pass off as the truth! You're just a cruel, heartless bastard, and I'm sick of you blaming me for all of your problems! I hate you for everything you've ever done to this farm! You don't deserve to own these horses! You don't deserve to own this ranch! You don't even deserve to be a hired hand! My father should've gotten rid of you a long time ago! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you…!"

"_Be quiet_!"

Without warning, Ingo slapped Malon with the back of his hand hard enough to silence the girl's painful lecture. The blow wasn't hard enough to knock her to the ground, but it probably would've been better if Malon _had_ fallen because Ingo, overflowing with uncontrollable rage, rushed straight for Malon, grabbed the farm girl by the shoulders, and forced her to the ground.

Malon landed on her back with a loud crash, and Ingo didn't waste any time pinning her to the ground with his legs around her waist. He stared at his innocent-looking victim with ire for a seemingly long moment before he finally raised his hands and started striking her face as hard as he could. Each blow was harder and more brutal that the last, and every time he hit her he said a single, harsh word to accompany it.

"You…little witch…I'll teach you…to talk back to me…like that…I'll make you wish…you had never been born…I'll kill you right here…and now for making a fool…out of me…I'll…what the…?"

Ingo's arm had been grabbed, preventing him from giving Malon another blow. He looked up…and saw Link standing over him and Malon, his eyes tight and his teeth grinding. Almost anyone who saw Link's face would've trembled in fear. But Ingo wasn't scared in the least by the boy's presence.

"Let go of me, you little brat! If you don't release me, I'll…"

_THWAP…_

Had Ingo anticipated that Link would actually hit him, he would've prepared for it. But since Ingo hadn't foreseen it, he felt victim to Link's fist as it collided with Ingo's face and sent the man flying a short distance away from his female quarry. As Ingo landed, Link gave Malon a quick glance before stepping over her and walking towards the cruel ranch owner.

Ingo had never been struck down by anyone before, so the anger he had felt towards Malon was nothing compared to the anger he felt towards Link. Moments after landing on the ground, he immediately forced himself to stand back up. When he was fully erect again, he stared at the Hero of Time with the look of a wild man in his eyes.

"You…little twerp!" Ingo hollered. I'll…make you pay for that!"

Link didn't say anything in reply; he merely continued marching towards the man without a single word.

"I'll get you for that!" Ingo promised as he suddenly made a charge for Link, his fists ready to do as much damage as they could, even kill…

_THWAP…_

Another blow from Link sent Ingo flying again. The second blow was harder than the first one, and it landed squarely in Ingo's mouth. Juices from his mouth flew in every direction as Ingo sailed through the air like stone, landing with a crack on the rocky ground. Link, for whatever reason, kept his bad-tempered face and again advanced towards Ingo.

Ingo again struggled to get up immediately after landing, but he first had to cough into his hand to clear his throat before he could do anything else. When he looked at his hand, he saw puddles of blood forming in his palm. Link's second blow was making his mouth bleed.

"You…you little…you…" Ingo bellowed breathlessly. "You _hurt_ me! I'm going to…"

"I will not allow you to do this any longer," Link abruptly uttered monotonously.

For the first time, Ingo jerked his head back in surprise, more because of what Link had said than the fact that Link had actually spoken. "Wha…what…?"

_THWAK…_

Before Ingo could continue, Link raised his right leg and, without warning or indication, landed a solid kick on Link's lower jaw with his boot. The blow was so powerful that Ingo flew into the air almost as high as his horse's back. Blood and saliva spattered from his mouth like drifting rain, and the loud groan from Ingo's mouth hardly described the pain he was experiencing.

After landing on the ground a short distance away, Ingo tried again to get back up, but discovered he couldn't move. He could feel pain surge through his swollen face, pain that was draining all of his strength. He even discovered he couldn't move his jaw; Link's last blow had practically sealed his mouth shut! It didn't take long for Ingo's anger to be replaced by genuine fear…

…and that fear was realized when Ingo looked up and saw the familiar boy he knew as Mido hovering over his aching body. The boy looked like a completely different person; instead of the strong-minded and determined person that had confronted Ingo yesterday, he was now an emotionless and cold boy with absolutely no remorse in his eyes.

Link stared banefully at the man before him for a moment before he uttered in the same droning tone, "I will not allow you…to hurt Malon anymore. Do you hear me?"

_KATHOOMP…_

Link's next blow was aimed at Ingo's side, and it hit the target dead on. This blow didn't send Ingo flying like before, but it did cause Ingo to roll over a couple of times before stopping on his back with his bloated face staring at the sky. His first response when he ceased moving was not to try and stand up but to release a soft yet pain-filled moan.

By now, any remaining strength in Ingo was gone, leaving him a helpless target for Link's anger. Link seized upon the opportunity by standing over the beaten man and then sitting down on Ingo's stomach, wrapping his legs around the ranch owner's waist like Ingo had done to Malon. Ingo made no move to stop Link or beg for mercy; he simply laid still, his distended eyes staring blankly at his opponent.

Link also made no move for a brief hesitation, taking the time to scrutinize the man who had dared beat Malon in front of him. Then, his face looking as livid as ever, Link raised his both his hands, clenched them both into fists as densely as he could, and started striking Ingo's face as hard as he could.

"I'll teach you to hurt my friend like that, you bastard!" he cried in a fuming tone. "You'll never lay another hand on her! You hear me, you cold-blooded monster? You'll never lay another hand on her! I'll personally make sure of that!"

Link continued striking Ingo's face with all of his might before he abruptly stopped and reached for Ingo's throat, wrapping his fingers around his neck as tightly as his strength would allow. Link then started to rock Ingo's neck up and down, backing the man's head against the ground with all of his might. When he saw he wasn't doing enough damage, Link simply picked up the pace.

"You hear me?" Link screamed. "I will not allow you to hurt her! I will not allow it! I will not allow it! I will not allow it! _I will not allow it_! _I will not allow it_! _I will not_…!"

"Link!"

When Link heard his name called out by that familiar voice, something inside of him shattered. His hands instantly stopped shaking Ingo's neck and his face snapped around to look behind him. It was Malon, bruised and battered but otherwise all right. But although she was all right, when Link saw her delicate figure of symbolic innocence he felt his heart go numb. Flashbacks of his past suddenly rushed into his immediate memory.

What he saw nearly made him scream with defeat.

_"No…it's happening again! I've lost my senses…I've gone insane! No, this can't be happening! Not here, not now! Not in front of Malon…!"_ He kept his gaze affixed on Malon for a second longer before he looked back at Ingo, who looked ready to invite death to take him away. _"I…I could've killed him! I nearly killed…a person! Not a monster…a person! I nearly killed him! If…if I had my sword with me, I probably would've…no, this can't be happening! Why…? Why did it have to happen again…right here…right now…? No…"_

But the biggest shock came when Link forced himself to look at the man he had just beaten. Ingo's face was just beyond unrecognizable, thanks to dozens upon dozens of black and blue marks and areas of swelling around his lips and eyes. However, the most alarming marks on his face were…_burn_ marks! How could there be burn marks on Ingo's…?

Link quickly glanced at his hands, and was just in time to watch light yet noticeable trails of smoke linger from his fingertips. His heart skipping a beat, Link quickly drew his fingers close to his nose and took a whiff of the odor. It didn't take him long for him to recognize the familiar scent of something he had used during his last fit. He didn't know how it had manifested without his permission, but the smell on his hands didn't lie.

The smell…of Din's Fire…

The emotional rush inside of him was enough to cause him to faint…no, not this time. He wasn't going to faint this time. He wasn't going to faint in front of Malon. He'd rather do something else to release all of these surging sentiments…

…like cry…

…which is exactly what he did.

Right there, while still sitting on Ingo's motionless body, Link cried his eyes out, his wails lost to the incoming midday winds…

* * *

"…and that's the whole story."

It had taken Link the rest of the day for him to tell Malon his tale. He had started from the very beginning, from the moment Navi came into his life to when Sheik said he had to get a horse before his quest could continue. He had told her everything he could, from the Spiritual Stones to the Sacred Realm, from Princess Zelda to Princess Ruto, from Gohma to Ganondorf. He even went into great detail as to how he was supposedly the Hero of Time chosen by the Master Sword, how he had uncontrollable lapses of insanity, and how he could unexplainably use magic.

By the time he was finished, the sun had disappeared beyond the horizon and several brightly burning candles supplied the only light source in the farmhouse. The air tasted muggy and stale, and the darkness outside of the candle's touch felt thick enough to choke on. The overall atmosphere wasn't exactly pleasant, but thankfully Malon didn't try to make it even more uncomfortable.

Although the bruises on her face had swollen her lips slightly, she didn't hesitate to speak after Link had finished. She leaned in her seat so she could get a better look in the faint light at the boy in front of her and uttered, "So…if you're a Kokiri, a dweller of the forest that cannot age, why are you standing here as the Hero of Time, fully grown?"

Link shifted uncomfortably in his own chair, but he answered calmly, "I've been trying to figure out the answer to that ever since I saw my reflection in that pool. Unfortunately, I cannot think of a single reason why I was chosen as the Hero of Time. You'd think the Master Sword would've chosen a Hylian, someone born of the land that the Triforce guarded, to be the Hero of Time. But instead it chose me…and stole seven years of my life just so it could have its own way."

Malon nodded gently, obviously sincerely listening to what Link was trying to tell her. She leaned back in her chair again and said, "I understand, really I do. But I suppose to fully understand I would've had to walk in your shoes. How exactly do you feel about all this? Angry? Bitter? Indifferent? Maybe…content?"

It didn't take Link long to think up an answer. "I feel…isolated, alone. This responsibility was placed solely on my shoulders, and even though Navi is with me she doesn't have to be here with me. Even Sheik, who said he is going to help me, says he can only do so when it's convenient for him. I feel so helpless…as if I'm presented with two different choices and each one is just as bad as the other. I never wanted this to happen to me…and yet it did. Am I being punished…or am I being tested? Either way…I just want to go home."

As Link finished his answer, he burned his face in his hands and slouched his back forward as far as he could. "I just want to leave this world behind…leave it all behind and return to the world I knew…the world where I felt at ease…at peace. If I had the power to make the decision over again…I would've never set foot outside the Lost Woods."

The possible reactions Malon could've given to such a statement were endless, but Link was prepared to live with the consequences. He had been cheated seven years of his life, and he had the right to say how he felt. Besides, Malon wanted to know his secrets, and this was just about as confidential as it could get.

As he sat there, his face hidden from view, he prepared for the worst response Malon could give him. Instead, he felt soft fingertips stroke his hands and gently pull his fingers away from his face. When he could see again, he saw Malon kneeling before him, her somewhat bloated lips smiling as best they could.

"I don't blame you," she whispered tenderly. "If I were you, I'd probably think the same thoughts you are thinking right now. Life can be very cruel, sometimes far crueler than Ingo could ever be. But we have to take life as it is, because if we don't, then what _do_ we have?"

Although Link wasn't in the mood for philosophical simplicities, he had to agree with Malon. "I…I guess I see what you're saying. But…but it's been almost two days since I've 'awoken' and I'm still trying to come to terms with this. So forgive me if I'm still a little skeptical about accepting my fate."

Malon nodded weakly. "I understand."

Deciding to move the conversation in a different direction, Link thought for a moment before asking, "So, uh…what are you going to do with Ingo?"

Malon pursed her lips. Ingo was upstairs in his bed, still unconscious thanks to Link's insanity fit. They had brought him back to the farmhouse because, while he wasn't the most likable person in the world, he was still a person in need of care.

"What I'm planning," Malon started before sighing deeply, "is nursing him back to health, I guess. However, thanks to you I have found the confidence to stand up to him. I can now take control of the ranch again and care for the horses the way they were meant to be. And while Ingo regains his strength, I'll show him how to be someone worthy of working at this ranch…someone like my father."

Link scratched his head. "Are you sure that's wise? Do you think you can actually change Ingo from the man he is now that easily?"

"He's in no state to do any harm right now. And beside, I think his pride has been hurt too much for him to be the man is now."

"Well, I hope you're right, because when tomorrow comes I won't be around to help you if he turns on you again."

The following silence was enough to make the choking darkness seem nourishing. Link and Malon tried not to look at each other for a few moments before Malon finally murmured, "By the way, Link, what was that question you were going to ask me earlier today before Ingo interrupted us?"

Link nearly coughed; he had completely forgotten about it. But now was a good a time as any…

"The question was…what would you have thought if I had lost the race with Ingo? Would you have been sad for me because I lost my freedom, or would you have been happy because you finally had someone to be your friend for the rest of your life?"

Malon hesitated to answer, but then she chuckled slightly and answered, "Ask me in the present tense and I'll answer."

Link chuckled back; he knew he couldn't ask the question in such a way anymore.

* * *

That night, Link and Malon slept in the living room, seated sitting up in their chairs. Link slept with his hat in his lap and his hands clasped together. At his side were the Master Sword and his shield, ready to be taken up again for the morrow's journey. Malon slept with one hand draped over the side of the chair and the other in her lap, holding an open book face up. Link had been the first to fall asleep, so Malon had acquired a book to read in the candlelight until she, too, fell asleep.

Underneath Link's cap, Navi smiled. "Well, well, well, Link. I must say, you sure know how to handle things, even without my help. And I must also say…I'm very proud to be your fairy."

* * *

"So are you all ready for the journey?"

Morning had broken, and Malon was helping Link prepare for his brief ride to Kakariko Village. Most of the important stuff had been taken care of, including readying the horse for travel and attaching necessary items like horseshoes, reins, and the saddle. All that remained were provisions, and Malon had those in abundance – four sacks worth of food, to be exact. Link asked her if that was overdoing it; Malon merely replied there was no such thing as overdoing it.

Of course, Link knew better than to argue with Malon's bizarre logic and waited until he had loaded the provisions in his saddlebag before he answered Malon's question.

"I'm just about ready to leave," he replied before turning around to face the farm girl. "The only thing that's left is the goodbyes."

"Yes, I suppose so," Malon uttered with a smile, but it was obvious the smile covered up what she was really feeling.

Link quickly recognized this and decided to make a proposal. "Malon…would you like to come with me?"

Malon's eyes expanded in gentle astonishment. "Go…with you?"

"Yes. You'll be a lot safer in Kakariko Village, and I'm sure I'll be visiting that place quite often. So would you like to come with me?"

Malon wavered in answering Link's proposal for about a minute, but when she made up her mind her face showed she was confident and undoubtedly sure of her decision. "Thanks for the offer, but…I'm afraid I can't. If I leave, there'll be no one to take care of the horses; Ingo fired all the hired hands long ago. I'm the only one who can take care of them properly now. And besides, there's Ingo…"

"Are you sure you'll be all right with that man?"

Malon nodded. "Trust me. I'll make sure I'll be all right."

Link nodded back. "Okay, then. Then I guess this is where we part. Goodbye, Malon."

"Goodbye, Fairy Boy."

The two of them then reached for and wrapped their arms around in a farewell embrace. It was one of the few times Link felt comfortable giving Malon a hug, mainly because the hug was nothing more than a parting gesture. They released each other fairly quickly after first embracing each other, and they didn't say another word to each other as Link turned around and prepared to mount his horse.

As he mounted, however, Malon did head over to the horse's face and gave it a few gentle strokes with her hand. "Goodbye, Epona. You take good care of Link for me, okay? I'm so proud of you, and I know you'll be the best horse Link could ever hope for."

"Are you sure it's okay for me to take Epona now that you're back in charge of the farm?" Link asked from Epona's back. "I can always choose another horse…"

"Oh, no!" Malon protested. "I can't possibly do that. Only the best horse will do for the Hero of Time. And besides, now you'll have another friend to keep you company, maybe to help you get over your feeling of isolation."

Any protest that Link may have considered to counter Malon's answer disappeared. He smiled as best he could at the farm girl, making sure he memorized her face as much as he could. The swelling from yesterday's beating were all but gone now, so Malon was again the radiant girl he had always known…only older, of course. He had no idea how long it would be until he returned to the ranch – he had made that promise to himself last night – so he wanted to make sure he wouldn't forget her.

"Thank you, Malon, for everything you've done for me."

"And thank you, Link, for all you've given back to me."

Link smiled, gave one final nod of goodbye, and then turned his attention to Epona, who was patiently waiting for her new master and friend. Link gave the reins a whip, a much gentler one than the ones he used in the race, and called out, "Let's go, Epona! Hyaaaaa!"

Epona's response wasn't as immediate or intense as the one in the race, but it was effective, nevertheless. The mare cried out one time, as if saying goodbye to her lifelong friend Malon, before vaulting forward, carrying Link towards the distant horizon, towards Kakariko Village. While her pace wasn't the fastest Epona had ever run, it was still fast enough to allow her and her rider to disappear from sight within a matter of minutes.

As she watched them leave, Malon felt compelled to sing her song again. She didn't sing as loudly as she had when Link had asked her to sing; instead she merely mumbled them under her breath. But the words she was singing were meant for Epona than anyone else. As the words resonated within her mind, words she had written in an ancient language so only she and Epona would know their meaning, their translated meaning stood out in her mind more than anything else:

Insert song lyrics here

As the song died away on her lips, Malon recalled a passage she had read last night from her diary, the diary she had kept in her younger days until Ingo had taken over the farm. She didn't know why, but the passage just seemed to stand out at that moment:

_When I said goodbye to Link today, at first I felt sad that one of my friends was leaving me. It was the kind of sadness I always felt when one of my friends left the farm to go home. But I also felt something else today, something a lot more than sadness. I don't know what it was, but it felt as if I had said goodbye to someone more than a friend. Like maybe my daddy._

_Ever since Link came into my life, I felt something for him, something I cannot explain. Maybe when I'm older, I'll find out what it is, but right now I feel very confused. I don't know Link that well, and yet saying goodbye to him was one of the hardest things for me to do. My mom once told me that sometimes the Three Goddesses send people to be our guardian angels. Maybe Link is my guardian angel, and that's why I'm so sad to see him go._

_But whoever he is, I can't wait to see him again. Maybe by then, I'll figure out who he is and why I feel this way about him…_

When Malon wrote those words seven years ago, she had been only eleven. But after reading that passage last night, Malon could see the maturity within those words, and looking back Malon remembered how she had acted around Link: more like a teen than a child. There was something about Link, something she really couldn't explain. Being a farm girl gave her plenty of time to think, plenty of time to ponder life's mysteries and quirks. And yet, not even seven years worth of thinking could explain why she was so drawn to him, why he meant that much to her…

_"You just do."_

She knew her answer to his question two nights ago didn't satisfy him, and truthfully, it didn't satisfy her either. She wanted to know, she wanted to find out…but not now. Maybe when this was all over. For now, all she had were memories. But that was all she really needed.

Grinning from ear to ear, Malon looked in the direction Link and Epona had disappeared and whispered, "See you soon…Angel Boy."

The moment that escaped her lips, she felt like kicking herself for how lame that sounded…

* * *

While riding across the plains of Hyrule at a leisurely pace was certainly refreshing – a horse race at a neck-braking pace was certainly the antithesis of such an experience – all Link could do was think. And all he thought about was the last few days he had spent as an "adult." He thought about his awakening, about Rauru, about Sheik, and about Malon. While it had only been about four or five days, these last few days had been some of the hardest he endured his entire life.

And yet, while his Kokiri upbringing said he _shouldn't_ accept it as natural, for some reason he _did_. Why was that? Did the Master Sword _force_ him to grow so he could become a Hero of Time? Or was there more to him that he originally thought? Did any of this explain why he never had a fairy to begin with? Or was he just trying to find justification for possibly the biggest mistake he had ever made?

There had been one question Link had asked Navi two days ago after her brief lecture over supposed mistakes. The question had been out of curiosity, but now he wondered if it deserved a little more attention and consideration:

"Navi, do you think…that pulling out the Master Sword is a mistake I can never fix…or do I have a chance to make sure it doesn't become one?"

Navi never answered that question. But by the Three Goddesses, he wished he had an answer!

But according to Rauru, the one who had raised him would reveal everything…or at least explain what was going on with him aging. So all Link had to do now was get to Kakariko Village as quickly as he could, meet up with Sheik, and then head for the Lost Woods and find the answers he desperately wanted.

As the sun reached its noon peak, Link was thinking of only one thing by then. He was glad he had saved Malon from Ingo's brutality, but now there was only one person on his mind.

"Saria…I'm coming, Saria…"

* * *

Due to a statement on April 27th concerning the usage of song lyrics in fanfiction, I've decided to remove the lyrics to Epona's Song on this site. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause - I don't want to do it myself - but I do plan on releasing this fic in a PDF file once the story is finished; the lyrics will remain intact in that file. If, however, you want the original page(s) with the song lyrics, please use the e-mail found in my profile and ask me to send them to you. 


	37. A Tarnished Home

**Chapter 37: A Tarnished Home**

KATHUNK…

_Zelda felt her face turn red as the quarterstaff struck her right side and sent her sprawling to the ground with a soft thud. But her face didn't redden out of fear for her life; it was more out of embarrassment at being beaten by Sheik yet again._

_By now, she was used to being bested by her personal trainer so she managed to pick herself up rather quickly. The pain in her side was now also routine; therefore she made no mention of it while making sure she stood as straight as possible to face her teacher, her own quarterstaff firmly in hand. Sheik responded by twirling his quarterstaff around in the air several times before slamming its end against the earth._

_It felt somewhat embarrassing for someone her own age to defeat her like this so easily. Then again, she'd take being beaten by Sheik over being beaten by someone even younger any day…_

_"You're leaving yourself open to attack too often, princess," Sheik suddenly said in his gentle voice muffled partially by his masking shirt neck. "I had several opportunities to strike you down before that final blow; I didn't take those opportunities to see how long it would take you to adapt. I hope you understand an enemy soldier won't give you that luxury, don't you?"_

_"Yes, I understand," replied Zelda with a sigh as she stroked the area Sheik had struck to knock her down._

_"Good," Sheik mused. "Then I'm sure you also understand how necessary it is to be _prepared_!"_

_Without warning, Sheik suddenly charged at the princess, his quarterstaff ready to strike from any possible angle. Zelda, caught off guard by this unexpected attack, raised her quarterstaff to defend herself from her instructor's assault. Amazingly, she managed to strike away three direct attacks to her upper body, but she was still too surprised to prepare herself for Sheik using his weapon to hit behind her legs and trip her up._

_The moment she landed on her face, Sheik stopped his attack and uttered, "And I'm sure you're aware that even the enemy, no matter how stupid it may be, can also be prepared."_

_Zelda grunted a reply of acknowledgement as she struggled to get up once again; the fall hadn't exactly been pleasant. When her feet were planted on the ground, Sheik didn't wait for her to stand fully erect before he asked, "Tell me, princess, what is the one thing you need to know in order to survive the battlefield?"_

_"That…" Zelda muttered as she strained to straighten her back, "…that the enemy…has the exact same objective as you do."_

_"And what is that objective?"_

_"To win the battle."_

_"And how do you make sure you are the one to reach that objective?"_

_"You must be ready."_

_"Ready for what?"_

_"Anything."_

_Sheik's eyes betrayed the smile underneath his mask. "Good. I'm glad you remember that. Now, all we have to do is apply it…"_

_"Sheik, do you mind if I ask you a question?"_

_Zelda's request took Sheik by surprise, but he quickly regained his composure. "Sure thing, go right ahead."_

_Zelda took a deep breath before asking, "What's the point of learning how to use a quarterstaff if I'm meant to use blades as my primary weapons? Shouldn't I be focusing on using a sword or a dagger instead of wasting my time with weapons I'll never use?"_

_Sheik hesitated for a moment, his eyes enlarging from sheer intrigue. Then, out of the blue, he laughed. In fact, he laughed so loudly that Princess Zelda thought he was laughing at her because he found her question as some ridiculous joke._

_"Sheik, what do you think you're doing?" Zelda ordered, vexed. "I demand you stop laughing this instant and…"_

_"Draw your sword, princess," Sheik suddenly stuttered through his laughter._

_Zelda jerked her head back in puzzlement. "Draw my sword?"_

_"You hear me," Sheik uttered, his amusement dying down. "It's on your back, isn't it? Just put down you quarterstaff and draw your sword."_

_"But…why?"_

_"Just do it."_

_Not one to argue with a teacher of any kind, even one her own age, Zelda threw her quarterstaff to the ground and reached behind her for her sword. Moments later, the mighty blade was exposed to the morning light, its edges sharp enough to split a small tree from its roots with a single swing._

_"Good," Sheik beamed as he fingered his quarterstaff. "Now attack me."_

_Sheik's unexpected command caught Zelda off guard. "Attack you…but Sheik, you're practically defenseless against…"_

_"Zelda," Sheik uttered somewhat firmly, "I am your teacher and you will do as I say. And right now, I say, 'attack me.' So attack me."_

_"But…"_

_"_Now_!"_

_Princess Zelda groaned. "Very well, if that's your wish."_

_Zelda then readied her sword for an attack, an attack she knew so well from her earlier training with Sheik. She made sure her grip was firmly in place, raised the blade at the proper angle, shifted her feet correctly, and made sure to watch for any possible attack from Sheik. When she felt the moment was right, she pushed herself forward and moved her sword into its attack pattern. She didn't scream out, because she felt such a thing was unladylike._

_As she made her advance, she was partially amazed to see Sheik not make a single move to counter her attack. She didn't know what to think of this, but continued with her attack anyway. Then, moments when it appeared she was going to hit him, Sheik stepped – yes, _stepped_! – out of the blade's path by sidestepping to the left. Zelda, in a panic, changed her sword's course so she could make another attack._

_To her complete astonishment, Sheik awaited her second attack with nothing more than his quarterstaff. He held his staff up to block her blade, and when the two weapons met Zelda was shocked when her razor-sharp blade didn't slice through Sheik's wooden stick. She also didn't recover from the surprise quickly enough to block Sheik's counteroffensive._

_With a few smooth and swift maneuvers, Sheik used his quarterstaff to knock Zelda's sword from her hand, punch her in the stomach to force her to bend down, and slap her firmly across the face to knock her down once again. The feeling of her head striking the ground wasn't nearly as painful as the three blows Sheik had just used to overpower her…and with a quarterstaff, no less!_

_Thankfully, Sheik didn't gloat over his victory as she expected him to, although he did have something to say. "Now do you see, princess? It doesn't matter what weapon you use. If your enemy is well trained, he can defeat you if you cannot stand up to him. It doesn't matter if you use a sword, bow and arrow, or even a quarterstaff. Any and all weapons can be used to against you, as I just demonstrated."_

_"But…" Zelda stuttered as she toiled to stand up again, "But you haven't answered my question…"_

_"Yes, I have," Sheik interrupted. "There will be times when you will not be able to use the weapon with which you are most skilled. There will be times when all you have are weapons you never considered your primary weapon. What can work for you enemy can work for you. If the weapon with which you are most skillful is unavailable, you must be ready to use anything at your disposal._

_"That is why I am teaching you to use weapons other than the sword and knife. Look at what happened just now. You had a deadly blade of steel, I a lowly piece of wood, and yet I disposed of you easily. If I were an enemy, you'd be lying on the ground dead while all I'd have was a single scratch on my quarterstaff. A scratch is a very cheap price to pay for victory, and the enemy knows that. And that is what I want you to know, as well as everything else I'm meant to teach you. Do you understand?"_

_Zelda was standing on her feet by now, although she hadn't yet regained full control of her balance. Still, she did have the sense to answer Sheik's question. "I…I guess I understand."_

_"Good," Sheik uttered with a beam on his face. "Now, sheathe your sword and pick up your quarterstaff. I want you to perfect your defense today at the very least."_

_Although she felt quite tired, Zelda decided not to complain and argue with Sheik. Replacing her sword in its scabbard behind her back, Zelda scanned around for her quarterstaff. When she found it, she shuffled her way towards it to pick it up. But all the while, she made sure to keep an eye on Sheik; she wasn't going to let him surprise her the moment she stood up straight again._

_When her fingers closed around the piece of wood, Sheik decided to comment on Zelda's attentiveness. "Good, good. You're learning fast. We just might get to basic attacks today as well. But that isn't going too fast for you, is it, princess?"_

_As she made sure her feet were firmly planted in the soil, Zelda released a mild sneer on her lips. "Why don't you ask that question after we've gotten there?"_

_Sheik didn't have a clever response for Zelda's wry question. All he did was simply reply, "Sure. Why not?"_

The first signs that things had changed at Kakariko Village for the worse came not from the village itself but from Death Mountain. The mighty sentinel that stood guard over Impa's hometown with its towering build and awesome presence had undergone a drastic transformation, one that filled Link with some kind of prophetic dread. While the mountain hadn't exactly sustained a gentle and inviting atmosphere, the dark clouds looming over the mountain's summit and the unexplainable shadows dancing along the mount's surface made the peak far less appealing.

It was as if Death Mountain had gone from forbidden to heartless, and to Link that meant a lot, especially concerning the Gorons.

_"I hope they're all right,"_ he thought as he maintained his course to Kakariko Village. _"I hope nothing's happened to Darunia…or Malatite…"_

While Death Mountain was the harbinger, Kakariko Village itself was the confirmation. Link remembered seeing the magnificent village from the windmill with Malon; even in faint twilight the village had then still possessed an air of pride and simplistic splendor. But not anymore; the daylight betrayed a much more depressing vision of the once-handsome town.

While the changes to Kakariko Village weren't as grave or serious as the ones in Hyrule Castle New City, Link couldn't help but recall New City's horrifying transformation. Everything that once held the privilege of being colorful and vibrant now stood gloomy and drab. The walls of buildings boasted cracks as complex as clumsy spider webs and roofs as cluttered as rotting bird nests, and vines crept into every available space for them to grow. A once cheerful atmosphere lay buried under a mood of misery; there were few, if any, people outside under the noon of the dead sky looming overhead.

To Link, Kakariko's conversion was just as haunting as the conversion of Hyrule Castle New City…maybe even more so, as unlike New City people still had to _live_ in this rotting environment.

As Epona carried the Hero of Time into the decaying town, Link couldn't find anything to say to Navi, who was sitting on his left shoulder. Therefore, Navi started the conversation for him.

"Link…I don't remember this place that well, but…it's awful, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is, Navi. I was somewhat hoping Kakariko Village hadn't been affected that much, but that's obviously not the case."

"So what are we going to do now?"

"Well, we're first going to find Sheik. He said we're going to the Lost Woods after I got a horse, so hopefully we'll get that underway as soon as possible."

Navi hesistated. "Link…are you worried about everyone back in the Lost Woods?"

Link nodded. "Of course I am, Navi. If I didn't need to come back here for Sheik, I'd probably be there by now."

_"Saria…I'm coming Saria…I'll be there soon…I promise…"_

"Excuse me, boy, can I help you?"

Link instinctively pulled Epona's reins back to draw her to a stop and he looked down to his right. An old man with a wrinkled face, crooked posture, and ragged clothes was glaring up at him with two small eyes, his curled lips giving off a hint of suspicion in his words.

"You don't happen to be one of those accursed bounty hunters, do you?" the old man continued, threatening to wave around the twisted walking stick in his right hand. "We don't cater to your kind around here, so if you're here to sell your cursed trappings you can just turn around and…"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not a bounty hunter," Link politely interrupted.

The old man didn't let up his wary glower. "You aren't, are you? Well, then, where did you get your horse? Horses are hard to get these days, and by the looks of things yours is strong enough to traverse Hyrule and back again. Such a horse can only be bought with a king's ransom, and you don't look like anyone from any kind of nobility. If you're not a bounty hunter, then what are you? A mercenary? That'll explain that sword on your back…"

"No, I'm nothing like that," Link interjected courteously, although he was getting a little impatient. "I'm just here to find someone. Do you happen to know someone called Sheik?"

At the mention of that name, the old man suddenly froze in fear, as if Link had uttered something forbidden. But he quickly calmed down and tried to look and sound resilient as he replied, "There's no one by the name of Sheik here in Kakariko Village. So there's no reason for you to stick around here."

Without another word, the old man turned around and briskly hobbled away, disappearing behind a nearby house a moment later.

Link was the one most puzzled by the old man's bizarre behavior, but Navi was the one who spoke up first. "I'm pretty sure that guy is hiding something, Link. I could feel his uneasiness. But still, maybe he's right. Are you sure Sheik told you to go to Kakariko Village?"

"I'm pretty sure he did," Link answered. "Although I am starting to feel a little uncomfortable. Why isn't Sheik here to greet us? You'd think after what he told me back at Hyrule Castle New City he'd be waiting for…"

"Sir, what is your name?"

The soft, high-pitched voice came from Link's left, so he redirected his attention to his other side and looked down. Instead of a withered old man, the owner of the voice was a short, lanky boy of about five years with short brown hair, a healthy complexion, and decent-looking clothes. He didn't have the distrusting look the old man had, so Link didn't get the feeling the boy feared him in any way.

"Excuse me?" Link asked calmly. "What did you just say?"

"What is your name, sir?" the boy repeated patiently. "I'd like to know your name."

"You do, do you?" Link inquired, feeling a tad bit confused. "Well, if you really want to know…my name's Link."

The boy's face seemed to brighten up a little when Link told him his name, and his lips twisted into a faint yet noticeable smile. "Then please come with me, sir. My mother would like to meet you."

Still maintaining the smile on his face, the boy then circled around and headed in a direction that led deeper into the village. He moved so quickly that Link didn't have a chance to ask the boy why he had to follow him. Starting to feel more and more confused, Link impulsively scratched his head.

"This feels a little unsettling. Should we follow him, Navi?" he asked without thinking.

"Well, there's nothing else we can do. Besides, maybe he'll lead us to Sheik…or maybe his mother will, although I'm not exactly sure how she can possibly know you."

"Let's worry about that when we meet her," Link asserted. "Still, we should be on the lookout for anything suspicious. I'm counting on you to watch my back, Navi. Just yell if you see anything."

"Already ahead of you," the fairy beamed proudly.

Giving Navi an approving nod, Link then turned his attention to Epona and whipped her reins lightly. The horse snorted faintly before moving forward in a trot to catch up to the boy, who had already gained quite a distance between himself and the Hero of Time.

"Here we are, sir. My mother's house."

Link drew Epona to a halt so he could get a better look at the house that the boy was proclaiming as his mother's home. It wasn't a particularly special house; it easily blended into the rest of the village with its decaying structure and dismal façade. And yet Link had a strange feeling that this house possessed something special, something that set it apart from everything else in Kakariko Village.

"I see," Link uttered to the boy as he kept his gaze on the house, making sure to scan every available piece of the structure. "So why don't you go and get your mother while I wait out here…?"

"Oh, I can't do that, sir," the boy interrupted with a melodramatic tone. "My mother is old and frail, and the wars have sadly left her crippled. She couldn't come outside to meet you even if she wanted to. Please, sir, step inside so you can meet her. You'll find her sitting beyond the door, waiting for you."

Link tried not to look at the boy, but couldn't help but steal a brief glance at him. The boy's face was smiling broadly, as if trying to hide something behind his eyes. Something in the boy's words didn't make sense to him, something he thought he understood and yet couldn't grasp completely. A voice in his head warned him not to trust the boy's words…and yet told him to trust the boy anyway.

The inkling was so uncanny he almost wondered why he was feeling it…

"Link, this doesn't feel right," Navi abruptly whispered in his ear. "I think we should get out of here…"

"Actually, we're going in," Link calmly interjected.

The fairy fluttered nervously by his ear, resonating her fluttering like a smooth rasp. "But this boy is lying, Link," she hissed loudly. "I can tell he's lying, and I'm sure even you can as well. So why…?"

"Because I have to," Link firmly asserted. "I know this doesn't feel right, but something tells me I have to do what this boy says."

"And I suppose it's the same 'something' that told you to fight the Dodongos and get swallowed by Lord Jabu-Jabu?"

Link nodded gently. "It just might be."

The fairy's light started flickering wildly. "Well, why don't you tell your 'something' that maybe it's better for us _not_ to rush into things without thinking the situation through first? For once I'd actually like to feel safe before heading into circumstances I don't feel particularly comfortable with. Maybe you think it's all right just to do whatever you want, but I'm your fairy for a reason, Link, and that reason is to be your guardian. Not your friend or your loyal companion – those are expected consequences – but your guardian. And as your guardian fairy, I have to say that what you are thinking is stupid and illogical, and…"

"Navi…" Link began before he grunted frustratingly, shook his head once, and continued, "Just…shut up."

Link then quickly flipped his right leg over Epona's and slid off the horse's saddle with an effortless motion, not giving the fairy time to counter his demand. When his feet were planted on the soil, he looked up at Navi and uttered, "If you want to stay out here, then fine. Do what you will. But I'll tell you something right now, Navi. I may do things that seem stupid to you, but if I didn't do things like that then where will we be right now?"

Link's question, accompanied by his heated glare, made sure the fay couldn't answer immediately. The Hero of Time then gave her a stiff nod and turned his attention to the boy, who was unwearyingly waiting for Link by the door of his mother's house.

"Would you mind tying Epona up for me?" Link asked the boy.

"Oh, not at all, sir," the boy cried happily. "But please hurry inside. My mother's eager to see you."

"If you insist," Link sighed.

Link then took the necessary steps towards the door so he could open the door and step inside. Navi took about half a minute before she finally decided to fly up to her charge and sit on his shoulder. Of course, being Navi, she couldn't help but pout out loud, more to herself than to Link.

"Fine, do whatever you want. Just don't come running to me when you're in trouble, because you know I'll say that I told you so…"

"Navi," Link interjected as he grabbed the door handle, "don't make me hit you."

The first thing Link noticed immediately was the inside of the house was peculiarly dark. The window curtains had been drawn shut and there were no flames of any kind burning anywhere. The only available light came from the open doorway, and it revealed very little inside except for a table, a couple of chairs, and a fireplace at the far end of the room. There was nothing else, and that included the boy's mother.

_"Waiting for me beyond the door, huh?"_

Already starting to feel uncomfortable yet not ready to abandon his gut feeling yet, Link stepped into the shadowy room slowly, making sure he left the door open so he could see where he was going. He took several steps into the room before he decided to call out.

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

There was no answer.

"Link, let's get out of here. I don't want there to actually _be_ a reason for me to say that I told you so…"

"Just be quiet, Navi," Link urged as he pressed further into the room, his eyes scanning the dark walls for any signs of life. He tried to sound confident, but he couldn't help but move his hand near his sword in case he needed it….

Without warning, the front door behind him slammed shut, blocking the much-needed light that had Link needed to see. Link quickly snapped to attention, his muscles tensing and his hands bracing for anything that might come his way. His mind instantaneously considered drawing the Master Sword, but he straight away decided not to do so; swinging the sword in complete darkness would be irrational and just plain dumb.

"Who's there?" Link demanded boldly, his eyes needlessly searching the darkness. "Whoever you are, you will not get the better of me…"

"Be still, Hero of Time. It is only I."

"That voice…" Link murmured in a softer tone. "Is…is that you…?"

Suddenly, a bright flame gushed from inside the fireplace at the far end of the room, bathing the room in faint yet sufficient light. Link quickly glanced in the direction of the fireplace and immediately saw a figure standing directly before it. But instead of the person he had first expected, it was Sheik, standing as tall and enigmatic as ever. Link knew he should be glad that he finally found Sheik, but instead he felt a disappointed frown creep onto his lips.

It didn't take Sheik long to notice. "Is something the matter, Hero of Time?"

"No, no, it's nothing," Link defended. "Nothing important. So…are you the mother that that boy mentioned outside?"

"Boy? You mean Andrew? Oh, yes, I'm that mother he spoke of. I told Andew to be on the look out for a man wearing green attire and riding a horse, and to bring him to me when he arrived. That little charade he gave was to protect me from possible spies of Ganondorf. You see, I'm one of the more important people Ganondorf wants dead, almost as much as my aunt Impa. So the villagers do their best not to reveal that Kakariko Village is in fact a haven for rebels against Ganondorf, and that means keeping out any and all possible spies like bounty hunters and suspicious travelers."

_"Well, that explains the old man's attitude,"_ Link thought dryly before saying, "And Princess Zelda? Does Ganondorf want her dead as well?"

Sheik hesitated momentarily before answering, "Actually, we're not quite sure. For some reason, Ganondorf has put out no reward for her, although it's a given Ganondorf would love to have her in his hands. We can only assume he wants her alive, because bounty hunters and mercenaries can be rather cruel to their prey. If you're that worried about her, then I can assure you she's safe. I cannot reveal her to you now for fear of her safety. But you'll meet her in due time, I promise you."

Sheik's tone then turned serious. "In any case, that's beside the task at hand. Link, I'm assuming you managed to get a horse from the ranch."

Realizing it would be best to focus on what was necessary rather than what was preferred, Link nodded firmly and uttered, "Yes, I did. I even…"

"Good," Sheik interrupted as he took a couple of steps towards the table and gently slammed his palms against the table's surface. "Then come here so I can show you our next move."

Deciding not to argue, Link shuffled his way to the table at a brisk pace. He didn't have time to stop when Sheik already started demonstrating their "next move." The Sheikah moved his right hand and used his extended forefinger to point to a sizeable piece of parchment stretched out on the table. When Link had the chance to look down, he discovered it was a map, and by the lettering inscribed in the parchment's borders he realized it was a map of Hyrule.

Before Link had a chance to ask anything, Sheik began talking.

"We are here," he uttered as he placed his pointed finger on a graphical representation of a town on the enormous chart. "This is Kakariko Village." Sheik then moved his finger around the map, naming each location as he pointed then out "Here's Lon Lon Ranch, where you just came from. Here's Hyrule Castle New City, a couple of day's ride from here. And here are the outskirts of the Lost Woods, which will take a little longer. Right about here is the Kokiri Forest, the section of woods where Kokiri Village is located. The Forest Temple is located somewhere deep in the Lost Woods, but without the Kokiri's help I can't find it."

Sheik then looked up to lock gazes with Link. "And that's where you come in. Hopefully the Kokiri will listen to you, as you once lived with them. If you can get them to tell us where the Forest Temple is, then you can enter the temple and awaken the Sage of the Forest. After that, we…"

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Link suddenly hollered, forcing Sheik to break off. "What do you mean by that?"

"Mean by what?"

"You just indicated that only _I _would go inside the temple. Aren't you going in with me?"

Sheik paused, as if pondering whether or not to reveal something to Link. When he finally did speak, he spoke in a gentle, almost feminine tone. "I cannot help you. As I told you back at Hyrule Castle New City, I will only help you when I can. I have other duties to perform other than aiding you in your quest, such as planning for the war against Ganondorf. But I will go with you as far as the temple, because there is one important task I must do with you there…"

Sheik's eyes suddenly widened with recognition. "Which reminds me…Link, do you still have the Ocarina of Time?"

"The Ocarina of…oh, yes, don't worry," Link uttered as he confidently patted the pouch containing the magical instrument. "It's safe with me."

"Good. Do not reveal to anyone that you have the Ocarina of Time and do not let it out of your sight; it has powers other than opening the Door of Time, and should that power fall into the wrong hands…well, I don't have to tell you about that, now do I?"

"No, you don't," Link agreed.

"Very well. Now, as I was saying, after you've awakened the Sage of the Forest, you'll make your way back to Kakariko Village, where I'll take you to the next temple. But we'll worry about that when the time comes. For now, I'll tell you what we're first going to do."

Sheik then looked back at the map. "We'll leave Kakariko Village tonight at sunset so that no one will see us; you see, I want the villagers to know as little as possible about our operations. Any information will put them in terrible danger should Ganondorf find out about this place. We should arrive at Kokiri Village in two to three days if we travel fast, and then we'll pray to the Three Goddesses that they'll open up to you."

Sheik then looked up. "How does that sound?"

Link didn't even need the time to think it over; he already had his answer. "It sounds perfectly all right to me," he replied, trying to contain his excitement that he was finally going back home. "Is there anything we have to do before we leave?"

"Other than get supplies and such, not really…oh, wait there _is_ one thing Wait right here."

Sheik then turned around and headed to the fireplace, where he reached for a small, rectangular box sitting on the mantelpiece. The Sheikah grabbed the container, dusted it off somewhat, then headed back to Link and placed it on the table beside the map of Hyrule. Link didn't even have the opportunity to ask Sheik what was inside the box when Sheik lifted the lid with both hands and urged Link to look inside. The Hero of Time did so, and what he saw left him amazed and puzzled at the same time.

The object was slightly bigger than his hand and nearly as long as his arm. It appeared to be some kind of simple machinery, but its purpose was hardly immediately evident. One end consisted of a piece of sturdy metal that was obviously meant to be the contraption's handle, while the other end held a deadly looking spear head. Wrapped around the midsection in a precise manner was a chain of some kind, although there was no visible explanation as to what the chain was meant to do.

"What is this thing?" Link asked curiously.

"It's called a hookshot," Sheik replied. "It was one of Hyrule's most advanced weapons, given to Hylian ranger troops when they were sent in to help neighboring countries with bandit uprisings. They were too dangerous to keep around the palace, but I managed to save this one a few years ago from a dead Hylian soldier. I'm giving it to you because I'm sure it would come in handy. Go ahead, pick it up."

"Wow, thanks," Link uttered as he reached and picked up the hookshot by its handle. The grip fit his hand perfectly, as if it were meant for his hand only. But even though he was grateful for the weapon, he was still curious as to what it did. So he asked Sheik to reveal its purpose.

"Oh, it's simply, really. See that small trigger on the side of the handle, the one by your thumb?"

"Yeah, I see it," Link answered after taking a brief moment to locate it.

"Now press it in gently until you feel some resistance. Just don't press it down all the way."

Link complied with Sheik's instructions, and the moment he felt resistance in the trigger's movement the hookshot reacted. Suddenly, a tiny yet perceptible beam of light discharged from the top of the spear head, a beam strong enough to create a small red dot wherever the contraction pointed. Link, more intrigued that stunned, considered passing his hand through the beam before wondering if the beam was the weapon Sheik had mentioned.

When he asked Sheik if this was so, Sheik shook his head. "No the beam is merely a targeting sight, created by a light-emitting ruby embedded in the hookshot's head. The real weapon will shoot out if you press the trigger down all the way…."

"You mean like this?"

"Wait, no…!"

But Sheik had no time to stop Link when the Hero of Time pressed the already embedded trigger button past its resistance point.

_CLACK…_

With a loud bang and incredible force, the hookshot's spear head suddenly discharged from the main body, sailing through the air like a deadly bird without wings. Dragging behind it was the chain, creating a rhythmic clatter along its circular wound path around the weapon's body as it left the hookshot to follow the fired head. Everything happened so fast that Link didn't have time to think before another loud crack echoed across the room. Link looked to see that the spear head had rooted itself in the nearby wall…right where the ruby targeting sight had been pointing!

Link whistled. "All right, I see what you where…whoa!"

Without warning, the hookshot flew from Link's hand and soared through the air towards the implanted spear head, collecting the chain as it moved with the same rattle as before. It found the hooked blade a split moment later, giving off one final clap as the main body and head collided. The hookshot then fell silent, hanging on the wooden wall by the spear head like a dangerous animal ready to pounce.

Link was so amazed by what had happened that he couldn't find anything to say. Sheik decided to take the opportunity to speak in Link's stead.

"I was going to warn you, but I guess you've seen for yourself. The hookshot's real weapon is its ability to fire its hook at great distances and with remarkable precision. Its firing spring is so powerful it can pierce anything but the strongest stone and thickest armor. But its recoil spring can be used for things other than retrieving the hook; it can also be used to drag the weapons owner to unreachable places. If you had held onto that thing just now, it would've slammed you right against the wall. You have to be careful with the hookshot, because it can kill. But if you use it wisely, I'm sure it'll help you greatly in your journey ahead."

Feeling a little sheepish, Link decided to respond by just saying, "Thanks."

Link then scuffled his way to the embedded hookshot, grabbed the handle, and tried to pull it out of the wall. To no surprise, the hook refused to release its grip on the wood. Link gave it several good yanks, but none of them even seemed to loosen the hook's grasp. He was about to consider using his sword to hack the wood around it when Sheik spoke up.

"Press the trigger until the targeting sight is activated. That will retract the hook's catch blades."

Sure enough, when Link pressed the trigger until he found the resistance mark again, the hookshot's hook popped free from the wall, ready for another shot. Smiling at his new weapon, Link moved the hookshot to an open space on his belt, making sure the trigger wouldn't accidentally be compressed in any way. When that was finished, he turned his attention back to Sheik, who was waiting patiently.

"Well, thanks for the weapon, Sheik," Link expressed. "I'm sure it will come in handy someday. So, are we going to get supplies now or is there else something we need to do before then?"

"Well," Sheik said after a moment's pause, "there is something I wanted to do first, but unfortunately he isn't here right now, so we can't really do it."

"Do what?"

"After showing you inside, Andrew was supposed to bring someone here. He's someone who came to Kakariko Village sometime after Ganondorf took over Hyrule, and he's been here ever since. He had somehow heard about me sending you to Lon Lon Ranch and asked me if he could talk to you when you returned. But either Andrew forgot or he can't find him, so I guess that…"

Just then, a soft yet audible knock sounded on the other side of the door.

"Who is it?" Sheik called out.

"Andrew, mother," muttered the familiar voice of the young boy. "I found the man who wanted to speak to your friend."

"Well, things certainly have a way of playing out, don't they?" Sheik said to Link before he called out to Andrew, "All right, let him in."

A moment of silence ensued, followed by the door slowly yet steadily creaking open. When the door had opened enough, a man slightly shorter than Link stepped into the room, his back slouching and his arms drooping. At first Link thought he had seen the man before, but when the man turned his face in his direction Link instantly recognized him.

It was a wonder how seven years couldn't change his appearance that much, but heartbreaking as to how those years could still change his character. He was as potbellied as ever, and yet now that extra weight seemed geared more towards fat than strength. His once-powerful arms now hung like useless necessities, and his stride moved unevenly and heavily. The hair on his scalp and across his upper lips was bushy and unclean with a few lines of grayness running through several patches. His eyes, once filled with jolliness and cheer, now only harbored misery and despair. Gone was the face worn by hard work and dedication; all that was left was a face worn by agony and sadness.

The transformation of the humble ranch owner was so unbelievable that Link couldn't even speak properly.

"You…you…you're…" Link stuttered, but Sheik interrupted him.

"Talon," the Sheikah acknowledged before pointing to Link. "This is the one you wanted to speak to. He's just returned from Lon Lon Ranch, so he should be able to answer anything you need to know."

"Thank you, Sheik" Talon uttered in a voice that sounded exhausted and worn out. The former farm owner then turned his gaze to face Link. "You…you've been to the ranch, young me?"

All Link could do was nod. The gesture seemed to make Talon smile slightly before the farm owner hobbled his way to the Hero of Time and stopped shy of a hair's breath from Link. Talon then stared deep into Link's eyes, seemed to think for a moment, and then finally continued speaking.

"Young man, I need you to tell me one thing. One thing, and that's all I want to ask of you. Is my daughter all right? Can you tell me if my daughter is safe?"

"Your…daughter…" Link repeated, still unable to find the right words to say. Unfortunately, Talon took that as a bad sign and used his enormous arms to grab Link's shoulders and gently shake the Kokiri back and forth.

"My daughter!" the ranch owner cried in a frantic tone. "You must've seen her! You must have! Please tell me you've seen her! Please tell me she's all right! I won't be able to live with myself if anything's happened to her! Please, young man, tell me something! _Anything_! Tell me she's all right! Tell me…!"

"Talon!" Link suddenly screamed, grabbing Talon's arms and forcing the man to stop shaking him. Suddenly, Link knew what to say; he didn't know how, but he didn't care. He locked gazes with Talon, took a deep breath, and said as quickly yet calmly as he could, "Talon, don't worry. Malon is perfectly safe. In fact, she is probably as well as she can possibly be without her father."

At the mention of his daughter's name, Talon's eyes widened in amazement. When Link gave him the chance to speak, Talon took it. "You…you know my daughter's name? How did you know her name? I didn't tell you. Did you speak to her?"

"That and more," Link uttered with a hint of pride in his voice. "And I not only know her, I also know you, Talon."

"Know…me?" Talon asked, confused. "What are you talking about…?"

"You don't remember me, but I remember you perfectly. I remember the look on your face when I woke you up after you had fallen asleep at Hyrule Castle. I remember how glad you were to take me to the farm right here in Kakariko Village. But I most of all I remember when, on the ranch, you hosted a party and told me it would be a night I would never forget. Well, guess what, Talon? You were right; I never forgot it."

At first, Talon was just as confused as before, but just as Link finished his little speech his mouth gaped open in realization and his eyes blinked in disbelief. "L…Link? Link? You're Link? You're the boy who came to the farm seven years ago?"

"Yes, I am, but I have something else to tell you, Talon. The farm is yours again, Talon. Ingo no longer has control over the ranch. Malon is running it right now, and she's as happy as can be. But she'll be a lot happier if you go home to her. She's waiting for you, Talon. She's waiting for her daddy to come home."

When Talon heard those words, his first reaction was to hold back his shock and to make sure he was breathing steadily. But then, all of a sudden, he abandoned those ideas and burst into tears, falling to his knees and burying his face in his hands. Link placed a comforting hand on the man's shoulder, and after a few minutes Talon looked up with his tear-stained eyes, his face somehow smiling as if he were laughing.

"I…I don't know how this happened," he muttered through his crying-choked throat, "but I know I have you to thank for this. You have no idea how much this means to me. You have no idea how it makes me feel that I can see Malon again. I never would've thought this day would come, but thanks to you…I can't thank you enough for what you've done. I don't know how I can repay you for this. You've given something back to me I can never replace. I don't know what I can do to thank you…"

"You can do one thing for me," Link gently interjected with a smile. "I want you to hurry back to the ranch as quickly as you can, and when you get there give Malon the biggest hug you've ever given her and tell her how important she is to you. Right now she wants more than anything else to see you, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to disappoint her."

Link partially said those words because they were based on what she told him, but the main reason was because he was sure that was exactly what Talon wanted to do. And the farm owner's eyes seemed to show it; as he stood up, Talon wiped away his tears, firmly locked in his smile, and nodded almost fiercely.

"Yes, you're right," he declared confidently. "I'll leave immediately…no, wait, I'll need to get some supplies…and I'll need a horse to get there as quickly as I can…" Talon abruptly turned his gaze toward Sheik. "Sheik, is it at all possible for me to borrow a horse? I'll bring it right back, I promise…"

"Talon," Sheik uttered with a smile under his collar, "I'll give you the horse on one condition: that you'll sell us your own horses at the same reasonable prices you've always sold them for."

Talon's smile somehow seemed to widen. "You bet I will!" he boomed excitedly. "In fact, I just may give them out for free because I'm feeling so great!" He then returned his attention to Link. "Thank you again, Link…thank you for all you've done. I always knew I'd see you again, and thanks to you the ranch is safe I'll finally be able to see Malon again. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you."

Link would've slapped himself if he didn't smile there and then, so he did. "You're welcome…"

"Have you ever considered marrying my daughter?"

It was amazing how someone could choke when he didn't even have anything in his mouth. When Talon asked that question, Link thought he had taken a bite out of Deku bark and hadn't swallowed it without chewing it first. He leaned over so he could cough out the "something" he had somehow "swallowed" down his windpipe, and when he finally managed to clear up his breathing he turned back to Talon, who had a sneaky look in his eyes.

"Wha…wha…what are you talking about…? Link spluttered before Talon suddenly broke into a laugh.

"Forget it, my dear boy," Talon chortled. "Just ignore an old man's silly jokes. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get going. Again, thank you for all you've done. Maybe I'll see you again someday. Please don't hesitate to drop by the farm whenever you can. I'd love to see you again, as well as Malon, I'm sure. See you around, Link."

With those parting words, Talon turned around and made a mad dash for the door, opening it as if his life depended upon it. When he slammed it behind him, the resulting crash startled Link more than when the hookshot flew from his hand. After that, silence reigned across the room, leaving room for anyone to speak.

Sheik took the opportunity. "Well, Link, you certainly are full of surprises, aren't you?"

"I guess so," Link agreed modestly without turning around to look at the Sheikah. But as he replied, he couldn't help but notice something in Sheik's voice. "Is something wrong? Did we say something to upset you?"

"Oh, no, it's nothing. Nothing at all."

The journey from Kakariko Village to the Lost Woods commenced that very night, just as Sheik had wanted. With their horses fully rested and their supplies all ready for the journey, they left Kakariko Village the moment the sun disappeared behind the horizon. There were very few people to see them off, and that was exactly the way Sheik wanted it to be. The fewer witnesses, the better. The good people of Kakariko Village were burdened enough as they were. Why burden them further with information that could guarantee their destruction at Ganondorf's hands?

The journey itself was effectively uneventful, as both Sheik and Link wanted to get to the Lost Woods as quickly as possible. They pushed their horses to their limits for as long as they could and stopped only to eat and to rest, and during these times they rarely talked to each other. Link wouldn't have minded chatting with Sheik a little during their riding breaks, but the seriousness Sheik expressed during the journey gave Link the impression that the Sheikah would rather think of the task at hand.

It didn't really matter, though. Link knew he would be working with Sheik for quite some time now, so there will be plenty of opportunities to get to know him.

All throughout the journey, Navi kept to herself and remained hidden underneath Link's hat, but once in a while she reappeared to give Link some of the companionship that Sheik was for some reason reluctant to give. The topics she and Link talked about mainly dealt with the Lost Woods and how great it would be to finally see home again, but every so often Link slipped in mention of Saria, to which Navi said a few words and then moved on to another topic.

Link couldn't help but think of Saria. She had been his best friend all his life, and in his dreams during his seven-year confinement she had been so much more. All he could do now was hope she was all right.

He tried to do more than hope one night when he and Sheik stopped for a quick rest. Sheik had fallen asleep against a tree and Navi was following his lead under Link's hat, so Link decided that was the best time to do something he hadn't done for a long time. He reached into his pouch and pulled out the fairy ocarina, deciding the Ocarina of Time was too grand for such a small task.

After making one final check that everyone was asleep, Link slipped the ocarina's mouthpiece between his lips and started to play Saria's Song as softly as he could. He could still remember the moments he had when talking to Saria through the ocarina. That period had been brief – very brief, in fact – but it had been a sense of incredible comfort to him all the same. Hopefully he could get that same comfort now and have another chat with Saria before he arrived in the Lost Woods.

Sadly, he got no reply from her, not even after playing through the song several times. Feeling a little upset by this, Link stopped playing and returned the ocarina to its pouch. But his disappointment couldn't mask his determination. He knew there was a very good reason Saria wasn't responding, and when he returned to Kokiri Village he would find out.

For now, all he had was hope…

"There it is, Link. The boundary of the Lost Woods."

Sheik's declaration couldn't possibly express completely what Link was really seeing. Sure, the tree line was indeed the borderline that separated the Lost Woods from the rest of the world, but to Link it was so much more. To Link it was the boundary that separated two distinct worlds: his own and everything else. To Link it was the mystical line he had cross seven years ago with the possibility he would've died after taking that first step. To Link it was the welcome for which he had desperately been searching ever since he had left all he had ever known behind.

To Link it was the door home, the door back to where he belonged….

"Link, are you okay?" Sheik asked.

"Yes, yes, I'm all right," replied Link, snapping out of the stupor he didn't know he had been in. "Come on, let's go."

"Okay, then. Just follow me and…"

"Actually, Sheik…I'd like to lead, if you don't mind."

Sheik jerked his head back in surprise. "Are you sure? It's been a while since you've been here…"

"I think I'll be okay," Link assured. "I just want to feel like I'm home again, that's all."

Sheik smiled and nodded his head. "Very well, then, if you insist. Lead on."

Link thanked Sheik and then gave Epona the signal to move forward. The mare complied and started trotting her way down the hill they were all standing on and towards the tree line. Sheik followed not too far behind with his own horse. As they edged closer and closer towards the Lost Woods boundary, Link could hardly contain his excitement. He was virtually bouncing up and down on Epona's back as he saw the trees get closer and closer. Then, when he passed the first set of trees and thus entered the Lost Woods, he had to fight to contain the scream of joy that welled up inside of him.

That sense of joy, however, disappeared the moment Link saw exactly what the Lost Woods had become.

He first thought something was wrong when he heard no birds singing. Seven years ago, it would've been hard to pinpoint a single moment where a bird didn't break into song; now he couldn't even hear a familiar flapping of wings or scratching of tiny claws against tree bark. But it was when he saw the actual forest that he realized what had really happened to the Lost Woods.

The Lost Woods was a mess; that was the simplest explanation Link could think of. Before, the grass had grown gracefully coated with a rich emerald-green; now it was colored a sickening brown in shoddy tangles and knots. Fields upon fields of ugly weeds and shoots replaced the once dominant and vibrantly painted wildflowers. Trees that once stood tall and proud now stood ready to be used as firewood; their bark peeled and hung off like rotting skin and hideous vines crept up their trunks like endless snakes. Once-dazzling leaves of rich lime were now dried and lifeless, not even possessing the handsome shades of autumn. In desperation Link looked around for any signs of life other than the flora, but all he could see were hoards of annoying insects fluttering around any scent they could find.

Of course, the transformation was just like all the others he had seen, but to Link this transformation was the most terrible he had ever seen. What else could he think about the changes that had affect his childhood home?

The deeper and deeper he and Sheik trudged into the Lost Woods, the more the damage became evident. Weeds grew thicker, decaying stenches grew thicker, and regular flora grew more rotten. With each step Epona took, Link became more and more horrified at what he saw. With each glance he took his felt something in his heart grow numb. With each breath he drew he moved closer and closer to the possibility of throwing up. The overwhelming sense of what the Lost Woods had become was so different from what Link had expect that he almost considered the idea that he _wasn't_ in the Lost Woods.

But it _was_ the Lost Woods and Link couldn't escape that reality, even though he desperately wanted to do so. So he didn't surprise himself when he suddenly cried out as loud as he could, "This cannot _be_!"

He didn't surprise Sheik, either. "I'm afraid it is, Link. I know it's hard for you to see your home like this, but this is the result of Ganondorf's foul touch across Hyrule. He left nothing unscathed, even this beautiful forest and the people who live in it. I'm sorry, but all we can do right now is…"

"Shut up!" Link demanded in an almost harsh tone. "Just shut up! You don't know what you're talking about! This cannot be the Lost Woods! The Lost Woods would _never_ turn into this terrible place! It just _can't_! How can something so beautiful change into something so hideous? I cannot believe that! I _won't_!"

"Link, listen to yourself," Sheik urged, unfazed yet a little hurt by Link's bleak tone. "Think about what happened to Hyrule Castle New Town, to Lon Lon Ranch, and to Kakariko Village. You saw with your own eyes how something so wonderful could be destroyed so easily. The Lost Woods is sadly another victim…"

"No!" Link bellowed. "I refuse to believe it!"

"Link…"

"Just leave me alone! Get away from me! I'm going home! Home where I belong! And nothing you say will change that!"

Before Link had a chance to act, Link snapped Epona's reins hard, forcing the horse to go from a trot to a gallop. The mare managed to gain speed so quickly and carry Link away from Sheik so rapidly that he was almost completely hidden by the trees before Sheik had a chance to call out to him.

"Link! Wait! Come back! Wait! Please, wait for me! Come back! Wait!"

_"I'm coming, Saria! I'm almost home! I'm almost there! Just wait for me a little bit longer! I'm almost there, Saria! I'm coming!"_

Those thoughts soared through Link's mind like a trapped wind, and they were enough of a distraction to make sure that Link didn't see his surroundings too clearly as he galloped past them. His stubbornness still told him that everything around him was a lie, even though his common sense told him otherwise. And yet he was willing to believe his stubbornness because it held the reality he wanted, the reality he had desired to find upon his return to the Lost Woods. As Epona carried him past the rotting trees and through the overgrown grass, he made a silent prayer to the Three Goddesses that at the very least Kokiri Village wouldn't be affected by the chaos.

At the very least…the Kokiri Village…

_"Please, that is all I ask of you. Please let the village still be intact. That's all I want from you, Three Goddesses…that's all I want from you. Please…"_

But the moment he burst out of the trees and into the enormous clearing where Kokiri Village was situated, he sadly realized his prayer wasn't answered.

He pulled Epona's reins to bring the horse to a standstill, and when the mare stopped Link got a good glimpse of just how much his world had been altered. Just like the Lost Woods, Kokiri Village had changed for the worse. Regular vegetation was dead and overpowered by weeds and shoots. Pathways were overgrown and barely visible. Homes were covered with vines and strips of peeled bark. There was nothing colorful or dazzling to be seen, and the overall mood was just like the one he had experienced at Hyrule Castle New City, if not worse.

But the thing that shocked him the most was the complete absence of Kokiri. There was absolutely no one about, not a single Kokiri boy or girl wandering the dying world to which Link had returned. Link immediately feared that maybe the Kokiri were dead, but he then recalled his conversations with Sheik and realized that that couldn't be true. But if so, then where was everyone? Were they hiding, or were they somewhere else?

And what about…?

"Saria!"

Forcing Epona to move again, Link charged down towards the village. As soon as his steed's feet were on the overgrown paths of the town he directed Epona towards the direction of Saria's house. He made sure she was going as fast as she possibly could, the moment felt like the longest moment Link had ever experienced. As he raced through the village like a forgettable memory, passing all the choked up Kokiri homes around him, he gritted his teeth in preparation for whatever awaited him at the end of his journey.

He arrived in front of Saria's house in record time, even though Link felt he could've gotten there faster by walking. Without bothering to even slow the Epona down, Link leapt out of the horse's saddle as hard as he could, landing with a soft thud on the hard ground that sent fire racing up his legs. But Link couldn't have cared less about the pain; he simply snarled the pain away as he staggered his way towards his friend's house.

"Saria! Saria! It's me, Link! Are you in there? Saria! It's me! Saria, are you there?"

He got no answer to his screams, and when he shoved his head through Saria's front door he saw why. The house was empty, and Saria was nowhere to be seen.

Link immediately quickly panicked, wondering where else she could be. He could be out in the forest, but in the state it was now that was unlikely. She had to be somewhere in the village, but that meant she could be anywhere. She could be with a friend, with someone in need, or even…wait a minute. Could she be _there_?

Without even thinking the possibility through, Link turned around and started running as fast as he could.

He arrived at his house moments later; thankfully it wasn't too far away from Saria's house. Like everything else, Link's old tree house was in shambles. Vines and creepers were strangling it as hard as they could and the timber for the balcony was practically falling apart. But that didn't deter him in the least.

"Saria! Are you there?" he called out as he dashed over to what was once his home.

The ladder was almost useless due to years of neglect, but Link still found it functional as he used it to climb onto his tree house's balcony. The balcony groaned under Link's weight, but it held firm. Taking that as a sign of good things to come, Link hastened into his home, still calling out for the person he so desperately sought.

"Saria…Saria, are you in here? Saria, please. Answer me. Are you in here? Please be in here. Saria…Saria…"

To his disappointment, his house was just as empty as Saria's house.

"Saria…you're…not here…"

It was then that common sense overpowered the stubbornness that had kept his insane dream alive until now. The realization hit him almost as hard as one of the Barinade's electrical bolts, but the pain in his heart overshadowed any pain the Barinade could've possibly given him. He tried sighing to release some of that pain, but it only made the hurt more dynamic.

He could feel the strength drain from his legs, but he refused to fall to his knees and cry. And yet he desperately wished he had a reason _not_ to cry. Everything he had hoped for had gone completely wrong. The Lost Woods were in shambles, Kokiri Village was in just as bad a state, and Saria was nowhere to be found. It was as if killing the Great Deku Tree hadn't been enough; Ganondorf had to destroy everything Link held dear to truly be satisfied.

"Ganondorf…" he snarled softly. "You…how could you do this…how could you…if I ever…if I ever get my hands on you…I'll…I'll…"

Link could feel his fingers close up into fists and his face grow red with anger. All the pain in his heart was being used to fuel the rage he had against the one man who had ruined everything Link had ever loved. He could feel the desire for revenge coursing through his veins, could taste the desire to seek out Ganondorf and show the evil Gerudo king that Link was far more than the little kid Ganondorf had encountered outside Hyrule Castle New City seven years ago…

"Hey, you!"

The voice came so suddenly that Link turned around without even thinking about to whom it could belong. He expected to see Sheik standing right behind him, his eyes glaring angrily at Link for leaving him behind, but to Link's surprise he saw a Kokiri….no, wait a minute! This wasn't just _any_ Kokiri!

Even though he still had perfectly clear memories of this particular Kokiri, Link was still amazed he was standing right before him. The inability for a Kokiri to grow still held fast for this Kokiri; he still looked as young as he did seven years ago, wearing the exact same clothes and groomed in exactly the same way. In fact, Link was almost willing to bet that he hadn't changed in the least.

Almost.

As hard as it was for Link to believe, one thing _had_ changed with this Kokiri. Link never thought it possible, but this Kokiri he had known almost all his life…had…no…_fairy_!

"Who are you?" the Kokiri demanded. "What are you doing in this forest? Are you with that pesky outsider who came her a while back?"

Link didn't even seem to hear those questions. Instead he simply leaned in a little closer and gave a question of his own.

"Mido?"


	38. Reunited Souls

**Chapter 38: Reunited Souls**

The air went deadly still when Link uttered the name of his former bully. Mido gaped in surprise when he heard his name spoken from the lips of the "outsider," and he blinked his eyes rapidly several times. He then started to examine the "stranger" standing before him, carefully looking over every conceivable detail he could find. His astonishment seemed only to grow as he apparently recognized the apparel of the Kokiri.

Link didn't know what else to say, but he suspected it was only a matter of time before Mido would recognize him and utter Link's name in the form of a question as well…

"Huh!"

Mido abruptly glared up at Link, his look of amazement replaced by suspicion and cynicism; it was the complete opposite reaction that Link thought Mido would give. Had Mido really harbored a dislike of Link so much that he would do _this_…

"So you think you can charm us Kokiri by dressing as we do, huh?" Mido interjected sternly. "And I suppose you found out my name from that outsider that's been visiting us these past few weeks. You've got a lot of nerve, mister. If I wanted to, I'd throw you out of Kokiri Village myself."

Link couldn't believe it. Mido didn't recognize him! Just like Malon and Talon, Mido didn't recognize him! And this was someone he had lived with for most of his life! Couldn't Mido see the resemblance? Couldn't he recognize Link's voice? Couldn't he…then again, Mido never did think Link would ever grow up to become an adult. But still…Mido didn't recognize him…?

"Hey, are you listening to me?" Mido suddenly demanded.

"Don…don't…don't you recognize me, Mido?" Link asked, seeing if the question would jolt Mido's memory.

Mido's face grew tighter. "Trying to associate yourself with the Kokiri will do you no good, stranger. The only other outsider we came into contact with was the one called Sheik, and you're obviously not him."

"But…"

"Enough!" Mido's face turned red with frustration. "Just tell me what you want and then leave! We just want to be left in peace! We Kokiri don't want strangers in our forest, and that includes you! So what do you want?"

"Mido, I…" Link started to tell Mido that he was Link, but looking at Mido's face made him take change his words. "I…I came here with Sheik, and…"

"Oh, so you_ are_ with Sheik!" Mido interrupted. "I _thought_ so. Well, then, I know _exactly _what you want. But I can already tell you that I'm not going to tell you anything. But I guess I'll have to tell your friend one more time. Boy, he can be such a bother!"

Mido then hastily turned around and started walking out onto the rotting balcony. "Come on, you," he ordered with a motion of his hand. "I'm sure your friend is waiting for us in my house right now, so that's where we'll find him. And would you mind hurrying up? You happen to be inside a house of a long lost friend of ours and I don't appreciate you being disrespectful like this."

Now it was Link's turn to blink in surprise. Did he just hear what Mido just said? The house of a long lost…_friend_? Is that was Mido really thought about Link now? How could that be…?

"Long lost friend?" repeated Link as he started moving to catch up to the hurried Kokiri. "What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said," Mido replied firmly. "A long lost friend. That's all I'm going to say to you about that. Now just be quiet because I'd like to get you and your friend out of this forest as soon as possible."

Link still wanted to push the topic farther, but realizing Mido's obvious reluctance to talk about anything to him, an "outsider," he instead sighed and waited for Mido to climb down the rickety ladder before starting down himself. When both were standing on the ground, Mido curtly started walking in the direction of his house, motioning with his hand yet again for Link to follow. Link complied without a word.

About halfway towards Mido's house, however, Link couldn't help but talk about something that had been on his mind ever since Mido appeared.

"Um…do you mind if I ask you a question…a small one?" Link asked calmly.

"Depends," Mido answered. "Has it got anything to do with why you're here?"

"Not really…"

"Then ask away, but I won't guarantee an answer."

Sighing again, Link took a deep breath and inquired, "What ever happened to your fairy?"

Mido nearly tripped over his own feet when Link asked that question. He jerked his head to face Link and cried, "My fairy…how do you know about my fairy?"

"Well…you're a Kokiri, aren't you?" Link stated. "And all Kokiri have a fairy, so I was just curious as to where yours is. Have all the Kokiri lost their fairies these days?"

At first Link thought Mido was just going to ignore the question and turn away in disgust, but to his surprise Mido lowered his eyes, hesitated for a few moments, and replied, "No…no, most of the Kokiri still have their fairies. I'm the only Kokiri who doesn't have one."

"I see," Link acknowledged gently. "Is it all right if you tell me why?"

Mido again hesitated, but not as long as before. "I…I got into a fight with my fairy seven years ago and…and said things I never should've said to him. He left me because I said he wasn't my friend anymore, and I must've really sounded like I meant it because he never came back after that. I really miss him, but we've never been able to find him. I don't know if he left the forest or if he refuses to come back, but I wish I could at least tell him I'm sorry. I…"

Mido suddenly raised his stare in Link's direction. "You know, I don't even know why I'm telling you this. But you do seem to know quite a bit about us Kokiri. I mean, your clothes look as if a Kokiri's hands made them. Is there a reason why you seem to know what you know?"

Now it was Link's turn to hesitate. " Well, I…I guess I…I guess you can say that I've always been intrigued by the legends of old, the legends that speak of Hyrule's history and yet are mistaken for myth. I've always been interested in the tales of the Kokiri, children who live in a forbidden forest, and I've done as much extensive research of them. You'd be surprised what you can find in ancient texts when you actually look."

"So…you didn't learn about us through another Kokiri, right?"

Link nearly coughed when Mido said that. Did he suspect something? "N…n…nothing like that. Why do you ask?"

Mido lowered his head. "I don't know. Maybe I was just thinking you had seen someone, that's all."

"You mean that long lost friend of yours?"

Mido suddenly straightened his neck and gave Link a brief yet intense glare. "This conversation is over. I think I've told you more than enough. Now if you don't mind, I'd have some things to think about, like what to say to Sheik this time."

Link wanted to say something in reply, but he could tell Mido wasn't in the best of moods right now. Oddly enough, it was a mood Link had never seen Mido display before. Mido's previous tempers had once been restricted to either being mischievous or sulky, but this temper wasn't anything like that. Sure, Mido sounded irate and impatient, but that anger stemmed from something serious and significant, not self-fulfilling and egotistic. Mido genuinely seemed to care about something important, something the Mido Link knew all those years ago would've _never_ done.

Link knew seven years was a long time, time enough to change someone drastically, but he never guessed Mido, of all people, would undergo such a change…

Suddenly, Link heard a loud snort behind him and he turned around to look behind him; Mido did the same. It didn't take Link long to realize it was only Epona, located a reasonable distance away but slowly trotting towards her new owner. Link guessed the mare must've continued running a considerable distance before she decided to turn around and return; Link never thought Epona's loyalty would run that deep for him.

"Oh, yes of course, my horse," Link uttered with a sheepish smile before turning to Mido. "Do you mind if I go get my horse? I'll meet you at your house."

"But how will you get there…?" Mido began when Link interjected.

"I think I'll find my way there just fine. I'll be okay, so you go on ahead. I'm sure you need the time to think, anyway."

Mido was about to say something when he paused, thought for a moment, then replied, "Whatever. Just don't blame me if you get lost."

Without another word, Mido turned back around and picked up his pace, making his way down the overgrown road that led to his house.

Link released a deep sigh, more out of weariness than anything; he never knew that returning home would be this difficult. He had hoped he would find everything he had ever loved waiting for him to return, but instead he was forced to hide his identity and witness his home and everything within fall victim to Ganondorf's influence like the rest of Hyrule. He was beginning to wonder if maybe the Three Goddesses were laughing at him…

"Okay, mind explaining something to me?" 

Moments later, the familiar fairy from under Link's hat fluttered into view and in front of his face. By her erratic glow, she was having trouble determining which mood to be in.

"Explain what?" the Hero of Time asked.

"Why are you hiding your identity like that? Malon I can understand, albeit marginally, but Mido? Don't tell me you're going to do the same with the other Kokiri…and let's not forget about Saria. Are you going to hide your identity from her as well?"

Link remained silent for a minute so he could think; he wanted to give Navi his best answer possible and leave little room for argument. When he finally forged a response, he took a deep breath and said, "It's like this, Navi. I'm sure you heard me talking to Mido back at my old house, right?"

"Yes, what about it?"

"Remember what happened? I did everything except outright tell him my name, and yet he didn't recognize me. Don't you see? A Kokiri growing up is something a Kokiri just can't understand; even I refused to believe it when I first saw my reflection. If I tell them I'm Link, the one who disappeared seven years ago, they'll never believe me…or worse, they may not accept me as one of them anymore. If they treat me like they've treated Sheik…I…I just can't even imagine that happening. I just can't imagine losing the home I've known almost all my life."

Navi took a minute to ponder over Link's rationalization, and then uttered, "So I take it you're not going to tell anyone, not even Saria…"

"I'll…I'll figure that out when I actually see Saria. She was…no, _is_ my best friend, so she should understand what's going on. But I'll only decide when I see her. Is that good enough?"

Navi made a tentative face. "Well…I guess so, but I…"

Suddenly, Link felt something warm and moist touch his left hand, which was dangling by his side. It caught him off guard and made him jerk around in surprise, but he was relieved to find it was only Epona, gently nudging Link's hand to tell him she had returned to him. Smiling at Epona's devotion, Link used his left hand to gently scratch the mare's face and caress her mane. Epona responded by releasing a thankful grunt.

As he grabbed Epona's reins so he could lead the horse along side him, Navi spoke up again to continue from her interruption. "As I was saying, I think you're going to have to tell everyone who you are sooner or later."

"Why's that?"

"Well, you said yourself you don't want the Kokiri not to accept you. Well, I think that _not_ telling them who you are will be just as bad as telling them who you are. If you don't tell them, they'll still regard you as a complete stranger and still not accept you. Is that what you want?"

Link couldn't help but see the logic behind Navi's statement, and it didn't make him feel very comfortable. "I…I guess not. But I'll wait for now. It…it just doesn't feel right telling them right now, especially after seeing Mido act like that. But…but you're right. I need to tell them eventually…and I will. I promise I will. But let's worry about it when we need to. For now, I think we should hurry to Mido's house and see what we can do about helping Sheik."

Navi didn't appear to wholly agree with Link's idea, but she sighed and declared, "All right. I just hope you know what you're doing. I suppose you want me to hide until you're ready."

Link smiled slightly. "Sometimes I wonder if you can read my mind."

Navi shook her head. "It's just common sense, something I sometimes believe you dropped somewhere."

Finding Mido's house was a piece of cake for Link; he may have not been in Kokiri Village for seven years, but he knew the village as if it were the back of his hand.

Mido's house was in just as bad a state as everything else in the Lost Woods, which was in a way a good thing; Link wasn't in the mood for any more surprises. The home had been carved out of a large oak tree, making it one of the biggest abodes in Kokiri Village. The inside was large enough to house several Kokiri comfortably, but Mido used it exclusively for himself, mainly to show off his "authority" over the other Kokiri.

But with Mido acting like he was now, Link wondered if maybe Mido's self-enrichment had changed as well…

"We're here," Link muttered softly to the fairy under his hat. "Remember, lay low until I say you can come out."

"No need to tell _me_," Navi replied. "Just do what you have to do."

Nodding once in acknowledgement, Link then took a deep breath and headed for the door to Mido's house, leading Epona by her reins. When he reached the door, he stopped and turned to the mare. "I'm going to go inside, Epona. Do you think you can stay out here without needing to be tethered?"

As if understanding Link's question, Epona snorted a reply of some kind. Link somehow knew that Epona was telling him she would remain where she was. Smiling, he scratched the horse's face again. "Good girl. I won't be long. Just wait here and I'll be right back."

With those parting words, Link turned and headed to the door that led into Mido's house.

Almost immediately he wished he had been better prepared, for what he saw was nothing he had ever expected. Mido's house had once been filled with personal trophies and furniture, but now the large room that made up Mido's home was practically empty of any kind of furnishings save for a few chairs scattered around the room's border and a single table situated in the room's center. And all the walls had to offer were a few well-placed windows to allow light into the relatively large chamber.

But the thing that caught Link off guard was that a Kokiri occupied nearly every single chair in the room. Mido rarely allowed anyone in his house, and seeing roughly a dozen Kokiri in such a once forbidden region was quite a surprise, indeed. At the far end of the room, also seated on one of the chairs, was the familiar figure of Sheik, and standing beside the table with his hands clenched tightly into fists was Mido. From what he could initially gather, things had already gotten underway between Mido and Sheik, and Mido's current stance indicated he was losing his patience.

The very moment he walked into the room, Link could feel small pairs of eyes turn in his direction. Link recognized some of the Kokiri seated around the room – they hadn't changed a bit, naturally – and he thought he also recognized some of their fairies. When all of the present Kokiri took notice of him, some of them started to whisper amongst themselves. Some of their remarks were loud enough for Link to hear, and from what he could tell they thought he looked familiar yet was most likely nothing more than an outsider with Sheik.

Their chattering made Link feel very uneasy, but nothing made him uneasier than the fact he couldn't find the one person he had wanted to see. He didn't know why Saria wasn't present, but he hoped it wasn't anything serious…

"Ah, so you finally showed up," Mido's voice suddenly cried, inciting Link to direct his gaze to the Kokiri bully. "I'm surprised you found my house as quickly as you did, but you're still a little late. I've already made it clear to Sheik that we're not going to tell you anything, so you may as well have never come here…"

"Excuse me."

A gentle yet firm interruption from Sheik made every other head in the room direct their attention to the Sheikah, who was now standing up, his eyes tight and commanding. The youth gazed around the room for a moment in silence before he cleared his throat and continued, "Excuse me, Mido, but I brought him here for a reason, and I think it would only be fair for you to give him your arguments. Besides, I don't know how you can possibly treat one of your own like this and…"

"One of our own?" Mido interjected, sounding both surprised and heated. "One of our own? What are you talking about? He is merely an outsider who dresses as one of us and happens to know more about us than the average person who lives outside theses woods. I hardly see that as a qualification to call him one of our own!"

Sheik's eyes widened in surprise. "What? You mean…he didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"That he's…"

"It doesn't matter, Sheik," Link suddenly cried. "Really, it doesn't matter. Let them just tell me what they told you."

Sheik's astonishment in his eyes grew even more. "But…but Li…"

"I mean it!" Link quickly shrieked, trying his best to stop Sheik from saying his name out loud. "Let them just tell me what they told you! Okay?"

But it wasn't okay. Sheik apparently still wanted to argue, so Link quickly rushed up to the Sheikah and hastily whispered into his ear, "They don't know who I am. Don't tell them, okay?"

"Link, what are you doing?" Sheik hissed back almost fiercely. "Why are you hiding your identity from them? That's the reason I brought you to this village in the first place!"

"You don't understand. They won't believe I'm Link. Do you really think they'll believe a Kokiri grew up?"

"You don't know until you try! Just tell them who you are…or I will!"

"No, and don't you dare tell them! I'll tell them myself in due time!"

"In due time…? Link, you're crazy!"

"Maybe I am!"

"Hey!" Sheik and Link twisted their heads around to find an impatient Mido tapping his foot irritably on the ground. "What are you two whispering about?"

"Oh, er…nothing, Mido," Link quickly uttered fretfully. He quickly looked around to see if any of the present Kokiri had overheard their conversation. To his relief, no one had apparently heard his name mentioned, so he was in the clear. But he had no time to feel relieved when Mido spoke up again.

"Fine, then. So, if you're finished talking about your 'nothing,' then can we get this over and done with?"

"Get what over and done with?" Link inquired.

Mido rolled his eyes. "Are you that thick? Am I going to tell you what I told Sheik, or am I not?"

Link felt his face grow read from embarrassment. "Oh, um…yes, of course. You can do that…"

"_Fine_! Now sit down!"

The tone in Mido's voice was so forceful and incensed that Link's reflexes instinctively made him sit down in the nearest empty chair next to Sheik's. He sighed in release when he felt the smooth, wooden surface of the chair beneath him, but he was anything but relaxed at the moment, thanks to Sheik's threats and how close he came to being revealed.

Sheik made the atmosphere even more uncomfortable when he sat down beside Link and placed a hand on the Hero of Time's shoulder. "Please, I beg you, reconsider," the Sheikah pleaded in a whisper. "Tell them who you are. That'll make things a lot easier for us…"

"And I suppose you know that conclusively," Link replied back softly.

"What are you talking about?"

"You won't understand."

"And how do you know that?"

"I just…"

"_Excuse me_!"

Link and Sheik snapped to attention when Mido's fuming voice echoed in the room like a monstrous thunder. The Kokiri's patience was obviously down to its last rations, as Mido appeared so close to just removing the two outsiders from the forest himself. When he had the attention of both the Hero of Time and the Sheikah, he continued speaking in the same heated tone.

"Okay, now that I have your attention, let me begin. You…whoever you are, whatever your name is, I assume you know the reason why Sheik has been coming here in the first place."

Link paused a moment before answering. "Well, er…I guess I do, but…"

"But you're too stupid to remember, is that it?" Mido interjected severely. "Then I'll just tell you. Sheik's reasons for being here have only included one single demand, and that demand is for one of us to show him where something called the Temple of the Forest is located inside the Lost Woods. That's it, just that one demand. It sounds so simple, so you'd naturally assume that we'd just drop our lives so we can help you look for it."

Mido abruptly raised the harshness in his voice. "But it's _not_ that simple! And there are a couple of reasons _why_! First, there is no such _thing_ as a Forest Temple in this forest! It never existed and never will! And second, we Kokiri will simply _not_ drop our lives so we can help outsiders. Even if this temple existed, we will not stop doing what's important to us just so we can help someone pursue a cause that doesn't even concern us! Add in the fact that you've pestered us with this ridiculous notion countless times already, and you can understand just how much we really don't want you here."

"But…but this _does_ concern the Kokiri!" Link suddenly cried, almost standing up in surprise and resentment.

"And _how_, may I ask?" Mido inquired.

"It's all around you!" Link bellowed. "Haven't you seen the Lost Woods and the state it's in? This was once a beautiful forest that could never be found anywhere else in the world, and it's fallen into ruins. Not to mention this very village, which looks appalling compared to the last…I mean, compared to what it once must've been like. This all happened seven years ago, am I right? Seven years ago, the very time the rest of the world was affected. And you dare to say that our task doesn't _concern_ you?"

"Yes, I dare!" Mido countered, slamming his fists on the table. "And I'd dare again! We Kokiri have gotten through worse troubles than this, and…"

"Worse troubles? _Worse troubles_?" Link could feel his teeth grind together as his jaw grew taut. He could tell Mido was getting distressed about something and was trying to hide it, but saying something completely untrue about Link's home was simply unacceptable. "You lie! Name one time the Lost Woods was in a worse state than this!"

Link's challenge caused Mido to hesitate briefly, but he quickly regained his composure. "It doesn't matter! What matters is that your claim that there's some kind of temple in this forest has absolutely no evidence and is a lie as far as we Kokiri are concerned. And you continuing to come here and bother us with your constant demands is wearing thin our patience…"

"_Our_ patience?" Link interrupted. "Excuse me, Mido, but so far you're the only one who has said anything in your defense. You have indicated your opinions to be of all the Kokiri, and yet none of the others seated in this very house have even said a word concerning the matter."

Link then suddenly panned his gaze around the room, making sure he looked at every single present Kokiri. "Does anyone here wish to state his or her opinion?" he exclaimed. "Or is it true that Mido's words speak for all of you…?"

"Shut up!" Mido screamed, his face turning red. "When I speak, it's for the entire village! I am the voice of the Kokiri, and what I say is what everyone wishes to be said…"

"No!" Link roared, this time standing up and pointing and accusing finger. "You are _not_ the voice of the Kokiri. Someone as hot-tempered and irritable as you could _never _be the voice of the Kokiri! I demand to speak to someone else about this! Someone who knows how to make decisions based upon necessity and not stubbornness! Someone who will actually take the time to listen to us and help us in any way possible!"

Link knew who exactly he was talking about and he was sure Mido knew as well. So it was a bit of a surprise when Mido again dodged the target in the same livid and mocking tone.

"Someone else, you say? And whom exactly would you like to speak to? Someone in this room, maybe? Or shall I go outside and find some other Kokiri who might…?"

At that very moment, Link forgot his charade and lost control of his words. "You know exactly who I'm talking about, Mido!" he yelled. "I demand to speak to her now!"

The moment Link said the word "her," the heated blood in Mido's face drained away from pure astonishment and his mouth gaped open like the hole Link had fallen down to reach Gohma's nest. The other Kokiri had obviously also noticed, as they started to whisper amongst themselves. Link's anger was too great for him to notice what they were saying, but he did catch a few hints that they were questioning who exactly he was.

Mido recovered from his shock, but not completely, as his less-irate tone suggested. "You…you want to speak to a girl? What silly idea are you thinking of now…?"

It didn't take Link long to realize there was no turning back now. He walked up to the table, slammed his palms on the surface, and demanded as loudly as he could, "Where is Saria? I demand to speak to Saria! Tell me where she is! _Now_!"

The whispers suddenly turned to audible cries of disbelief; several Kokiri stood up so they could prevent themselves from actually crying out in astonishment. But Mido was clearly the one most affected by the mention of that name.

"S…S…Saria…how…how do you know…I…I never told…I never told Sheik…how do you…how do you know…how do…?"

Now it was Link's turn to lose his patience. He stormed his way towards Mido and stopped just shy of the astonished Kokiri. Never in Link's wildest dreams did he ever think he would tower over his former bully like this, but here he was, looming over Mido like a bully himself. Mido simply remained motionless while Link grabbed the Kokiri's shoulders and held them as tightly as he could.

"Mido, tell me! Tell me where Saria is! I have to know! Tell me where she is! Please, this is very important! Where is she? Where is she? Please! Mido!"

But Mido didn't say anything in response to Link's plea. His mouth did flutter several times, as if he was about to say something, but he was obviously struggling to make sure he didn't reveal anything. Link's pleas only strengthened his resolve, and it didn't take Link very long to realize what Mido was doing.

"Mido, please, tell me. You…you can trust me. I'm a friend of Saria's. You don't have to protect her from me. I'm a friend, Mido, a friend. Please, it's important that I find her. I…"

"How…how do I know I can trust you?" Mido abruptly muttered softly, his eyes quivering with fear.

_"So you _are_ protecting her,"_ Link thought. _"So you_ are _protecting Saria. But what for? Why are you doing this? Why…? No, think about the issue on hand. You have to convince Mido he can trust you. But how can I without telling him who I am? How can I…? Wait, that's it!"_

When Link let go of Mido's shoulders, the Kokiri took several quick steps back, as if Link's act of touching him had been terrifying. Link simply ignored Mido's frantic act and reached for his pouch hanging on his belt. The object he removed from his pouch he was all too familiar with, even though he hadn't even used it that much. The Ocarina of Time felt heavy as he lifted it to his mouth, heavy with the burden of responsibility that Link was forced to carry, but he ignored this impression as best he could.

Although Link had no qualms about showing the Kokiri the precious instrument, Sheik didn't share his thoughts. "Hey, what are you doing? No, put that away! You're not supposed to…no, stop! Stop…!"

But he was too late. Before Sheik could say anything else, Link's lips closed around the ocarina's mouthpiece and he started to play. The song that came from the instrument was so perfectly performed that it even stopped Sheik in his tracks. Mido and the other Kokiri were also so caught up in the song's light melody and beautiful that it took them a few moments before they even realized what Link was playing. Mido was the first to figure it out, but it was the other Kokiri who first said it.

"He…he's playing Saria's song!"

"She's right! That's the song that Saria always plays!"

"How does he know that song?"

"I don't know! I thought Saria only taught that song to her friends!"

"And he's an outsider! How can an outsider know a song only the Kokiri would know?"

"Who is he? Could he really be…?"

"That's _enough_!"

No one knew to whom Mido was directing his command – Link or the Kokiri – but both fell silent immediately after the demand was uttered. Mido glared around the room frantically, as if making sure that everyone was obeying his order, before returning his attention to Link, who was lowering the ocarina from his face at a painfully slow pace. The two exchanged glances for a moment before Mido finally took a deep breath and started speaking in an unexpectedly gentle tone.

"You…how do you know that song? How do you the song that only Saria and her closest friends know how to play?"

As Mido asked his question, Link saw the depth of Mido's emotions in the Kokiri's eyes. They weren't full of anger or fury or even frustration; instead they were filled with an almost sad kind of hope, almost as if Mido were pleading to Link for the answers through his eyes. Gazing into that sentiment, Link could again feel his charade crumbling and his heart pushing him to tell the truth. Each second turned into a burden and each attempt to rebuild that façade only met with backlash.

Finally, he gave in.

"I…I…"

The room grew eerily quiet when Link uttered that word. Several Kokiri leaned in closer so they didn't miss anything possibly important. Mido's eyes grew wide with expectation as he awaited the answers he desired. Even Sheik was intrigued to find out what Link was about to reveal to the persons present.

To get a better grip on his conflicting emotions, Link clenched his free fist so he could continue.

"I…I…am…"

Link took a deep breath.

"I am…I…am…"

"You are…?" Mido mimicked, unable to contain his curiosity. "You are…?"

"I am…"

"…a friend of Link's. A friend of Link's. I can't believe it. I still can't believe you actually told them that."

As Sheik expressed his dislike of Link's explanation for the hundredth time, Link lowered his head and gave the accompanying reply. "Yes, yes, I know. I'm sorry." This times, however, he decided to add an appendage to his response. "But that's what I felt I had to say. Really, it was."

"You say that," Sheik countered irately, "and yet you came _this_ close to actually revealing who you were. I don't know the significance of that song you played, but it obviously made them suspicious of who you were. I thought your ridiculous charade would end there and then, but you ended up saying, 'I'm a friend of Link's.' And of course, everyone believed you. I don't know what you're game is, Link, but it's getting in the way of the task at hand. You're just lucky that you actually managed to get them to tell us what we needed to know. If it had been otherwise, I would've just told them who you were, right there and then. And another thing…"

"Sheik, let me ask you something," Link calmly interjected.

"What?" Sheik asked curtly.

Link looked up and gazed into Sheik's eyes. "Are you a Kokiri?"

Sheik jerked his head back in surprise. "Of course I'm not. Why ask such a ridiculous question…?"

Link raised a hand to silence the Sheikah. "If you're not a Kokiri, then don't tell me what I can and can't do with my own friends."

"And why not?"

"Because you do not know the Kokiri's way of life, that's why not. You do not know how we live, how we interact, and how we think. You do not know what we eat, what we dream, and what we believe. You have no idea what we do, where we do it, why we do it, and why we _choose_ to do it. In other words, you do not know what the Kokiri are, and therefore you do not understand our way of life."

Link's eyes tightened into a challenging glare. "And therefore, Sheik, you do not know _me_."

Link then turned his head away in a snappish jolt, sending Sheik the message that he was no longer interested in the Sheikah's opinion on the subject. Sheik was about to press the topic further, but he stopped himself and thought about what Link said. It took him half a minute to realize what Link was trying to say and he sighed in defeat.

"All right, all right, I guess I can see the point you're making. But it still makes me uncomfortable, Link, especially after you nearly got us kicked out of here again. I just hope you're not going to do anything like this in the future."

"Don't worry, I don't intend to," Link admitted uneasily. "Besides, I'm planning on telling them after this is all over. But before you say anything, I have my reasons. Let's just leave it at that, okay?"

Sheik shook his head and sighed. "As you wish, as you wish. By the way, how much longer do you think Mido will be? We've been waiting here for quite some time."

The two "outsiders" were in the small garden located behind Mido's house, standing and leaning against the giant hollow tree that served as the Kokiri's home. It had been almost an hour since Mido's departure, his reason being he had to "make sure the path was clear." Not even Link knew to what Mido was referring, so all he and Sheik could do was wait for the Kokiri to return from whatever he was doing.

As he scratched his hair behind his head, Link was amazed that no other Kokiri had approached him since he had revealed to them he was "Link's friend." He could still see their gapes of shock and could still hear their cries of disbelief. And he could even recall the frenzy they went into when he explained to them how he knew Link:

_"Two years ago, I met a young boy by the name of Link and we became fast friends. He told me he was a Kokiri and that he could never age like I did. He told me all about his home, especially about his best friend Saria. We parted ways soon after that, but I was forever intrigued with the race of the Kokiri. Thanks to Link, I knew more about the Kokiri than anyone else outside the Lost Woods, and that's why Sheik chose to bring me here with him."_

His reason was so weak and so flawed that Link was surprised they accepted it without question. But he guessed they were just excited to know that Link was alive, even if it had been a couple of years ago. All the Kokiri at that time had wanted to ask Link so many questions, but Mido had intervened by abruptly asking everyone to leave his house. Everyone did, albeit reluctantly, and once everyone was gone Mido had said something Link could still hear ringing in his mind:

"You want me to take you to the Forest Temple, right?"

Link had been so startled by Mido's question that he had only managed to nod, to which Mido replied, "Then there's something I need to do first. Wait outside in my garden behind this house and I'll be back as soon as I can."

With that, he had promptly disappeared, leaving Link and Sheik alone. And now here they were, waiting in Mido's garden with nothing but each other's company and the dead stillness of the former glory of the Lost Woods.

"I don't know," Link uttered in reply to Sheik's question concerning Mido's whereabouts. "But what I'm wondering about is why he suddenly decided to tell us about the temple. Oh, sure, I told him that I 'knew' Link, but we're still 'outsiders' and yet he just offered to take us without hesitating. I don't understand. I just don't understand."

"Well, if you're that worried about it, just ask him about it when he gets here…"

"Ask me what?"

A startled Sheik twisted his head around to see Mido hurrying from around the corner of his house, his cheeks completely flushed and his chest heaving in exhaustion but his face smiling in satisfaction.

"Mido, are you okay?" Sheik asked.

"Yes, I'm all right," Mido uttered with a wave of his hand. "But that's not important. What is it you wanted to ask me?"

Deciding it would be best not to dawn on Mido's tiredness, Link told Mido what was on his mind. The Kokiri bully took a moment to contemplate an answer before he replied.

"The answer's simple, really. I'm not really taking you to the Forest Temple. I'm taking you to see Saria, who happens to be at the Forest Temple."

Link coughed in surprise. "Saria? You mean…Saria's at the Forest Temple? What is she doing there?"

"A couple of years ago, Saria and I went out to inspect a section of the forest we hadn't visited for a long time, and what we found nearly got us killed. We ran into these creatures that we had never seen before in the Lost Woods…big, ugly monsters that seemed to be guarding something in that part of the forest. We only managed to escape them because we knew the forest better than they did, but they obviously knew how to kill so we were very lucky.

"After that close call, we decided to sneak into the area they were guarding and slipped past them one misty night. We were surprised to find a temple we had never seen before, a temple no generation of Kokiri had bothered to mention. It was clear that this temple was what those creatures were guarding, so Saria made the decision to go inside and find out exactly why it was so important. I offered to go in with her, but she said I needed to lead the rest of the Kokiri while she was away, saying I was the best suited for the task."

Mido's lips tightened. "After all I did in the past, I never thought Saria would say I was the best suited to lead the Kokiri."

_"Neither did I,"_ Link thought in astonishment.

"She took a few nights to prepare," Mido continued, "gave me a few words of advice, and then left for the temple. That was the last I ever saw of her. I know she's still alive - I can somehow feel she is alive – but I've always wanted to make sure of it. I had given her my word I would not follow her, but have learned the patrol rounds of those creatures in case the need arises.

"And that's what I did just now. I went to go see where they are in their patrol patterns, and the next window of opportunity will open in a short time. So I suggest we end this discussion now so we can get there before it's too late. Come on, let' go…"

"Wait, there's just one more thing I need to know," Link interjected.

Mido planted his hands on his hips. "Yes, what is it?" he sighed.

"I guess…I guess I'm still confused about something. Okay, so you're only taking us to the Forest Temple because you're really taking us to Saria. Why do you want to take us to Saria?"

Mido again hesitated before he answered. "Before she left, Saria told me two things. First, she told me not to let anyone go to the temple, which is why I was so spiteful to you earlier. She said she didn't want anyone to get hurt trying to reach her, but I applied that rule to outsiders like you so you wouldn't hurt her. I mean, I didn't know what you would do in the temple, let alone do to Saria, so I had to act the way I did to protect her."

"I understand," Link acknowledged sincerely. "And the second thing?"

"The second thing…was that if I had to let one person go to the temple, it had to be Link."

Link had to force himself not to choke on the air. Did Mido suspect…?

"But since Link hasn't come back," Mido continued, "you two will have to do. You may not be Link, but you know him. And I'm just so worried about Saria that I…I…well, you know. Please, I don't know what you're planning on doing in that temple, but please make sure that Saria's all right. And…and please tell her about Link, because I'm…I'm sure she'll love to hear about him."

_"Don't worry,"_ Link thought heavily. _"I'll tell her."_

Mido paused for a moment before he added, "Okay, we've dawdled enough. Let's go before our window of opportunity closes."

"Right," Link agreed before turning his gaze towards the Sheikah. "All right, Sheik, let's…Sheik, what's wrong?"

The Sheikah's head was hanging on his hand and he was staring at the ground in apparently deep thought when Link took notice. When Sheik didn't respond to Link's question, the Hero of Time asked his question a little louder, which this time made Sheik snap out of his daze.

"Is something wrong, Sheik?" Link repeated again.

"What…oh, no, it's nothing…at least…I hope it's nothing…"

The air tasted dry and stale, even though a light, cool breeze blew through the forest. The trees rustled faintly in response, but for the most part they remained as still and lifeless as the plains residing beyond the forest's borders. Other than the arid crackle of dead leaves against one another, the only sounds to be heard were the tiny wings of insects that could somehow thrive in such cruel conditions.

Link tried swatting one such insect out of his face, but he only succeeded in scratching his arm against the sharp blades of saw grass in which he was crouching. The cut was deep enough to make him cringe, but luckily it didn't draw blood. He tried to groan the small pain out, but he quickly stopped himself in order not to breath in an odor given off by the grass, an odor that tasted like rotten animal flesh.

Holding back his grunts, Link returned his arm underneath his chin and slowing turned to his left, where Mido was reclining beside him on his stomach.

"Mido, I know we're suppose to be hiding," Link grumbled loudly, "but do you mind explaining why you chose a patch of saw grass?"

"Keep your voice down!" Mido whispered harshly before continuing in a gentler tone, "This saw grass is tall enough to hide us from those creature's poor eyesight…and the grass's odor will hide our scents from their sharp noses. And keep your voice down; they can hear a forest mouse step on a dry leaf a good distance away."

"I see," Link griped softly while trying to keep as much of the odor out as possible. "But why are we hiding in the first place? The coast looks clear right now…"

"…and it's what they're trying make it look like," Mido interjected. "We can't see anything now, but further down here there's another patrol of those creatures making their rounds in this line of sight. If you rush in now, you'll run straight into them. They're ugly, but they're not stupid."

"I don't know why, but I'm not liking this more and more."

Sheik's words caused both the Hero of Time and the Kokiri to turn and face the Sheikah, who was lying on his stomach to Link's left.

"Not liking what?" Mido asked.

"This situation," Sheik answered. "Ever since you told me about those creatures, I've had this strange feeling. I can't explain it, but I feel we're walking into some kind of trap."

"A trap?" repeated Link. "A trap set by whom?"

"I…I don't want to even consider it…but…"

Suddenly, Mido waved a hand excitedly in the air. "Quiet! Quiet! They're coming! Get down and shut up and be as quiet as possible!"

Following Mido's instructions, Linka and Sheik crouched down as much as they could without allowing the saw grass to obstruct their vision. They took a quick second to find out where Mido was looking and directed their own gazes in that direction. Then they waited, waited to see the reason they were hiding in prickly saw grass…

"Here they come," Mido whispered as a final note before he fell silent completely.

The first sign that something was heading in their direction was the sluggish yet noticeable breaking of the calm in the air. The dry, uncomfortable stillness was gradually replaced by a soft, rhythmic noise that grew louder and louder with each beat. Within a few moments, Link managed to determine that the noise was actually a composite of several sounds, and as it grew louder he could figure out what those sounds were.

The first sounded like heavy footsteps in unified processions, footsteps belonging to a very powerful owner. The second sounded like a single voice that signaled with every footstep, as if leading the owners in perfect unison. The third – and it was this sound that worried Link – sounded like heavy pieces metal clanging against one another, the sound most associated with someone marching while wearing armor.

Link hadn't even seen the creatures yet and he was already concerned about them. At first he thought he was being unnecessarily tense, but when he actually saw them he realized his nervousness was well justified.

They appeared from behind a cluster of trees without warning, their ominous sounds suddenly growing to their loudest extent. Just as Link had guessed, the creatures were walking in perfect unity with each other in a single line, demonstrating they were obviously intelligent. As they grew closer, Link got a better look at them through the pinching saw grass and he didn't like what he saw.

The beasts were tall, roughly under twice the height of Link, and were very well built. They human-like bodies rippled with muscles all the way down their arms and legs and across their chests, muscles almost as powerful as the ones Darunia of the Gorons possessed. They did indeed wear armor, but they weren't as heavy coated as Link had guessed. Instead of covering their entire bodied with metal-plated clothing, only a few key spots were coated with armor, including the area around the hips, the upper chest, the shoulders, and the scalp.

They all carried a single weapon in their right hand – a crudely made spear, it seemed – but Link knew these beasts could kill something without them. Their skin, while naturally colored a sickening brown, appeared soiled from unknown, horrible deeds that Link didn't even want to know about and indeed made them look unsightly. But their faces were what truly made them hideous. Short and chubby compared to the rest of their bodies, the monsters' heads were more animal than human. With sharp ears resembling a fox's, flat and stiff jaws as fierce as a Dodongo's, and tiny eyes as emotionless as a ReDead's, these creatures reminded Link of a combination between a disfigured forest wolf and Hylian Market pig. They also reminded Link of the Lizalfos he encountered in the Dodongo's Cavern, only these brutes were far more deadly. Unlike those Lizalfos, these creatures knew how to kill and kill quickly and easily.

Link didn't have to face them to know that; he just knew.

_"By the Three Goddesses,"_ he thought. _"Please don't let them see us. Please don't let them know we're here. Please…please…"_

He didn't know who he was praying to, but he just hoped his prayer was answered. All he dared to do after that was remain perfectly still and try to breath as softly as he could as the troop of creatures began passing them. They were thankfully marching a safe distance from Link's hiding place, but Link still felt uncomfortable being able to see them at all. Other than the voice he had heard earlier, he could now hear each and every one of those creatures grunt strongly with each step they took, as if they couldn't walk without making some kind of sound. Link could also hear their noses snort and grunt, sniffing the air for any traces of anything that could be killed; he even thought he could hear the their ears twitch to listen for any unusual sounds.__

Link was so anxious that he even tried not to think for fear they could hear his thoughts. As he turned his neck to watch the group of monsters walk past him, he hoped they couldn't hear his muscle movements. He managed to keep his breath down, but he could feel his heart race in his chest his ears; he quickly prayed the beasts couldn't hear heartbeats.

_"Go away,"_ he wanted to think out loud but instead did so at a whisper. _"Just go away…go away…just go away…"_

To Link's complete relief, the armor-clad monsters didn't stick around for that long; they didn't even pause in their march once the entire he saw them. As quickly as they appeared, the brutes disappeared down their predetermined path behind another cluster of trees. Their threatening sounds seemed to fade a lot slower than they had developed, but the softer they grew the more relieved Link felt.

It wasn't until he could no longer hear anything but the stillness of the forest when Link found the courage to say something. "What…what were those thing?" he whispered loudly.

To his surprise, Sheik had an answer for him, although he sounded just as nervous as Link. "M…M…Moblins…"

"Moblins…?" Link repeated when Mido interrupted.

"Quickly! Now's our chance! We have to make a run for it! Follow me and don't lag behind!"

Without hesitating another second, Mido sprang into a standing position and pushed himself forward, heading deeper into the forest.

"Mido, wait…?" Link started but was again interrupted, this time by Sheik. But instead of speaking, the Sheikah merely interjected by following Mido's example and running after the nimble Kokiri. Link quickly realized he was going to be left behind if he didn't start moving and cried, "Hey, wait for me!"

Link managed to nearly cut his hands while using them to help him stand up, but he hardly cared. A few scrapes from saw grass were far better than facing even one of those "Moblins." As he struggled to catch up to Sheik and Mido, he tried thinking of something to ignore the pain in his palms.

He thought of something instantly. _"Saria…I'm coming, Saria. I'm nearly there. Just wait a little longer. I'm nearly there…"_

"Link, we're in big trouble."

When Link managed to catch up to Sheik, who was waiting for him at the base of a very large oak tree, Link thought the Sheikah would at least let him catch his breath before saying anything. But Sheik didn't waste any time at all.

"Tr…trouble?" Link panted breathlessly as he stopped and bent over to catch his breath. "Wha…what are you…what are…you…?"

"Link, those were Moblins," Sheik declared urgently. "Those creatures we saw…they were Moblins."

"Yes, you said that before," Link pointed out. "So what…?"

"Moblins are part of Ganondorf's horde."

At the mention of that terrifying name, Link felt a chill run down his spine, a chill that erected his back and made him breath normally again. "Ganondorf? What do you mean?"

"Ganondorf created those creatures, Link, that's what I mean," Sheik asserted firmly. "And that means that Ganondorf knows about the Forest Temple. I knew he knew about some of the other temples, but I never thought he'd figure out where the Forest Temple was. If he's using Moblins to guard the temple's perimeters, then…then what has he guarding the _inside_ of the temple?"

Ganondorf…guarding the temples? Great, that was all Link needed. All he wanted was for this little temple-quest to be over as quickly as possible, but apparently the one man he hated wouldn't even give Link that luxury. Perfect. Just perfect.

Clenching his fist in gentle yet firm rage, Link considered pursuing the topic further but realized it wouldn't do any good. Instead he asked, "Where…where's Mido…?"

"Here," the Kokiri's familiar voice echoed before Mido himself burst from a nearby clump of bushes. He slowed his pace down as he approached the Hero of Time and the Sheikah and stopped within arm's reach of Link to catch his breath. He was just as flushed as Link was from the running, but he didn't look as annoyed as the Hero of Time felt.

"Where did you go just now?" Link inquired.

"I just did a quick spot check of the temple," Mido replied. "There's no creatures – or Moblins, whatever you call them – there's nothing guarding the entrance, so you can just walk in and do whatever you want."

"You mean…you're not going any further?"

Mido shook his hands wildly. "No, no, no. I promised Saria I wouldn't follow her, and I intend on keeping my word. Besides, I have the Kokiri to lead in Saria's stead. So you two will have to go in alone, but…"

"Actually, I'm not going in," Sheik interjected.

Both Link and Mido jerked their heads around to face the Sheikah, but Link was the first to respond. "You…you're not going in? What are you talking about? I thought you were going to help me. I thought…"

"I told you before," Sheikah uttered calmly, "I can only help you to a certain point. I have other duties to attend to other than aiding you, the Hero of Time. You will have to enter the temple alone, but I'm sure you can awaken the Sage without my help."

Although Link had heard it before, he still couldn't believe what he was hearing. "But…what about whatever might be guarding the temple? Are you just going to leave me to face whatever's inside there all by myself?"

"Yes, but you should have no need to worry. Although you won't have my help, you will have the power of the Master Sword behind you, as well as Rauru's power. That should be enough to protect you from whatever Ganondorf has left to defend the temple."

_"Oh, yeah, a far cry from 'Link, we're in big trouble.' "_

Link's face grew now looked as irritated as he was surprised. "But…but if you had no intention of going in with me, then why did you just follow me all the way to this point? Mind explaining that?"

"I have a reason," Sheik replied as he fiddling his fingers with one another, "and that reason is because there is one thing you must do before you enter the temple."

"Oh, really?" Link asked almost cynically. "And what might that be?"

"This," Sheik answered moments before removing something from behind his back…

"So…this is the Forest Temple."

Link's first words upon laying eyes on the Temple of Forest weren't exactly profound, but Link wasn't concerned about sounding deep at the moment. All that really mattered was that he had found the temple.

Ironically, the Forest Temple wasn't really much to look at. Link had expected finding a grand palace worthy of competing with the Hyrule Castle he saw seven years ago, but instead he found nothing of the sort. Instead of soaring towers and adjoined structures, all that the temple seemed to boast of was a single building with a triangular roof and pillars surrounding its wall. And he couldn't see even that part well thanks to a lofty and rigid stone wall running around the structure. The only entrance in sight was a gaping square hole situated directly in front of Link, and it didn't even boast any kind of decoration.

Was this really the Temple of the Forest, the sacred resting place of the power of the Sage of the Forest? If it was, it certainly wasn't anything impressive. Maybe the inside would fair better…

_If he's using Moblins to guard the temple's perimeters, then…then what has he guarding the _inside_ of the temple?_

Sheik's words crept into his mind like an annoying itch he couldn't scratch and he sighed in frustration. He didn't want to, but he had a feeling he was going to draw blood with his sword soon enough. As much as he hated killing, despite his uncontrollable bloodlusts, he knew he was going to take something's life this day.

Something…

_"Why me?"_ Link cried in his mind. _"Why does it have to be me?"_

He stood before the entrance to the Forest Temple for a few minutes longer, pondering whether or not to step inside and meet his fate. He could just abandon this quest and return to the Kokiri, but in his heart he knew this was but a pipe dream. If he did not awaken the Sage of the Forest, as well as the other Sages, then Ganondorf would win and the Lost Woods, not to mention all of Hyrule, would die in his hands.

No, not Ganondorf's hands.

Link's hands.

If Link did not do this, Link would be responsible for the death of everything around him. And that was something Link could not…no _would_ not allow. He had no choice; he had to go in.

"Very well," he whispered to himself. "Let's do this."

Taking a deep breath, Link headed for the opening in the wall. Each step he took felt as if he were walking for the first time. The closer he got to the temple, the heavier the Master Sword on his back became. But he forced himself to press on, forced himself to enter the domain where he would kill something. When he stood within arm's reach of the entrance, he thought he could almost smell the blood he was about to shed…

_THWAK…_

Link jumped from pure fright when something flew past his left cheek and collided with the stone wall with an earsplitting crack. But before he could even do anything else, a loud voice boomed from behind him.

"Don't move! I've got you in my sights! Try anything funny and I'll kill you! Stay right where you are!"

Too stunned to move, all Link could do was obey the strict order from whomever was behind him. He did, however, take the risk of turning his neck slightly so he could see exactly what had flown past him just a moment ago. There, imbedded in the stone itself and still vibrating like a cold wind, was an arrow. At first glance, he could tell it was an expertly crafted arrow, so whoever made it must be an extraordinary shot.

Deciding to play it safe, Link raised his hands in the air.

"I said don't move!" the voice demanded.

"I'm…I'm just raising my hands, that's all!" Link called back. "Who…who are you?"

"That's none of your concern! What are you doing here? How did you get here? You have no reason to be here!"

"I'm…I'm here…" Link started before stopping himself. He couldn't tell this person he was here to awaken the Sage of the Forest. "I'm…I'm here to find someone."

"Who?"

"I…I don't know if I should tell you…"

"Hey! I'm the one who can kill you where you stand! Now answer me! Who are you trying to find?"

Realizing he had no choice, Link uttered, "I…I'm here to find Saria. But…but if I may be so bold, I'd still like to know who you are. Are you a friend of hers?"

There was no answer for what seemed like an eternity. Link was about to think that whomever was behind him was gone when that loud, commanding voice abruptly returned. "Turn around! Do it slowly and don't make any sudden moves!"

Without any other options, Link did as he was told.

When he saw who was behind him, he gaped in pure disbelief.

The person was standing a stone's throw away from Link, clutching a bow in one hand and a drawn arrow in the other. This was obviously the one who had shot that arrow, but Link would've never guessed it would be the person standing before him. He couldn't believe he hadn't recognized that voice off the bat. Oh, sure, it had been seven years, and sure, he had never heard it at that tone before, but that was no excuse. How could he ever forget the voice of…of…of…?

"I am Saria," the green-haired Kokiri standing before him declared as she drew the arrow further back in the bowstring. "I am the one you seek. Now tell me who you are and how you know my name."

By the look in Saria's eyes, Link could tell she was serious about killing him if he made any funny moves. He couldn't believe he was seeing like this; the Saria he knew would've never hurt the smallest forest creature. But either way, he was still looking at Saria. Saria. She looked exactly the same as he had left her all those years ago. Green clothes, green hair, pale skin, even Katl hovering over her shoulder. It was Saria, and that's all that mattered.

Link had found Saria at last.

"Saria…I found you at last," Link muttered as he struggled to fight back the tears in his eyes.

"So you've been looking for me for a while, have you?" Saria snarled. "But answer my question! Who are you? Answer me!"

There was no holding back now. He had made a promise to himself he wouldn't play games with her. Link was going for it. "Saria…don't you recognize me? It's me. I'm…Link."

The moment his name left his lips, Link prepared for any kind of backlash that Saria might inflict upon him. He anticipated her gaping in shock before shaking away the feeling and shrugging his statement off. He expected her to tell him that he was lying and to tell her who he really was. He stood ready to take off his cap so he could show her Navi, who would prove to her that he really was the boy who had left all those years ago.

But instead, Saria gaped in shock and remained that way. Her face grew pale, her eyes grew wide, and her jaw dropped to the ground. Her hand that clutched the arrow in the bow suddenly lost strength and loosened the taut bowstring; a second later she dropped the arrow, followed closely by the bow. She seemed to be…trembling. Link couldn't believe it; she was actually _trembling_!

"Link?" an astonished Saria uttered. "Is…is that really you…?"

Link felt the smile grow on his face. "Yes, Saria, it's me. I'm home."

Link half-expected Saria to suddenly ask questions about him, such as why he was all grown up. But all Saria did was cover her hand over her mouth to recover from the shock. "Link…don't play games with me. Don't lie to me. Don't tell me you aren't there. By the Three Goddesses, if you really are there, please prove to me you are you who say you are. Please…"

"Oh, for crying out loud!"

Link was just as surprised as Saria when a familiar pink fairy zipped from underneath Link's hat and above the Hero of Time's shoulder, her light flickering wildly. "You want proof, Saria?" Navi cried. "Well, _I'm_ your proof. It's me, Navi, the fairy Link received before he left the forest. There, I've just proved he's Link. Now, will you two just stop with the senseless melodrama already?"

At first, Saria didn't know what to do when she heard the fairy's testimony except take in what she just heard. She glanced at Navi for a split second before she returned her gaze to Link, who had returned his own stare at Saria. Both merely gawked at one another for what seemed like forever, unable to move or even speak.

But then Saria made the first move. Her gape turned into a weak smile and her wide eyes tightened, allowing tears to flow down her cheeks. She tried a few times to say something, but all she could say was one word. "Link…Link…Link…_Link_!"

Unable to hold herself back, Saria released that last cry of his name as joyfully as she could and pushed herself forward, running straight for the Hero of Time with her arms wide open. She didn't say anything more as she rushed towards him, but she didn't need to; that final cry of "Link" was enough to open the door for Link to cry.

"Saria…oh, Saria…"

Link's own words were merely a whisper, but they spoke loudly enough to release his tears. As he felt their warmth trickle down his face, he felt his legs forcing him to kneel to the ground. Not willing to argue with himself, Link did so, and when his knees touched the ground he realized why he was kneeling in the first place. Without a second thought, he threw open his arms so he could greet the advancing Kokiri.

_"Is…is this a dream?"_ Link thought as he recalled his seven-year long dream back in the Chamber of Sages. _"Is…is this going to fade away…like before? Will I lose her again? Oh, please, no. Please, don't let that be so. I won't lose you again, Saria. Never again. Never…"_

"_Liiiiiiiink_!"

Saria's scream of his name echoed like a fulfilled promise just as Saria leaped into Link's arms. The moment he felt her child-like body slam into his chest and her arms wrap around his torso, Link knew this really wasn't a dream. It was real; he was really holding Saria in his arms. Holding Saria…in his arms…

"Oh, Link!" Saria bawled through her voice choked by her own tears. "I knew you'd come back! I knew it! And you're here! You're finally here! Thank the Three Goddesses! You're finally here! Oh, Link…!"

"Saria…" was all Link managed through his own tear-choked voice as he wrapped his arms around Saria, holding her as tightly as he could; he held her so closely that he could feel her tears trickle onto his own cheecks. He had never dreamed he would be holding her like this, as he had seen Talon hold Malon once or twice on the farm, as a father would hold a daughter. But Saria was not his daughter; she was his friend…no, she was much more than that. She meant everything to him, and he didn't care how he held her in his arms, just so long as he held her.

Everything seemed to disappear in that moment – the forest, Time, even the fairies Navi and Katl – and that was exactly what Link wanted. This was a moment he would treasure, because it was the first time since returning to the Lost Woods that he felt he belonged. That he was back.

That he was home.


	39. Awakening Fate

**Chapter 39: Awakening Fate**

"So you're leaving?"

Sheik turned around from his horse so he could see Mido, who was standing a short distance away behind the Sheikah. "Yes, I am."

Mido curled his lips into an indifferent frown. "Then you're serious about not helping your friend with the temple."

Sheik gazed down at the ground and nodded gently. "I'm afraid so. I wish I could help him, but I am needed elsewhere to attend to matters I cannot ignore. But I have faith in him; he is the Hero of Time, after all."

Mido nodded. "I see. This…this Hero of Time…who exactly is he? I've heard you call him that a couple of times, yet I don't know who exactly or what he is."

Sheik looked up again. "The Hero of Time…he is…" Sheik then hesitated, pausing to think up an answer before continuing. "Look around you, Mido. The Lost Woods was once a beautiful forest filled with forbidden splendor, but now it has fallen into ruins. The hands of Ganondorf, the King of Evil, are covered with the blood of this atrocious deed. The Hero of Time is the one who will put an end to your suffering, as well as everyone else's suffering, by destroying the King of Evil and all he has done."

Mido nodded again and scratched his cheek a couple of times before uttering, "I guess that makes sense. But you left out one detail."

"What's that?"

"You haven't told me his name."

Although Sheik cringed when Mido pointed that little detail out, the Sheikah had actually prepared for being asked about it. "He…the Hero of Time wishes to remain anonymous because he doesn't want his name to be associated with his title. He knows of the legacy that follows his title, and when he becomes part of that legend he wishes only to be known as the Hero of Time."

"So you don't even know his name, is that right?"

"That's right."

Mido sighed. "Well, if that's what he wishes, I suppose we'll have to respect it. So, is there anything you need before you leave this place?"

Sheik blinked in surprise. He didn't expect Mido would change the subject that quickly. Still, he was somewhat relieved that Mido didn't want to pursue the topic any further; he wanted to respect Link's wishes, despite how ridiculous they were. Sighing softly in relief, Sheik proceeded to answer Mido's question.

"Actually, I'm fine, thank you. Alistair is all packed and ready for the journey ahead…oh, that reminds me. Would you at all mind taking care of the Hero of Time's horse…Epona, I think her name is? I don't know how long he'll be inside that temple, so someone will have to take care of his horse…"

"You don't need to say anything else," Mido politely interrupted with weak smile on his face. "I'll take care of her as if she were one of the Kokiri until her master returns; it's the least I can do for you. You can count on it."

Sheik smiled underneath his collar. "Thank you, Mido. I really appreciate what you've done for us." He then turned back around so he could face his horse. "Well, I have to get going now. I have a long journey ahead of me. Maybe I'll return one day so I can thank you at the appropriate moment."

"If you do, then I'll look forward to it. Until then, don't worry about Link and Epona. I'll take good care of them until they leave here."

Sheik nodded. "Thank you again. Goodbye, Mido."

"Farewell, Sheik. And good luck."

Deciding not to prolong his journey any further, Sheik grabbed the reins of his horse Alistair firmly and lifted himself into the saddle. When the Sheikah was firmly seated on the beast's back, he lifted the reins to beckon Alistair to move forward and begin the ride all the way to Kakariko Village.

But he stopped.

"Wait a minute…"

It was hard to believe Link hadn't cried out all his tears by now, but somehow he still managed to shed one every now and then as he sat there in the long grass beside the Forest Temple. He didn't know exactly why he was still crying, but he was sure it had to do with the fact that Saria was sitting next to him, telling him about everything that had happened during his absence from the Lost Woods. She was also shedding a tear every now and then, so Link knew what he was feeling was typical.

Then again, everything he had experienced up to this point had been anything but typical…

As Link listened intently to Saria's story, making no interruptions and asking no questions, he soon heard something he had already heard. "…Then, about two years ago," Saria uttered, "Mido and I decided to check a section of the forest we had neglected for a while now. When we got there, we ran into…"

"…Moblins."

Saria blinked in puzzlement. "Moblins?"

"Moblins," Link repeated. "That's the name of those creatures that you ran into."

Saria smiled. "I see. So Mido told you about our encounter with them, did he? What else did he tell you?"

Link took a moment to think before replying, "Let's see…he told me that you managed to sneak past them later on and you found this temple. He told me you decided to find out why it was so important, so you left Mido in charge of the Kokiri while you left to check it out. And he also told me…that that was the last time he ever saw you."

Saria's smile faded into a weak grin. "I…I guess that sounds right."

Link's tone of voice abruptly grew serious. "Is…is there a reason you stayed here for two years without returning to the village? I can see you staying here for a few weeks or even a couple of months, but two years?"

 Saria fell silent for about a minute, her face suggested she was trying to find a reasonable answer for Link's question. When she finally found one, she seemed reluctant to tell it to him, as if her reason were the best possible one yet it wasn't good enough for her.

"I…I can't really explain why I've stayed here for that long," she uttered. "I…I originally intended to stay here for a couple of days, but I ended up staying as long as I have. I don't know why, but…but I feel attracted to this place. Ever since I laid eyes on it, I felt some kind of bond with this temple, as if it belonged to me somehow. I just never wanted to leave it for fear of losing that connection."

"I see," Link acknowledged, deciding not to push the subject farther. "But how have you survived out here for two years?"

"Oh, come on, Link, you of all people should know that. I merely go out of the temple once in a while and pick some forest berries and shoots to eat. A nearby stream provides more than enough to drink. That's what I was doing just now when I ran across you, collecting some rations. Of course, with those…um, Moblins out there, it hasn't always been easy. That's why I made this bow and this set of arrows. You can't be too careful out here."

"Can I see that bow of yours?"

"Sure thing."

Saria then removed the bow from over her shoulder and handed to Link, who grabbed it gently in his larger hand. Surprisingly, the bow was large enough for him to use; in fact, it seemed to fit him perfectly. It was made of very sturdy wood polished to a beautiful finish, and the string felt as taut as a pair of new shoes. As a test, Link grabbed the string and pulled as hard as he could. The bow flexed with amazing suppleness, not even cracking once.

"This…this is a very well-made bow, Saria," Link commented. "But how did you make this out here in the forest?"

"The forest provided me with all the materials," Saria answered, "and you won't believe what I found inside that temple to help me build it. Same thing with these arrows."

Link remained silent for a moment so he could examine the bow further. He stroked its polished surface, fingered the bowstring's knots, and twisted in any way he could. To make such a magnificent weapon from such little resources…Link couldn't imagine how it was capable, and yet he was holding the evidence in his very hand.

"I must say, I'm impressed," Link added as he gave the bowstring one final yank before handing it back to Saria. "But there's something else I need to know. Why did you threaten to shoot me like that when you first saw me?"

Saria had obviously waited for that question, but she was still hesitant in revealing the answer. "Yes, that," she started weakly as she placed the bow in her lap. "Well, how can I explain this? I…I was scared that you were someone who wanted to kill me."

"Someone who wanted to kill you? I can understand that, I guess," Link uttered, hoping to calm Saria down a little. "Still, what made you think there was someone out there who wanted to kill you?"

"Those creatures, of course. Those Moblins," Saria replied. "They were obviously put here to guard this temple, and that means someone doesn't want anyone near this temple. So if that 'someone' finds me here, he'll most certainly kill me. I've been living in fear of that person, whoever he may be, for two years, and during that time I made sure I was ready. Ready for him, should I ever meet him, to show him I am not a timid Kokiri. I would be a genuine threat, something he wouldn't underestimate. That's the reason in a nutshell, if ever there was one."

Link blinked in amazement. "So it was all a charade?"

"More or less," Saria answered.

"Well, you could've fooled me."

"Sometimes I fooled myself as well."

"So…you were prepared to kill me?"

Saria paused for what seemed like forever, swallowed, and uttered, "Yes."

Naturally, Link shuddered. Who wouldn't shudder at the possibility of having his throat being pierced by an arrow, an arrow launched by a close friend, no less? Still, he somehow managed to keep the resulting anxiety from his voice as he said, "Well, there's nothing I can really say about that…except that I'm glad you didn't."

"I feel the same way, Link. I feel the same way."

When Saria said those words, Link thought the mood was going to remain somber, but Saria unexpectedly bounced back.

"Okay, that's enough about me," she crooned with a smile. "How about telling me about what you've been up to? I haven't heard anything about you."

Unlike with Malon, where he seemingly had all the time in the world, Link could only give Saria a condensed version of his travels. Luckily, he only had to tell his experiences beyond his last talk with her with their ocarinas; still, when he was finished, he couldn't help but feel he had cheated Saria out of some important details. Even so, he knew he had to wait until afterwards to feel guilty about it. He didn't have time.

Despite Link's shortening of his tale, however, Saria seemed satisfied when he ended his story with, "…and then I came to the Lost Woods, and you very much know the rest." She took a moment to reflect before saying anything.

"That's a very interesting story," Saria mused as she scratched her cheek, "but let me first see if I understand it correctly. You're this Hero of Time who's meant to save Hyrule from this man called Ganondorf, who stole this magic relic called the Triforce. To save Hyrule, you must awaken these six Sages by awakening their power found within these six temples. And this temple that's standing right in front of us happens to be one of those temples. Does that sound right?"

"Close enough," Link answered. "It sounds ridiculous, I know, but…"

"Hey!" Saria interrupted with a raise of her palm. "I've seen monsters that are uglier than a chewed-up carcass rotting in the sun. I've been inside a temple I never knew existed until two years ago. And right now I see a Kokiri who is twice my size. Do you honestly expect me _not to believe it?"_

Link stammered. "Well, I…"

Saria interrupted Link again, this time by standing up. "If you ask me, we're actually wasting precious time just sitting here and talking about this. You should've told me this to begin with so we could exchange pleasantries another time."

"But I…"

"Come on, then," Saria interjected as she waved her hand in the air. "Since I've called this place 'home' for the past two years, I can show you around and help you out. I'm sure we can awaken this temple's Sage if we put our resources together. So hurry up, already."

Before Link could allow another word to escape from his lips, Saria turned around and started to briskly walk towards the temple entrance, disappearing within the small doorway within a matter of moments and leaving a perplexed Link to stand up and gape after her in stony silence.

"Well," he mumbled after a short calm. "That went faster that I thought it would be. I thought she would ask for all the details and everything, but _she was the one who got us going. Isn't that strange, Navi…? Navi? Navi? Navi, are there? Hey, Navi, where are you?"_

Link quickly reached under his hat, expecting the fairy to be sleeping again, but to his surprise the fay wasn't there. "Navi?" he called out at a louder volume. "Navi, where are you? Navi…?"

"Relax, Link, relax. I'm right here."

Link swiftly turned his head and looked up, just in time to see the familiar pink glow of his friend flutter downward from a tree branch. It took Link a second to realize Navi was accompanied by a second, more purplish light, and it took him another second to realize it was Katl, Saria's fairy.

"What were you two doing?" Link inquired as the two fairies flew level with his eyes.

"Just catching up," Navi replied. "Do you know how long it's been since I've talked to someone of my own kind? I can only tolerate talking to you for so long, you know."

"Well, Navi certainly does have some interesting things to say," Katl announced, "especially regarding your little adventures outside this forest and who you're supposed to be. I never expected to see you again, but then I never expected to see the Lost Woods end up like this. I just hope you live up to your name as the Hero of Time, because we certainly need one…a hero, I mean. Well, I must get going if I want to catch up to my charge. See you inside."

With that, Katl briskly headed towards the Forest Temple entrance to catch up to Saria, leaving Link and Navi alone again.

"Is it just me," Link uttered, "or did he sounds a little cynical?"

"Can you blame him?" Navi replied. "You saw firsthand how Saria reacted when she first saw you. It seems like everyone has grown a little hardened these seven years. Then again, Katl wasn't exactly perfect to begin with…but enough about that. Why don't we get a move on before Saria calls…?"

"_Link! __Are you coming?"_

Even though it felt cliché, Link shook his head, smiled, and muttered, "Too late."

Any thought that the temple's interior might be as unspectacular as its exterior was erased the moment Link stepped through the temple's doorway. The inside of the doorway greeted him with two magnificent, tall pillars, one on either side, and at his feet lay a well-worn but dignified-looking path composed of thousands of tiny stones. He had originally thought the temple entrance had been some kind of tunnel, but now he realized it was merely a really large doorframe. And the inside of this "doorframe" had carving etched into its stone, carvings of twisting vines and vein-scarred leaves that were so detailed Link could almost swear they were real.

The door led into, of all things, a garden, and when Link stepped into this garden he felt both amazed and distressed at the same time. The garden was large enough to rival the one Link had spent time in back at Hyrule Castle, and judging by the selection of flowers and growth it could've easily been one of the most beautiful sights he had seen in a long time…could've. The garden had also clearly seen better days, as almost its entire flora had decayed, leaving all colors to decay in the lifeless shade of the garden walls. Strangely enough, there were no weeds of any kind to be found anywhere, either thanks to a masterful gardener or to another explanation Link just might be crazy to believe…

"Sad, isn't it?"

As he trudged along the gravel pathway, Link directed his attention from the once-glorious garden towards the other end of the path, where Saria was waiting for him at what appeared to be a brief trail of stairs leading to a small porch.

"Was this place always like this?" Link asked as he picked up his pace.

"I'm not sure," the Kokiri girl answered. "All I know is that it was like this when I got here two years ago…although it looked a little better than it does now. This garden isn't dead, but it's definitely still dying."

"Have you tried helping it at all…?"

"Oh, yes, I've done all I could, but nothing's worked. I don't know why, but I have a feeling that this garden relies on something else, something that's being held against its will. I know it sounds crazy, but that connection I have with this place, the one I told you about…I'm sure it's related to this somehow. Maybe…maybe if we awaken this Sage of yours, we can get some answers, but right now, all I can do is speculate."

"Hey, speculation's better than nothing," Link commented as she stopped within arm's length of Saria and a short distance from the porch. "Besides, you yourself said you can't help but believe what _I told you, and I've been through enough to know exactly how you feel."_

Saria gave Link a comforting smile before turning her gaze towards the terrace. "Follow me," she uttered with a wave of her hand before heading in the appropriate direction. "We're going inside."

As Link nodded his head in acknowledgement and moved forward to follow his lifetime friend, he took a brief moment to look up. Without the obscuring wall to block his view, he could see the architecture more clearly. The pillars that surrounded the building with the triangular roof possessed some of the same artwork he had seen in the doorway, only it was protruding instead of etched. Even far away, Link could see just how detailed and lifelike the pillars' depictions of vegetation really were. Whoever had built this temple had indeed been a master builder; he just hoped he could save it from whatever evil Ganondorf had planned for it…

_CREEEEEAAAAAAK…_

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud groan that snapped his attention back to Saria. He was in time to watch her finish pushing a rickety-looking door on the porch open. When she had finished, she gave Link a quick glance and again motioned for him to follow her before disappearing inside.

Link only hesitated to quickly ruffle his cap a little. "Navi, are you awake?"

"What do you think?" answered the tiny voice in a surprisingly non-sarcastic manner.

"Good, then stay that way. I may need you at a moment's notice so don't fall asleep on me."

Beyond the door, it was darker than Link had expected it to be; so unexpected, in fact, that he wished he hadn't closed the door behind him after immediately walking through it. The solid stone walls were cloaked in the shadows of a corridor without the benefit of windows of any sort, and the only available light source came from a single flame torch hanging on the wall. It was this torch for which an eager Saria reached from the dark and held firmly in her fist.

"The main hall is just down this passage," the Kokiri declared, her face flickering eerily in the firelight. "Once we're there, we'll figure out where to go from there."

Saria then started down the corridor, with Link making sure he wasn't left behind.

"Hey, Saria," the Hero of Time began after a short trek down the tunnel. "Has that torch been burning all the time you were here…?"

"Of course not," Saria interjected. "This is just one of the many things I found inside this temple. You'd be amazed at what the people who inhabited this temple have. For instance, I never knew there was a liquid that could allow fire to burn for long periods of time…or that there were tools used to create specific items, like bows and arrows. Still, the places I found these things really don't have anything that could help us with find this Sage's power and awakening it."

"So…you've been everywhere in this temple?"

"I'd like to think so, after being here for two years…but the truth is…I really haven't."

"And why's that?"

"It'll be easier to explain once we get to the main hall. You'll be able to see for yourself."

When the Hero of Time, the Kokiri, and their two fairies emerged from the dark tunnel into what Link immediately presumed was the main hall, Link was flabbergasted…at how plain it looked. Well, that wasn't entirely true…

Thanks to burning torches positioned all over the place, it was easy to see exactly where they were. The room's dimensions were enough to house the entire Kokiri population comfortably three times over, suggesting the room had to accommodate a great deal of people sometime in the temple's history. There were corridors gaping in almost every wall, each one leading to who knows where. Around the room were some of the same carvings Link had seen outside on the temple's exterior, obviously done by the same architect, as well as several pillars boasting some exquisite figurines sitting in small alcoves carved into within the columns' surface.

As for the room itself, the floor sank like steps towards the center of the chamber, where a platform about as wide as his house back in Kokiri Village was the centerpiece. Surrounding the platform at each corner were four corner-shaped pedestals, and standing upon each of these pedestals was a tall, golden monument of some kind, decorated with some strange-looking marks. They were obviously there for a reason, but that reason wasn't immediately apparent.

So yes, the room did look exceptional. However…

_"I kinda expected something far more extravagant," Link mused. __"Especially considering this is the main hall…"_

"Lovely, isn't it?" Saria suddenly uttered.

"What…? Oh, um, yes, it's nice. So what's in here that makes it easier for you to explain something to me?"

"Here, let me show you."

Saria then started moving forward down a small flight of steps, beckoning with her finger for Link to follow. Link did so without hesitation. The two walked together, side by side, heading directly towards the center of the room, where the platform with the four golden…_things was situated. When they reached it, Saria was the one who halted their progress by holding out her hand._

She then pointed directly at the floor, directly at the platform. "Do you see that?"

Link took a moment to observe at what Saria was pointing, but he couldn't really figure out what she was trying to tell him. The platform was actually pretty ordinary, nothing but a stone floor with what seemed to be a wooden square tile in the very middle of the floor, a tile large enough for him and Saria to both stand on. There was nothing else at which to look.

"See what?" Link asked.

"That wooden square in the middle of the floor."

"Oh, that? Yes, I see it. What about it?"

"Take a closer look. Notice anything about it?"

Not quite understanding what Saria was trying to tell him, Link shrugged and leaned forward so he could get a better look at the tile. Even then he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, but just before he was about to give up he suddenly noticed something bizarre. The wooden square didn't fit the hole it was sitting in! The tile's edges and the edges of the hole weren't touching each other; the gap between them was small, but it was big enough for a trained eye to notice.

And with everything else made with such careful, excruciating detail, something like that definitely felt a little out of place.

Link pointed it out to Saria, and the Kokiri smiled. "Finally noticed it, huh? And I think I know why that's like that. That wooden square is actually part of some kind of mechanism, one that takes people to another part of the temple."

"Interesting," Link uttered as he took a few steps towards the wooden tile and gave it a few taps with his foot. "Have you managed to activate it?"

"No, I haven't. Nothing I've found in this temple gives any indication of how to activate it or even where it leads. But I'm almost certain that this thing leads to the most important part of this temple."

Link snapped his gaze towards Saria. "What do you mean?"

"This main hall, the corridors that lead in every direction, the rooms found at the end of them…after living in this place for two years, I firmly believe that everywhere I've been, a long time ago, was open to the general public that visited this temple. Things I found, like the tools I used to craft my bow and arrows and the oil for the torches…they only seem to confirm that. But what if there were places here that were only meant for the people who worked or lived here, places not meant for the public? Because of this square, I'm sure that there are many more rooms to explore, rooms located _underneath this temple, rooms that house something far more important than anything in these upper levels."_

Link whistled. "Underneath, huh? Well, there'd definitely be no shortage of space then. But you said you haven't managed to activate the square. Any idea how that might be done?"

"Not entirely, but I have a feeling that these torches have something to do with it."

"Torches?"

"Those things," Saria declared as she pointed to one of the four golden items surrounding the platform.

"Oh, those things…they're torches?"

"Yes."

"Well, why haven't you tried lighting them? With the main hall lit up right now, you'd think that…"

"I've already tried. They won't light."

Link blinked in surprise. "Excuse me? They won't light? What are you talking about?"

"See for yourself. Here, give me a boost to one of them and I'll show you."

Feeling a little confused but intrigued at the same time, Link complied with Saria's request. He reached out with his hands and gently clamped them across Saria's stomach, making sure his fingers didn't touch anything…personal of Saria's. He then lifted her into the air, raising her as high as he could above his head, and shuffled his way to the closest of the golden torches. When she was close enough, Saria used the torch in her hand to insert the flame into the pinnacle of the golden torch. She took a couple of moments to shift and swing the flame about as much as possible, making sure the flame would find the golden torch's substance of burning. When she was finished, she gave a signal and Link returned her to the ground. Both of them shifted their gazes to the golden torch.

Nothing.

Not even a trail of smoke.

"See?" Saria asked. "I've done that many times now to all of them, and even poured oil into them to make sure they'll catch alight. But not once have I seen a flame sprout from these things. Not once."

"Then how do you know they're even torches?"

"I don't know…I just have this feeling that they are. Besides, that smell they give off isn't exactly perfume, is it?"

Link leaned close to the torch, took a whiff, and immediately tried to get the odor from his lungs. "I…ack…I guess not," he coughed as he swatted his hand before his nose. When he regained control of his breathing, he continued, "So…is that the only place you haven't been able to visit in this temple?"

"Actually, there's one other place," Saria answered before pointing to the wall behind Link. "And it's right over there."

Link turned his head around and this time immediately noticed what Saria was showing him. The wall at which Saria was pointing was different than all the other walls in the chamber by the sole fact that it didn't have a single opening carved into it. In fact, the wall was completely bare save for a single decoration: a thin, marble slab, just a little taller than Link, with the very recognizable symbol of the Triforce painted upon its surface. In fact, it didn't take Link long to realize that the wall was located in a very key position in the temple, almost as if the slab had some important purpose.

It also didn't take Link very long to figure out what the stone slab was.

"I'm guessing…that's a door?" Link speculated after a moment of thinking.

Saria nodded. "Good guess. Yes, it's a door of some kind, and judging by where the door is located it must lead to someplace important in this temple. So of course it has no immediately obvious way of opening. I've spent as much time on this door as I have with that wooden floor door, but I've found nothing. No opening mechanism, no alternate route, nothing. Whoever designed this place really knew what he was doing."

Link didn't have a response for Saria's highlights, so he simply stared at the door in an attempt to figure out its secrets. The three-triangle representation was definitely that of the Triforce, so that symbol had to hold some kind of clue. Something of value was obviously behind that door, so something related to the Triforce had to open it. Just like the Door of Time, this door had…

Wait a minute. The Door of Time…that's it! The Song of Time…what if it could also open this door? Whoever built this temple had to have had a hand in building the doorway to the Sacred Realm, so maybe, just maybe, they shared the same key. Of course, it was a long shot at best, but in Link's mind the logic made sense. The Song of Time could only open the Door of Time by being played on the Ocarina of Time in the presence of the Spiritual Stones, so it was very possible the song could be used for more practical purposes as well.

Such as the keys for the six temples…

_"Hey, it's worth a shot," he thought._

Taking a couple of steps forward towards the door, Link reached inside his pouch and pulled the Ocarina of Time. His logic indicated that the Ocarina of Time wasn't necessary to open this particular door, but he decided to use the mystical instrument as a safeguard.

"Hey, Link," Saria called out. "What are you doing…an ocarina…is that the one you told me about? That…what was it called again…the Ocarina of Time?"

"You got it," Link replied. "I'm going to try something here to see if I can open this door."

"With an ocarina?"

Unable to think of a witty reply, Link simply lifted the ocarina to his lips and started playing the Song of Time. It was funny how he could still remember the song after seven years of imprisonment. He could still remember every note as clear as when Princess Zelda had played it for him in her telepathic message. He could still recall the tempo and volume he believed the song should be performed. He could even recollect the tingle he had felt down his spine as he had evoked the song's indescribable power.

How was it funny? Maybe because Time, which had taken everything away from him, now meant nothing to him right now.

As he played that magical melody he had used to open the Door of Time, he could already feel the affects of its soothing melodies. A soft yet deep rumble started to resonate within the chamber, and Link, with his eyes open, could already tell his hunch had been right. The door with the depiction of the legendary Triforce was beginning to open, split down the middle and swinging wide open on hinges hidden by either excellent craftsmanship or magic. The doors opened slowly yet evenly, revealing a portal cloaked in darkness thanks to lack of any form of light.

It wasn't until Link heard a final and resounding thud that he decided to stop playing. He ended the song on a right note and swiftly returned the Ocarina of Time to his pouch, where it would be safe besides Saria's own ocarina. He then marveled at his handiwork and his ingenuity, even though it his guess had merely been that: a guess. Now all he needed was one more thing…

"By Din's Fire…Link, you're amazing!"

…and that was it.

Turning around, Link uttered with a proud smile yet a humble tone, "Well, I'm just glad I could help, that's all."

Saria, still riddled with disbelief and amazement, ran to the beaming Hero of Time and gave him several slaps on the back. "Link, you've outdone yourself. You've managed to do in a few minutes what I couldn't do in two years. I would've never been able to do this without you…"

"Oh, Saria, please. Stop it. It's nothing to get excited about. All I did was open a door, that's all."

At that very moment, Link was staring deeply into Saria's eyes. The Kokiri girl was returning the stare, her eyes filled with pride and joy that made Link's heart melt. It was one of the things he had missed after he had left the Lost Woods all those years ago, and he was so happy to finally experience it again after such a long hiatus.

He wanted the feeling to last as long as possible and thus made sure he gave his full attention to the Kokiri gazing up at him.

So of course he didn't see something emerge from the newly opened darkness and make a leap towards him until it was nearly too late.

"Link! Look out!"

Navi's shrill voice reach Link's ears just in time for the Hero of Time to see what was approaching him and react in alarm. He had no time to move out of the way, so all he could do was brace himself for impact when the thing crashed right into him and sent him sprawling to the floor.

"_Link!" Saria screamed._

Link had no time to answer Saria's cry; he was far too busy trying to keep himself from being devoured by whatever had knocked him down. The last thing he had seen before being sent crashing down was a pair of gaping jaws flying straight for his face, and he had managed to reach out with his hands and grab the ends of those jaws so they wouldn't reach their target. Now he was on his back, still trying to make sure of that.

The jaws were so close that they were all Link could see. Their teeth were serrated and sharp yet moldy and uneven, affixed to gums as gray as fire ash. Saliva colored a sickening yellow dripped across every tooth, eventually trickling down Link's fingers that were making sure those teeth did not clamp shut. A nauseating odor whiffed across Link's face like an unwelcome wind, and a muffled roar from the creature's throat managed to reach his ears.

"Link!" Saria screamed again. "By the Three Goddesses, Link!"

Link could feel the strength in his arms strain to keep the jaws open; if he remained like this for much longer, he knew he wasn't going to last.

"I…I don't know what you are…" Link grunted as he prepared a desperate plan in his mind, "but if you think I'm just going to let you bite my face…"

Suddenly, in the span of an instant, Link shifted all of his strength from his arms to his legs, where he used them to plant his feet firmly underneath the jaws' owner and then gave the beast a firm shove. A loud howl of anger echoed throughout the chamber as the creature sailed through the air, but Link paid it no mind. Instead he threw himself to his feet and crouched into a fighting stance, his nimble hands immediately removing the Master Sword from its scabbard and readying its mighty blade for battle.

"…you thought wrong," he huffed, completing his sentence. Then, in a raised voice, he bellowed, "Saria! Quickly! Get behind me!"

A completely stunned Saria could only do what the Hero of Time ordered and rapidly made her way to Link's side. As she did, a loud thud followed the furious screams of whatever Link had kicked away, indicating the beast had landed. Although shaken up, Saria had enough courage to ready her bow with an arrow in its string. She may not have a bladed weapon, but she wasn't about to be a handicap for Link.

The creature didn't land too far away, but that obviously didn't matter to the beast. It had lost its prey and wasn't too pleased about it. With its jaws snarling, the monster sprang to its feet and turned to face the Hero of Time, the Kokiri, and their two faires, revealed exactly what it was.

At first, Link thought the beast was a wolf, but he quickly realized it was far too big to be a wolf. Towering about as high as Link's chest, the wolf-like creature was covered from head to toe with a dirty grey fur as twisted and deformed as a badly-kept bush. Muscles bulged from underneath its hide, rippling with anticipation. On its feet were several claws that reminded Link of its teeth: decaying yet still dangerous. And perched above the monster's drooling jaws was a pair of hollow eyes that seemed to glow an eerie yellow in the torchlight.

It wasn't difficult for Link to reach the conclusion that this beast was obviously one of Ganondorf's monstrous servants, like the Lizalfos before it.

"Navi!" Link cried out. "What _is that thing?"_

"That…that is, um…"

"It's a Wolfos," replied the voice of Katl, interrupting Navi. "A beast that should've died years ago. Be careful of it, because it can stand on its hind legs and use its front legs like arms to swat its prey."

"Thanks for the warning," Link acknowledged as he tightened his grip on his sword. "Let's just hope there's no more of them…"

As if on cue, something wandered out of the darkness of the open door and positioned itself next to the Wolfos that had attacked Link. When the Hero of Time saw that the newcomer was another Wolfos, he rolled his eyes.

"Figures," he grumbled. "Saria, I want you to get as far away from here as possible, to higher ground if you can."

"But what about you…?"

"I'll take care of these two. Don't worry; I've handled much worse before. I'll be fine."

"But Link…"

"Do it."

"But…"

"Now!"

His last word was more of a plea than a demand, and Saria understood that. With worry drifting in her eyes, she reluctantly nodded. "Fine, if say so. Just…be careful, Link."

"I will, Saria, I will," Link said with a nod of his own. "Just go, now, before it's too late."

Without another word or gesture, Saria turned around and started walking as fast as she could in the opposite direction of the two Wolfos, keeping her locked arrow in her bowstring just in case.

Keeping one eye on Saria and the other on the two hungry Wolfos, Link used his free hand to remove his shield and move it into position. He hadn't felt the security of a shield ever since he lost his wooden one to King Dodongo's fire seven years ago, so having one on his arm again gave him a welcome feeling. And since this one was made of metal and not wood, he had nothing to fear…at least he hoped he didn't.

He knew this moment would come. Outside the temple entrance, he knew he would be shedding blood one way or the other, and that time has come. And he hated it. These Wolfos may not be human beings, but they were still living creatures, and long before Gohma he couldn't bear the thought of taking another life. He could still remember the words he spoke before he plunged his sword in Gohma's eye:

_"I know you haven't done anything to me, but I cannot allow you to destroy what is precious to me. Forgive me."_

He had apologized to her, apologized before he took her life. That was the Link he wanted to be again, the Link didn't kill because he _wanted to, but because he __had to. His encounter with the Lizalfos was still fresh in his memory as were his duel with the Barinade and his brawl with Ingo. Back then, things had gotten out of control. He had become someone he never wanted to be._

Not again. Never again.

He was in control. He was Link the Kokiri who also happened to be the Hero of Time, not vice versa. And he was going to do what had to be done. And right now, what he had to do was awaken the Sage of the Temple of the Forest.

And these Wolfos were in the way.

Link smiled, almost wickedly. "It's time to play, my friends," he muttered to himself. "And boy, am I in the mood."

Then, without another word, Link raised the Master Sword above his head and charged.


	40. Steel and Fire

**Chapter 40: Steel and Fire**

Quiet. The room was quiet, quieter than an empty sky. Rarely was a stray wind stirred, a muffled sound echoed, or a shadow shifted. Seldom did anything give any indication that something survived within the chamber. Silence was the room's master, reigning over everything in its wake; any disturbance would immediately be noticeable.

So when the cry of the Wolfos resonated throughout the chamber, the four sisters immediately noticed.

Waking from the slumber they had imposed upon themselves, the sisters drifted from the circular formation from which they had slept and spread themselves across the room. When all sisters were positioned in all four corners of the chamber, they turned to each other, raising the items in their right hands, the items they had sworn to protect with their lives.

"Someone is inside the temple," announced the first sister.

"Of course someone is in the temple," snapped the second sister.

"Yes, that little girl is in the temple," replied the third sister.

"I remember her," mused the fourth sister.

"But this time something is different."

"And why is that?"

"Wait…can it be she's managed to unlock the door to our master?"

"No, that is impossible."

"No, she has not unlocked the door to our master."

"Yes, just as I suspected."

"Then what is different?"

"Then could it be…she has unlocked the door to this very chamber?"

"That is what I believe."

"Then you believe a lie."

"And why does she believe a lie?"

"The key to our door was lost and forgotten countless years ago."

"But somehow she has found it."

"How can you be so certain she has found it?"

"The Wolfos have awoken, so that must be our sister's certainty."

"I can hear them cry for blood."

"That girl has opened our door, and therefore must be destroyed."

"Why didn't we destroy her when she first stepped into our temple?"

"That would've been much quicker."

"I believe our master wanted us to leave her be."

"Our master certainly requires strange things."

"Watch how you speak about our master!"

"I'm sure she meant no offense."

"What shall we do about the girl?"

"Let us ask our master in his chamber below us."

"Yes, our master will certainly know what to do."

"Let us pray to him now."

"I am praying now."

So the four sisters prayed in their corners, closing their eyes and focusing their minds, asking for guidance from their master. They rarely did anything without the consent of their master, for he would surely punish them if they did anything beyond what he wished. Whatever he asked for, they did; whatever he desired, they granted. They were loyal to him and nothing else, not even their own free will.

Not too long in their prayer, the sisters received their answer. They opened their eyes and faced one another.

"Our master, from the chamber beneath us, has spoken."

"He has told us what to do."

"We must kill the girl should she survive the claws of the Wolfos."

"We will do what he asks."

Then, together in a single, monotonous tone, the four sisters cried, "Hail our master, our king, Lord Ganondorf."

It was ironic how Link never wanted to become that insane monster he had been several times before, a beast that found killing a natural and enjoyable instinct, and yet now was charging forward with naked steel, steel intending to drink the blood of two creatures blocking his path. He could hear his mind screaming for him not to spill their blood in lunacy, but he could also feel his muscles twitch to kill for pure sport.

The battle for supremacy of his conscience was a fierce one, and he just prayed he didn't lose it before he won the one with the Wolfos…

The Wolfos didn't seem to be intimidated by Link's advance; they simply stood where they were, staring at the Hero of Time charging towards them. Link instinctively believed they would make some kind of leap to the side to dodge his attack from above; he quickly calculated a maneuver to give them a big surprise.

_"Take this, you overgrown fleabags!" Link ordered in his mind moments before he reached his quarry and brought his sword down with all his might._

Just as he suspected, the Wolfos were making a leap. With a quick flip of his wrist, Link changed the path of his sword, curving it outward to his right before snapping it in the opposite direction and straight across the left. He could almost hear the screams of the Wolfos he was about to strike, slice its neck or at least cripple it so he could deal with the other one exclusively…

Wait a minute…

_"What…oh, no!"_

The Wolfos hadn't leapt to the sides as he had prediction, but they were leaping _over him! To his complete dismay, the Master Sword tasted nothing but air as it whistled through its seemingly perfect arc._

Trying not to waste a single second, Link turned around as fast as he could, his teeth gritted together to expel his frustration. "Curse you!" he muttered through his teeth as he turned to face his opponents…

…and was just in time to spot one of the Wolfos thrust itself away from its landing and straight towards him, its claws outstretched to tear him limb from limb and its teeth snapping in anticipation of a juicy treat.

Link instantly used his powerful legs to push himself to the right, but he had to raise his shield to block one of the creature's powerful swipes at his face. The force of the Wolfos' blow was enough to make the shield vibrate violently and throw the Hero of Time off balance, so Link quickly found his body sliding across the cold stone floor. But the pain he received didn't even make him flinch – it was nothing compared to a burnt hand – and was standing back on his feet seconds later.

"Where are you, you bastards?" he cried out, starting to get more frustrated and irate with each passing minute.

The second Wolfos answered his question when, from out of nowhere, it made a daring leap for Link's head with its claws. Link, surprised by the second immediate attack to his right, had no time to leap away; instead all he could was raise the Master Sword and use it to deflect the Wolfos' attack. The defensive move worked, although Link only managed to strike his foe's claws with the back of sword and the blow did rock the Hero of Time's balance somewhat.

Luckily, Link recovered quickly enough to watch the second Wolfos make a landing just behind him and turn its hollow, yellow eyes in his direction. It didn't attack, but Link knew it was calculating another strategy. He quickly glanced to his left to see the other Wolfos doing the same, saliva dripping down its disfigured jaws.

_"Cornered," Link realized. _"So these creatures aren't stupid, are they?"__

Just when Link thought things couldn't get any worse, the Wolfos did something to force him to beg to differ. The creatures glared at him for a moment longer before, in perfect unison, the sat down on the floor and…_erected their backs into the air. The beasts then…_snapped_ their heads forward and…_twisted_ their forelegs into an arrangement that resembled a human's arms. The Wolfos then stood up on their hind legs, releasing a disturbing growl from their snouts._

_"So…this is what Katl warned me about," Link thought. _"This sure tips the balance of luck…just wish I knew in whose favor…"__

As if in reply to Link's wish, the Wolfos directly in front of him released an earsplitting, bloodcurdling scream before charging, its claws outstretched like hands with razors on their fingertips. The Wolfos moved surprisingly fast on its hind legs, almost as fast as a horse at a full gallop. Link raised his sword and shield in preparation, while at the same time keeping an eye on the Wolfos behind him.

He was not going to lose…

_CLAAAANG…_

With vigor more powerful than anything Link could recall in recent memory, the charging Wolfos used one of its powerful arms and struck Link's raised shield with full force. The beast then tried to take advantage of Link by using its other arm to cut across Link's torso. But the Hero of Time, while shaken by the initial attack, managed to pull through in time to use his shield to block the second strike.

The Wolfos, its eyes starting to glow fiercely, growled as it raised its arm again to hack Link apart. But Link was ready this time; instead of his shield, Link this time used his sword. Twisting it downward and inward, he arched the mighty blade to meet the trajectory of his adversary's attack. He timed it just right, making sure the sharp side would be given full strength behind it…

_KASPLAAAAA…_

With a sickening yet satisfying crunch, the Master Sword sank deep into the flesh of the Wolfos' arm. The blade seemed to tear as far as it could before it slowed down and finally stopped, lodged within the beast's powerful lower arm. Link was sure he had found the creature's bone with that hit, and the thick black blood already oozing from the wound made the attack more gratifying.

Any moment now, the Wolfos would scream the loudest and most horrified scream it had even given in its life; no living thing could be given such a wound and not feel excruciating pain. And once it did so, he would make his move…

But to Link's complete horror, the Wolfos didn't even cringe. The creature merely jerked its head to look at the wound before hissing an enraged cry from its dripping jaws. There was no pain in its eyes at all, just wrath and a senseless desire to kill.

"By Din's Fire, no!" Link cried as he tried to wrench his sword from the creature's flesh.

But the Wolfos was too fast. Before Link had a chance to get the Master Sword free, the Wolfos lifted its free hand in order to take the Hero of Time down with one swing. Link, unable to do anything else, raised his shield to block the attack. The resulting strike was so intense that Link's knees were unable to allow him to remain standing. He quickly found himself kneeling on one knee, his concentration straining to keep him alive.

But his concentration wasn't enough to foresee what happened next. Before Link could even blink, the Wolfos made an unexpected move. With a lightning fast coil of its arm, the Wolfos wrenched the arm with the Master Sword embedded within it free. Slivers of flesh fell to the floor and syrupy blood splashed in all directions, including all over Link's face.

This nauseating turn of events was enough to distract Link long enough for the Wolfos to grab the Master Sword blade with its paw and slam it to the floor, pinning the weapon underneath the beast's incredible weight.

"Oh, dear gods, no!"

Link quickly tried to get the blade from underneath the Wolfos' paw, even trying to cut the animal's foot with the blade, but the Wolfos didn't even flinch. Link's main weapon had been disabled. He had no choice but to let go of it and…

Suddenly, Link's instinct's forced him to look behind him. To his complete terror, the other Wolfos was heading straight for him, claws extending and teeth gnashing. Link's eyes widened in horror; the Wolfos had tricked him and they were about to kill him. He couldn't believe it! He was about to be…

_THWAK!_

Suddenly, without warning, the charging Wolfos fell to the ground with a crash, as if some invisible force from the side had pushed it. His face white with fear but his eyes wide with surprise, Link could only watch as the Wolfos stood up as quickly as it had fallen, its face now warped in passionate rage. At first, Link couldn't figure out what had happened, but when his eyes glanced at the creature's muzzle he immediately realized what had happened.

Protruding through the beast's long snout was an arrow, an arrow that had gone all the way through the Wolfos' muzzle. And Link knew exactly where that arrow had come from…

"Hey, wolf-face!" screamed a familiar voice, causing both Link and both Wolfos to turn around.

There, standing on a balcony's stone rail a little ways above the ground, was Saria, her bow already loaded with another arrow pointed straight at the Wolfos with the arrow through its snout.

"If you even think about harming him," Saria bellowed angrily, "I'll help you find a way to speak through a hole in your throat! Just try it! I _dare you!"_

The Wolfos that had been struck by Saria's arrow snarled before it decided on what to do and made a move. But instead of taking up Saria's dare and attacking Link, the Wolfos decided to attack the one who had pierced its beloved snout. With a loud cry of rage, it leapt forward on its hind legs for the young Kokiri girl.

"Saria, look out!" Link screamed.

"You want this that badly?" Saria mocked, unafraid of the Wolfos' advance. "Then here you _go_!"

On the last word, Saria let loose her arrow, aimed straight for the Wolfos' throat. But just as the arrow was about to find its mark, there was a loud snap within the room, followed by an even louder crunch. To both Link and Saria's horror, the Wolfos had managed to catch Saria's arrow in midair between its jaws, shattering the projectile into thousands of pieces.

Saria gasped in fright. Link screamed in panic. "Saria! Get away from there! Get away! Run, Saria! Run!"

Saria seemed to listen to Link's frantic demand and tried to get away, but before she took even a single step her foot slipped and she tumbled down the balcony's rail. A moment later, she found herself holding onto the railing by only one hand, her feet dangling in reach of the advancing Wolfos. All the beast had to do was make one good leap and it would have her between its jaws.

"Saria!" Link shrieked again.

"Link!" the Kokiri girl screamed back. "Help me!"

"Saria, _no_!"

As if in slow motion, Link could feel the fear inside of him transform itself into rage. He immediately realized he was losing the battle for his sanity; this time, however, he was not experiencing the sadistic lunacy he had felt many times before. No, it wasn't that; it was what he had experienced at Lon Lon Ranch. It was the mad state he had been in when he had come close to killing Ingo, the state where he killed not because he liked it but because he couldn't stop doing so.

He didn't want to slip into that state, because being made with ire was just as bad as being mad with cruelty. But Saria was in danger…no! He couldn't! He couldn't become that monster again. Never again! Even to save the life of someone, he never wanted to become that horrible killing machine again.

But Saria was in danger…

"_Liiiiiink!"_

When he heard that scream from Saria, something in Link snapped. His eyes narrowed, his jaw stiffened, and his face turned to face the Wolfos who was pinning down his sword.

"Get…outta…my…_way!"_

With newfound strength, Link thrust himself forward, pushing against the massive Wolfos with his shield. The Wolfos saw the attack and tried to push back, but Link somehow managed to overpower the beast that just moments ago had rendered Link's sword immobile. The Wolfos could only howl in surprise as it stumbled backwards, lost its balance, and went crashing to the floor.

The Wolfos shock of surprise didn't last too long, as it attempted to get back up not too long after landing on its back. But this time it was Link who was too quick for the Wolfos. Grabbing his sword and getting on his feet, Link quickly dashed over to the Wolfos and, with all his might, leapt on the creature's thick neck and pressed it as hard as he could into the ground. The Wolfos, now unable to move, could only open its mouth to release a roar of anger.

That was exactly what Link wanted.

"You want my sword?" Link declared as he raised the Master Sword in both hands, pointing down. "Here! Take it!"

Then, with all his might, Link plunged the blade straight down the Wolfos' throat. There was a loud crunch as the blade sank into the back of the monster's throat. The Wolfos seemed to fall silent for a moment, and then abruptly coughed violently, spewing black blood from its mouth in every available direction. The beast coughed for a couple of seconds before it lay still, left to choke on its own bodily fluids.

Link withdrew the blade from the creature's throat, allowing the vile black liquid to drip down its once-sparkling surface. Vivid images of the Lizalfos flashed in Link's mind, images of black blood trickling down his Kokiri sword and down his arm. But Link didn't care. He was out to kill those who were going to kill his friend, and not even haunting memories would get in his way.

He quickly directed his attention to the second Wolfos, who had by now reached the balcony where Saria was dangling. The beast was standing on its feet, eyeing its prey with a mixture of both anticipation and hate – anticipation for a delectable meal, hate for the one who had shot an arrow through its nose. All it had to do was make one good jump and…

"Leave her _alone!"_

Without another word, Link outstretched his hand and released a stream of Din's Fire towards the animal. The blast reached the Wolfos a split second later, engulfing the beast in a cloak of flames. It took a while for the Wolfos to realize what was going on, but when it did it howled an earsplitting scream.

But it wasn't a scream of pain. It was a scream of rage. Without even doing a thing to put out the fire that had enveloped it, the Wolfos turned around to face the Hero of Time. In the light of the flames, the beast's eyes were glowing as bright a yellow as possible. The arrow through its nose had been burnt off, with only charred stubs poking through the creature's flesh. Even through the flames, Link could tell the Wolfos wanted to kill more than ever, only now it was merely for revenge.

But Link wasn't afraid. He wanted to kill the Wolfos as much as it wanted to kill him.

Raising the Master Sword yet again, Link charged.

So did the Wolfos.

The Hero of Time and the fiery Wolfos leapt into the air moments before meeting each other, and they collided in the air. Both released as much strength as they could into their attacks. Both found their target. There was a loud clash of flesh and steel…

_THUNK…_

The Wolfos landed on the ground with an unsteady sound. The fire had been extinguished by its mad charge, leaving only charred fur and a sickening burnt smell in the air. The beast tried to stand up, but its left front leg had been almost completely sliced at the knee and one of its back tendons had been severed. No matter how hard it tried, it couldn't seem to find its balance, making it grow angrier and angrier.

Link fared a little better, but he didn't make it out unscathed. His right upper arm had deep scratches all the way down, and blood was trickling down at a painful rate. Link tried clutching the wound with his left hand, but the pain refused to go away. He couldn't remember anything this painful since Ganondorf had shot him.

He also couldn't remember anytime he was as angry as this.

_"That accursed bastard!" Link thought heatedly, his eyes narrowing dangerously and his lips curling into a menacing snarl. __"I'll make him pay for this! I'll cut his skull open and twist his insides apart! He'll regret the day he crossed me! He'll…"_

"Link! Link, are you all right?"

Link jerked his head around and, to his unexpected surprise, found Saria running to his side, her eyes filled with worry.

"Saria…"

"Link, are you okay? I saw you two collide and I thought you might be injured. Are you all right…? Oh, dear gods, you're bleeding!"

As Link gazed at Saria's pale face, peered deep into her sincere and worry-filled eyes, something again happened inside of Link. But instead of something snapping, something melted. As if in an instant, all the painful rage Link had built up inside of him dissolved away, leaving absolutely no traces. As if done by magic, his harsh and tightened facial features softened and his tight muscles loosened. He could feel himself become human again, could feel the killings instincts drift away as if they never existed.

Ironically, Saria didn't even realize what she had done; she was too preoccupied with Link's injury even to notice the change. Instead she reached into the quiver on her back and pulled out a large piece of white cloth. She then started wrapping it as tightly as she could around Link's wound.

"This is something I use to hold my arrows together," she uttered as she made a knot with the piece of cloth, "but I think your arm needs it more than my arrows…"

"Saria."

The Kokiri girl looked up. "Yes, what is it? Does it hurt?"

Link felt like crying, but he managed to hold back the tears. "No, it's fine. I…I just wanted to say thanks."

Saria's face grew puzzled. "For the bandage?"

"No…" Link uttered as he smiled. He then reached with his left hand and gently stroked Saria's right cheek. "Just…for being a great friend, that's all."

Saria seemed to grow even more confused. "Well, you're welcome, but…by your tone of voice, I feel like I just missed something. Why…?"

"Link! Behind you!"

Navi's shrill voice rang in Link's ear moments before the Hero of Time responded and jerked his head around. What he saw nearly made him jump as high as he could. The injured Wolfos had somehow managed to get back on its feet, and it was obviously not very happy. Blood spurting everywhere and singed fur drifting from its charred fur, the beast was making a surprisingly fast advance for Link and Saria, its jaws snapping violently.

"Saria, get back!" Link cried as he stood up and shoved the Kokiri behind him. He raised the Master Sword into attack position, ignoring the pain crawling up his arm. He didn't have a plan of attack, but he was going to protect Saria with his life.

And he would do it without the help of his insane persona.

_"Oh, gods, what am I going to do? What am I going to do? What am I…?"_

Suddenly, a burst of inspiration flood Link's mind. He had a plan, but he realized it would be a risky one. One wrong move and he would be left defenseless to the Wolfos' claws. But it was the only chance he had of ending this.

Taking a deep breath, Link raised his sword to cut the creature from underneath. The Wolfos, now charging on all fours instead of just its hind legs, didn't even flinch at Link's preparations. It simply blindly moved forward, determined to destroy the one who had crippled it. Link waited at just the right moment, then swung the sword as fast as he could, aiming the blade at the creature's legs.

The sword didn't even have a chance of reaching the Wolfos' legs before the beast somehow managed to leap into the air, forming an arc aimed directly at Link. The creature's hollow eyes eyed its prey irately as it snapped its jaws maliciously.

Fortunately, that was exactly what Link had been anticipating.

"Here we go!" he cried as he readied his sword once more and, this time with all his might, swung the Master Sword toward the beast's face. Time seemed to slow down in that crucial moment as Link watched the blade fly where he had aimed them: directly between the Wolfos' snapping jaws. Link's blow was so powerful that the blade forced the enormous beast _back, cutting deeply into the flesh of the Wolfos' jaws. The Wolfos' face expressed genuine surprise as the Hero of Time pushed it away._

But Link had one more surprise in store.

Throwing away his shield with his other hand, Link made sure the Master Sword was holding the Wolfos' jaws open, stretched out his hand, and then said a single word to the monster. In a wry tone and with a smile, no less.

"Bye."

_FOOOOOM…_

As if everything else had simply stopped moving, Din's Fire flew from Link's hand and into the Wolfos' jaws like a surreal spirit, a deadly spirit with the power and will to kill anything it touched. The tongue of flame crawled down the beast's throat so quickly that the Wolfos didn't know what was going on until it was too late. For the first time since encountering them, Link heard the Wolfos scream in pain and agony.

The creature could tolerate pain inflicted on the outside, but never before had it felt pain on the inside…

Link used Din's fire for only several seconds, but the intended damage had been done in only half that time. The moment Link stopped using his magic and with a quick snap withdrew his blade from the creature's mouth, the Wolfos fell to the ground with a bone-shattering crash, dead. Its hollow yellow eyes were now only hollow, completely seared from the inside. A thick dark ooze started to seep from the beast's burnt mouth, and the charred fur twitched for a brief moment before falling still.

One by steel, the other by fire, both Wolfos were now lifeless carcasses left to rot within the Temple of the Forest.

Link, feeling literally burnt out, felt his kegs grow weak. He fell to his knees using his sword to prop him up and regain his balance. But inside he felt a pang of satisfaction, satisfaction in defeating the second Wolfos without being overcome by his insanity fits.

And it was all thanks to Saria. If she hadn't spoken to him just now, he very may well still be insane, looking around for more blood to spill. But her voice and her face had calmed him, had removed all anger from within his heart. And it was different than when Malon and even Navi had done it. Saria more than relaxed him; she made him feel at ease, at peace with himself. She, alone, made him feel like a human being again.

There was no way of expressing how much she meant to him. He couldn't imagine what would happen if he lost her…

"Link! What happened?" the Kokiri girl cried as she ran to his side. "Are you all right?"

Amazingly, the only thing Link could do was chuckle. "Yes, yes…I'm fine, thank you. Perfectly all right."

"What did you just do?" she continued, flabbergasted. "Since when could you shoot fire like that?"

Link giggled again. "I…I guess that was something I left out of our little talk outside, wasn't it?"

"It most certainly was! I mean…I don't think I've ever seen anyone perform magic before, not even the Great Deku Tree…"

"Not even the fairies can do something like that," Katl interrupted. "First you grow up, and now you have the ability to light candles with your fingers. You are no ordinary Kokiri. Navi, how long has this been going on?"

The little pink fey immediately nipped out from under Link's hat at the mention of her name. "How long has this been going on? Don't ever ask me that question again. There are so many things wrong with this guy that I can't figure out where everything went berserk."

"Always a good friend, huh, Navi?" Link asked dryly. "By the way, thanks for the warnings. You've saved my life twice today."

Navi's glow seemed to blush. "Think nothing of it. I couldn't just sit back and let you get eaten, now could I?"

Link snickered. "No, I guess you couldn't." Link then used the Master Sword to haul himself to his feet and then turned to face Saria. "Say, why don't we go check out that room now that the door's open?"

Saria blinked in surprise. "What…are you sure you don't want to rest first? Your arm…"

"It's fine," Link assured, and he wasn't lying; already he could feel no pain in his arm. "I feel ready to take on another two Wolfos, maybe three if need be."

Saria eyed the Hero of Time hesitantly. "I don't know…if you feel all right, then I guess we could go."

"Great. Let me just get my shield."

"The Wolfos have failed to destroy the girl."

"They are both dead."

"I can no longer hear their cries."

"I believe I can smell their decay."

"We must now do what our master has ordered us to do."

"We must destroy her ourselves."

"What if she proves to be more formidable than we believe?"

"That is possible, since she's destroyed two Wolfos."

"I cannot believe that."

"Me neither."

"Why?"

"We are more powerful than the Wolfos, that is why."

"We are the Poe Sisters."

"The sisters who betrayed their own homes to serve our master."

"To serve our master even in death."

"To serve him until he is lord of the entire world and beyond."

"Let us wait for the girl to come here."

"We shall kill her when she enters this very room."

"I can hear her footsteps already."

"There is…another with her…"

Thankfully Link and Saria had two guardian fairies with natural fairy light to guide them; else they would've tripped and fallen down the staircase into the gloomy darkness. Nevertheless, their progress down the staircase was slow and cautious; after the surprise attack by the two Wolfos, they weren't taking any chances. Link had the Master Sword gripped firmly in his right hand, his shield hooked comfortably on his left arm, while Saria had an arrow locked into her bowstring.

Still, to make sure their trip down wasn't completely solemn, the foursome started a conversation between themselves.

"By the way, Saria…I never did thank you for saving my life back there," Link began.

"It was nothing, Link," the Kokiri girl replied with a hint of modesty in her tone. "I'm just glad all of that archery practice wasn't for naught, after all. But hey, I never thanked you for saving me back there, either. You sure know how to use that magical fire of yours…not to mention a sword. I never thought I'd see you skilled enough to wield a bladed weapon like that."

"Oh, you have no idea what he can do," Navi uttered. "I didn't see him actually do it, but seven years ago when he was still your size he managed to slay two Lizalfos."

"Lizalfos! Lizalfos?" Katl abruptly declared. "You fought Lizalfos? Those creatures are supposed to be extinct!"

"Weren't Wolfos as well?" Link asked.

"Well, I…I guess you're right about that," Katl admitted, "but that's beside the point."

"And what's the point?" Navi inquired.

"That…that…wait, let me think about this. I know there's a point to this…"

"That creatures that are supposed to be long dead and gone are now alive?" Saria offered.

"Well, if you want to make it that easy, then sure," Katl uttered.

"And we already know the reason _why_ they're alive," Link stated.

"Ganondorf?" Saria asked.

"Ganondorf," Link confirmed.

Saria frowned. "I never knew Ganondorf was that powerful. And this was before he swiped this ancient relic you call the Triforce?"

"That's right," Link replied as he recalled his first encounter with the evil Gerudo king and the painful consequences of it. "And all I have to do now is somehow get the Triforce back. Someone who can do what has happened to the Lost Woods certainly has no right to hold something that powerful."

"I see. And you'll undoubtedly be leaving us again after we've awakened the Sage inside this temple."

Link clamped his teeth in frustration. He really didn't like the idea of leaving his home again, but he was the Hero of Time, after all. Still, there was no reason why he had to _remain the Hero of Time for the rest of his life. Maybe after this was all over…_

"Let's talk about that later," Link uttered, "once this is finished. Any idea what may be down here?"

"Not a clue," Saria admitted. "Still, it must be important. Why else was it sealed with those Wolfos guarding it?"

"How about we find out?"

It was about when Link said these words that he realized the tunnel was brighter than it had been before. He quickly recognized that another source of light other than the two fairies' light was illuminating the corridor up ahead. They were reaching the bottom of the staircase.

"We're nearing something," Link uttered to Saria and the fays. "Get ready."

"Already am," Saria pointed out.

Nodding in acknowledgement, Link tightened his grip on his sword and quickened his pace somewhat so he could move ahead of Saria. The Kokiri girl didn't seem to mind watching Link's back; she did seem a tad bit nervous. With the two fairies guiding them, Link and Saria headed towards the light at the end of the staircase.

Not surprisingly, the source of the light turned out to be a set of ordinary torches planted on the four walls of the chamber at the end of the stairway. As the group entered the room, weapons readied, they scanned their new surroundings. Amazingly, the room seemed completely mundane compared to the rest of the palace. Built entirely out of plain brick without any kind of ornate decorations or adornments, nothing seemed to stand out in the room…

…no, wait, there _was something. In each corner of the room was something very familiar. Saria was the first one to point it out._

"Hey…those look like the golden torches upstairs, the ones I can't seem to light."

"Are they, really?" Link inquired slyly. "Think they might have some kind of significance?"

"Probably. Maybe if I got a closer look…hey, Link do you think we can relax now?"

"What…oh, er…yes, sure. It looks safe."

With that, Saria loosened up and took a deep breath before leaving Link's side and heading to the closest corner of the room. Link stayed where he was, slowly making his way to the center of the room just in case there was anything wrong or fishy.

"So?" Link yelled out to his friend after a short while.

"Well, these certainly look like those torches upstairs," Saria pointed out. "In fact, they're near identical copies. And the smell indicates they were lit at one time. If I didn't know any better, I'd say these things are in some way connected to the torches upstairs. Maybe if these were lit, then the other ones will…do something. Who knows?"

"Want me to try and light these things with my fire?" Link offered as he continued to look around at his bland surroundings.

"No, I don't think that'll do any good," Saria admitted. "It wouldn't be that easy. I have a feeling these things require a special method to light. But something's strange about these torches."

"What's that?"

"The odor…it's a little different. It smells…too fresh, as if it's been lit recently. But this is where it gets odd: the smell isn't coming from the torch."

Link stopped looking around and turned to face Saria. "What do you mean?" 

Saria turned her back on the torch to face Link. "Exactly what I said. The smell isn't coming from the torch; it's coming from somewhere else, and it's not the regular torches in this room. How that's possible, I don't know."

Link didn't have any reply to that, so he simply stared at the confused Kokiri staring back at him. Therefore, he didn't see the bony hand poke through the torch behind her and reach for Saria's neck until it was too late.

"Saria! Behind you! Look out!"

Before Saria even had time to gasp, the pale black hand wrapped its gaunt fingers around her neck and squeezed tightly. In an instant, Saria reeled back in pain as she started to quiver violently. Her hands released her bow and arrow, allowing them to fall to the floor and a high-pitched scream followed not too soon afterwards. Her eyes bulged, her skin drained of color, and her body seemed to grow limp.

She was being shocked. So was Link, but as in being horrified.

"Saria!" Link cried as he made an attempt to move forward and save his friend.

But things were moving too fast for Link. Within moments of being grabbed, the owner of the bony hand emerged from the torch. The creature was no bigger than Saria, probably about the same size in every dimension. But the thing was definitely not human. Without any visible legs, the creature floated in the air, naturally and teasingly. It arms were tiny and cloaked in a disturbing shade of black. The rest of the body seemed to be clothed in a sinister tone of purple save for the face, which was the beast's most frightening feature. Never before had Link seen such a twisted and deformed face that tried desperately to hide a human face behind it. A rotting mouth, a disfigured nose, and hollow eyes were all that it needed to strike fear into its adversaries.

A split second after it had materialized, the beast lifted itself into the air, taking Saria with it. The poor Kokiri continued to shake violently, but it was obvious she wasn't struggling; the monster's hold over her prevented her from even attempting to escape. As they climbed into the air and made their way to the center of the room, right where Link was standing in pure horror, Saria persisted in releasing consistent screams of terror, screams that cut right through Link's ears. 

"_Saria!" Link screamed. "Saria! Let her go, you monster!"_

The creature looked down at Link with its hollow eyes, but it then simply returned its attention to Saria and seemed to tighten its grip on her.

"Saria!" Link screamed again.

"My goodness, Saria!" cried Katl, who was fluttering fervently around his charge as the monster continued to suspend the Kokiri girl in the air while her convulsions and screams worsened.

"Link!" bellowed Navi from his shoulder. "Link, that's a Poe! Be careful of it; it can drain your energy with a single touch…"

"I don't give a bark about what that thing is!" Link interrupted heatedly. Then, as quickly as he could, Link put away his sword and shield, reached for the hookshot, removed it from his belt, and aimed it at ghost-like Poe. "You! Let go of Saria _now_!"

On the final word, Link fired the hookshot. The compressed hook fired with a loud bang in the air, dragging the chain behind it with a soft clang. His aim was perfect, with the hook finding its target. However, the Poe had somehow managed to move out of the way for the hook only to graze its left shoulder, the shoulder where Saria was being held. As the hookshot sailed past the Poe, the ghost screamed a cackling scream of pain before it did the unthinkable.

It let go of Saria.

"Saria, no!"

For a few intense moments, Link could only watch as the Poe released its deadly grip on his friend and allowed her to plummet to the ground, limp and motionless. Then, without a second thought, Link threw away the hookshot and made a leap in the air for her. As if caught in a slow time frame, Link saw every split second pass him by as reached out to catch his falling friend. Had he cared, he would've noticed him jump higher than he had ever jumped in his life.

But he didn't care, not when he could see Saria's face. Eyes wide open with shock and mouth gaping without breath, Link could already feel the tears escape from his own eyes. But they were hardly tears of sadness; instead they were tears of pain. Of fear. Of anger. He wasn't going to miss her, not when she needed him most.

The moment he touched her and hugged her lifeless body close to his chest, things sped up once more; the trip down was a lot faster than the trip up. He landed on the ground with a loud thud and was forced to roll forward to control his momentum. But the second he regained control over his balance he quickly turned his attention to the Kokiri in his arms.

Somehow, Saria's eyes had closed and her lips were locked tightly together on the other edges. She was breathing, albeit dangerously lightly, and a quick check of her wrist yielded only a weak pulse. Whatever the Poe had done to her, it had sure done its damage.

"Saria!" Link whispered loudly to his friend. "Saria, wake up, please. I know you're okay. Please, tell me you're okay. Please, Saria, please. Saria, wake up. Wake up, please. Saria!"

During his begging, Link jolted and jerked the Kokiri girl in his arms in hopes it would do something useful. Amazingly, it did. One of the more powerful jolts released a soft yet audible groan from Saria's lips. Encouraged, Link tried stroking Saria's face to entice the girl to wake up. Remarkably, that worked as well.

The Kokiri groaned slightly and fluttered her eyelids before she strained to open her eyes a little. She looked around with a small frown on her face for a moment before her gaze found Link, who was smiling and practically crying with glee.

Somehow, Saria managed a weak but noticeable smile. "Link…"

"Saria," Link cried. "You're all right…"

"Link, I…" the girl interrupted before she did something unexpected. Using what little strength she had left, she reached with her right hand and stroked Link's forehead, moving some of his blond locks out of his eyes. "I…I'm sorry I messed up. I'm just…I'm just a dead weight to you. Forgive me…forgive me for getting in the way…"

"Saria, don't say things like that," Link pleaded. "You're not a dead weight. You're my friend. And if anyone messed up, it's me. I should've been there to protect you."

Saria nearly seemed to cry herself. "Oh, Link…"

"Hey, you two!" Navi's squealing voice bellowed. "Can we finish this another time? We've got more than one Poe, and it doesn't look like they want ocarina lessons!"

"Link…" Saria continued without skipping a beat. "Make them pay. Get them for me. You can do it. I know you can. I'll just…take a snooze…"

With that, Saria closed her eyes and went limp again.

Link, trying his best to suppress his tears, gently placed Saria on the stone floor on her back. He could feel the anger surge to his heart, trying to overcome his instincts again and turn him into a raging killing machine. But Saria's words made sure they never reached his heart; he was going to kill the Poes, all right, but this time he would do it his way.

After making sure Saria was comfortable, Link stood up and quickly drew his sword and shield before taking a gander at the situation.

Navi was right: there was more than one Poe. There were four, to be exact. The purple one, the one Link had grazed with the hookshot, was back in the corner it had grabbed Saria, looking really angry. The other three Poes amazingly, positioned at the remaining corners of the room, were very similar, and yet very different. All of them looked hideously disfigured in the facial areas, but somehow they all managed to possess certain characteristics that made them unique. One wore a gaudy headdress; one had stringy hair bunched up into a slipknot…things like that. Even their eyes seemed different, expressing different forms of emotion despite the hollow sentiments they carried. And it also helped that each of them were different colors. There was the purple one, and the others were red, green, and blue.

And there one other thing that Link was only noticing now. Each Poe was carrying a torch in its right hand, with a flame glowing brightly. Oddly enough, each Poe's respective flame glowed that Poe's respective color…

"That warrior wounded me!" the purple Poe screamed.

"Are you in pain?" asked the red one.

"That wound doesn't look too serious," the green one commented.

"Let us kill the one who injured our sister!" demanded the blue one.

Link glared at them intensely before uttering, "Navi, Katl, what can you tell me about Poes? Strengths? Weaknesses? What?"

"Well," stuttered his own fey, "Poes are spirits bound to the physical world for eternity, either because they never received a peaceful death or because they chose to remain on this worldly plain. Touching a Poe is dangerous, as they will drain your energy to feed themselves. No one knows how many Poes there are in the world today, but…"

"Oh, for goodness sake, Navi, you're giving him almost useless information!" Katl interrupted. "Link, Poes can materialize and dematerialize at will, so your weaponry won't be able to hit them if they don't allow it. However, if they're forced to interact with the physical world, like striking down they're opponents, they can be harmed. Be careful."

"Thanks…" Link began when he was interrupted by the Poes again.

"Look, he has two fairies with him," pointed out the purple Poe.

"They are telling him how he might defeat us," added the red one.

"Their advice won't do him any good," laughed the green one.

"We will destroy him without any effort at all," bragged the blue one.

Getting a little peeved with the Poes' odd way of speaking, Link tightened his grip on his sword and cried out, "Who in the name of the Three Goddesses are you?"

"We are the Poe Sisters."

"We serve our master, Lord Ganondorf."

"We protect the keys to his chamber below us."

"We will serve him until we are no longer bound to this world."

Link raised an eyebrow. "The Poe Sisters? Boy, you really are original, aren't you? But that's beside the point. I'm guessing those keys of yours are to that wooden panel back up in the main chamber. I don't suppose you'll just give them up to me nicely, will you?"

"We will not give you our keys."

"Our master ordered us to protect them until death."

"We cannot give them to you anyway."

"We are spiritually bound to the keys."

"The keys are the flames we carry for eternity in our hands."

"Our spirits glow with their flames."

"We will only be unbound to them in death."

"To remove our keys, you will need to destroy our spirits bound to them."

_"Quite a chatty bunch, aren't they?" Link thought._

"Now, give us the girl who lies at your feet."

"She must be destroyed as declared by our master."

"Once she is dead, we will destroy you as well."

"You will die with your friend at our hands."

That got Link's attention. "You'll have her over my dead body. I dare you to try anything otherwise."

"If that is your wish, then we will kill you first."

"We have no preference with who must be killed first."

"We will enjoy watching you die, as well as your friend."

"We will even take the time to dispose of your fairy companions."

Link batted his eye cockily; the way the Poe Sisters talked may be starting to annoy him, but he wasn't going to let that distract him. He smiled wryly. "Well, as I said just now, if you're going to kill my friends, you'll have to get through me first. So seeing as this little debate is going to be solved through a battle, why don't you make the first move?"

"Gladly."

Link hadn't anticipated the Poe Sisters speaking together in unison like that; what he hadn't expected even more was what one of sisters – the red one, to be exact – did next. The Poe Sister held out its free hand and released a red-hot stream of fire in his direction.

Caught off guard by the sudden attack that mimicked his own Din's Fire, Link quickly rolled to the side, barely dodging the fiery blast. But he didn't have time to recover when just as he stood back up he saw a second blast of fire heading in his direction, this time with the flames tinted a brilliant blue. He evaded the second attack through a quick jump to his right.

"You cannot escape us," warned the red Poe.

A second later, the green sister released her own green-hued fire. Link, unable to evade this time, raised his shield. The Hylian defensive object managed to hold off the attack, but the force of the blast was strong enough to knock him back, almost causing him to lose his balance.

"You will die by the fires bound to our very souls," declared the blue sister.

Without waiting for the green sister to even finish her attack, the wounded purple Poe fired her own attack. Luckily, Link managed to see the attack in time and twist his shield around in time to block it, but this attack was exactly the thing needed to throw Link off balance.

"We will burn you to your very bones," boomed the green Poe Sister.

The only thing Link could hear in his mind as he fell to the ground was himself screaming to get back up as quickly as he could. When he landed, he quickly tried to do just that. Fortunately for him he succeeded, because as he stood back up he saw the Poe Sisters readying themselves for another attack.

"There will be nothing left of your remains," cackled the purple Poe.

A moment later, all four Poes released their fire blasts in Link's direction. Thankfully, Link had room to dodge very easily by simply running to one side. As the colored flames crossed each other where Link had stood only seconds before, they burned white hot, licking each other intensely until the sisters ceased discharging their attacks.

Link quickly scrambled to the farthest side of the chamber. He didn't like the idea of leaving Saria alone in the middle of the room, but the Poe Sisters were obviously bent on killing him first so she was safe for the moment. When he reached the wall, he turned around to face the sisters yet again. To his frustration, he saw the sisters heading for each other to the other side of the room, at the same time turning to face the Hero of Time, side by side.

They were heading into a formation of some kind, most likely to finish Link off as quickly as possible.

"Curse you!" Link whispered angrily under his breath. "Well, you may have some surprises up your sleeves, but I have a few of my own."

A plan quickly formulated in his mind, and when it was finished a split second later he realized he had to act now. He raised the Master Sword into the air, positioned his shield, and charged.

"Here I come, you witches!"

The Poe Sisters seemed a little surprised at Link's rush, but they hardly flinched from their positions. In complete unison and without a single word, the sisters raised their bony hands outward and simultaneously released intense streams of flame in Link's direction, the multi-colored onslaught flickering wildly in the air.

It was exactly what Link had guessed. He knew his shield wouldn't be enough to hold off against this kind of attack, but there was another shield to do the job.

"I just hope you're strong enough against this…Nayru's Love!"

At the cry of "Nayru's Love," Link outstretched his arms and summoned the magic spell he had summoned only seven years ago. The invisible shield that had saved him from the Barinade's electrical attacks surged through his body like Din's Fire had only moments ago, materializing before him into a wall of safety…

…or at least he hoped. The memory of Nayru's Love failing against Ganondorf's magical attack was still fresh in his mind. Hopefully there wouldn't be a repeat performance of that accident now…

_KAFOOOM…_

Like a well-needed breath of air after swimming underwater for several hours, a sigh of relief escaped Link's lips. Nayru's Love was holding fast. He could see the colored tongues of fire strike the invisible wall before him, trying to burn him to a crisp yet failing miserably. The Poe Sisters' attacks were being held back by his own magic, and that was all he needed.

Because just as Katl had said, the sisters were vulnerable when forced to interact with the physical world. And if burning him to ashes wasn't interacting with the physical world, then what was?

_"Here I come, Poes!" Link laughed in his mind. _"Here I come to slice you in two!"__

The force of the fire against Nayru's Love did slow his progress down somewhat, but surprisingly the magical shield took a great deal of the brunt away. He was almost there, ready to let the Poe Sisters taste the Master Sword's steel. He could almost see them, almost see the surprise in their eyes when they realize their fire attacks weren't even harming him.

Vengeance against what they did to Saria was going to be sweet…

There they were!

He could see them, their hands still outstretched, still shooting their tongues of flame in vain. They didn't even seem to realize what was going on; they didn't seem to realize Link was heading straight for them. All the better for him, he guessed. Now the only thing he had to do now was kill them. They were so close together; one good swipe would kill them all. That was all he needed. One good hit…

_"Here we go!"_

Moments before he reached the Poe Sisters, Link leapt into the air to escape the fiery tomb of the sisters' attack. A second later, he lowered Nayru's Love and raised the Master Sword into the air yet again. He was in a trajectory course heading straight for the sisters, who were still occupied with keeping their colored flames attack alive. Were they really that stupid?

Link didn't want to find out; he just wanted to take advantage of this situation.

One good hit…

"_Diiiiiiiieeeeeeee!"_

An instant after screaming out his declaration, Link swung the Master Sword as hard as he could. His aim couldn't have been better. Like a steel wind, the sword sliced through the bellies of the Poe Sisters silently yet effectively. The sheen of the blade seemed to flash in the Poes' flame light as it made a perfect arc through their bodies, and Time seemed to stand still for but a single instant, as if to relish in this glorious moment.

Link heard no sound as the sword collided with their rotting ghostly flesh, but he didn't care. He had killed the Poe Sisters with one stroke; he had killed the ones who had nearly killed his friend.

As he landed on the ground and erected himself straight, he awaited the sisters to scream in agony at their demise…

"Fool."

_"No…"_

When Link heard the sisters chant in unison once more, he realized in horror that the sisters were far from dead. And that realization became a frightful reality when the closest of the sisters, the purple Poe, reached out with its free skeletal hand and grabbed Link's neck, gripping it tightly and firmly.

Instantaneously, Link felt his muscles grow numb as some unexplainable force surged through his body, tickling his nervous system and freezing on the spot. It was exactly what had happened to Saria, but seeing it and experiencing it were two completely different things. The sensation of not being able to move had _never_ before been this bad; he couldn't even move his eyes. If he hadn't known better, it was the most uncomfortable position he had ever been in.

Of course, the Poe sisters had to begin their take-turns chanting.

"Your steel cannot touch us when we do not interact with the physical world," the purple Poe pointed out coldly.

"The fires bound to our souls are not of this world," the green Poe snickered.

"Using our fires against you did not force us to enter the plane of reality, so we were safe from your attacks," the blue Poe cackled.

"Now you will die by being drained of all your life force at the hands of our sister," the red Poe mocked.

With those last words, the purple Poe Sister tightened its grip around Link's neck.

Link could already feel his energy being drained. Slowly but surely, he was growing weaker and weaker; he eventually grew too weak to even hold the Master Sword and his shield. He was going to end up just like Saria…only worse. As much as he didn't want to believe it, he was forced to believe it when he started experiencing the convulsions.

Link, the proclaimed Hero of Time, the savior of Hyrule, was dying…

*The idea of Link battling the Poe Sisters is attributed to TPOC.


	41. The Phantom of Hatred

**Chapter 41: The Phantom of Hatred**

Helplessness.

Link before had link felt helplessness such as this.

As the pinching grip of the purple Poe Sister squeezed his neck cruelly, Link the other three sisters gathered around their prey into a circle, watching the Hero of Time with glee and ridicule. Link could feel their hollow eyes observe him scornfully; waiting for the moment his life force would be entirely drained, leaving only an empty shell. He was sure they also wanted to join in with their sister and help her deplete his energy, but they were resisted, allowing the sister who was injured to destroy the one who had injured her.

And there was nothing Link could do to save himself, not to mention Saria and the two fairies once these hags were finished with him. They were all going to die in this chamber at the hands of the ghostly Poe Sisters. The thought was just too much to bear for Link. Not only had he failed to protect those he loved, but he had failed in his duty as the Hero of Time. Once he was gone, there would be no one to stand up to Ganondorf other than Sheik and his resistance, and judging by the way the spoke Link had been their only hope.

He had failed them. He had failed them all.

There was nothing he could do, except die like the pathetic hero he was…

_—Link—_

Link realized he must be near death already; he was beginning to hear voices in his head.

_—Link, can you hear me?—_

He must _really be near death; the voice he was hearing was Saria's. He had no idea hallucinations could be this strong._

_—Link, please speak to me if you can hear me. Please—_

Knowing there was nothing else he could do, Link decided to spend the remaining time he had to speak to this dream. This beautiful, wonderful, dream…

_"I'm here, Saria. I'm here."_

_—Link, don't give up yet. There is still one thing you can do to free yourself—_

_"Saria…I will die in a matter of moments. Please, let's talk of more pleasant things other than the impossible…"_

_—Link, listen to me! You have to…—_

_"Saria, please, don't talk about such things. I am no longer Link the Hero of Time. I am Link the Kokiri. Let us not speak about my failure as the savior of Hyrule. I want to talk about our lives together, how spending time with you gave me some of the happiest moments of…"_

_—Link! Stop thinking like that! You're the Hero of Time! How can you even consider giving up like this?—_

_"But…"_

_—Listen to yourself, Link! I know the situation seems hopeless, but those thoughts are the thoughts of someone who doesn't try everything. Remember what I told you all those years ago, the day you were summoned by the Great Deku Tree?—_

_"I…I think I do…"_

_—What did I tell you?—_

_"That…that you didn't want me to give up something just because it's difficult or because I can't do it right away.__ But Saria, that was because I couldn't play the ocarina…"_

_—No, Link. Those words meant a lot more than that. Back then, even then, I knew you were different from the rest of the Kokiri, someone special in a way I couldn't figure out. I gave you those words with the feeling they would mean something later on. And now I know why. You are the Hero of Time, Link. The Hero of Time. You cannot give up like this just because the situation seems hopeless. You have to find a way to make the situation work for you, find a way to accomplish what you must do. Even in circumstances such as this, you cannot quit. You are the Hero of Time, and I know you can make it out of this. I believe in you, Link. I believe in you. With all my heart, I believe in you—_

When Link heard those final words, something amazing happened. Even though his body had gone completely numb all over, he could feel a single tear trickle down his left cheek. He could also feel his heart break, break because of his stupidity and idiocy. Of _course_ he was the Hero of Time, and yet he had dared to give up this easily. How could have even allowed such a thought to enter his mind? He felt like kicking himself…if he could've moved, that is.

But he also felt his heart harden, harden with determination and grit. Saria was right; he wasn't finished yet. If there was a way out of this, he was going to find it…

"Look, sisters, he has shed a tear," the green Poe pointed out.

"The pain he is feeling must be unbearable," sneered the red sister.

"Watching him suffer like this is truly a rare joy for us, isn't it?" exclaimed the blue Poe Sister.

"It won't be much longer before he is dead, so enjoy this while you can," the purple Poe warned with a snicker.

The Poe Sisters' mockery of his tear made Link all the more angry and determined.

_"I'm listening, Saria. What were you trying to tell me earlier?"_

_—Thank the Three Goddesses you're thinking straight again. All right, Link, this is what you do. The Poe Sisters are draining your life force, but they do not know of the other energies within you, such as your magic—_

_"But I can't use my magic right now; I can't even move…"_

_—That's not what I'm referring to. There is another form of energy inside of you other than your magic. I can feel it inside of you, waiting to be awakened. It's the energy of the Temple of Light—_

The energy of the Temple of Light…? Of course! The medallion that Rauru had given him! Link could still remember the tingling sensation he had felt when that thing had absorbed itself into his body. Rauru had given it to him with the hope it would be useful, but Link had no idea how to actually use it. Did Saria somehow know…?

_"What do I do with it?"_

_—You must call forth it, Link. You must awaken it. Once awakened, it will strengthen you in every possible way: stamina, might, magical potency, everything—_

_"Will it give me some new spell to use against these monsters…?"_

_—No, that is not its purpose. All it will do is give you the necessary strength to combat the evil around you, nothing more—_

_"All right, I'll do it. What must I do to awaken it?"_

_—Calm yourself, believe in your own strength, and ask it to aid you. You will know when it has chosen to lend you its strength. You can do it, Link. I know you can. I believe in you, Link—_

Silently acknowledging everything Saria had told him, Link focused all of his remaining strength on summoning the power of the Temple of Light. He relaxed as best be could through his spasms and quietly began to pray.

"Look, the boy isn't moving any more," the blue Poe indicated.

"He must be dead…or at least near death," the red sister gleefully cried.

"No, there is still quite a bit of energy left for him to be dead," the purple Sister announced rather puzzled.

"That's peculiar…" the green sister started when she was abruptly interrupted.

By a scream.

The scream of her purple sibling.

"_Aaaaaaiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaah!"_

"What's going on?"

"What's happening?"

"What's wrong?"

Before the other three Poe Sisters could do anything else, the purple sister reared back in agony, released another scream of excruciating pain, and suddenly flew backwards, as if pushed by some unseen force. The hand she had been holding Link by was completely burnt, releasing smoke trails and a faint odor.

"What happened?" the red Poe asked frantically as it rushed towards her burnt sister.

"That boy's energy…it burnt me!" the purple Poe screeched in anguish.

"But how can that be?" the green sister demanded.

"Only energy of pure light can harm us," the blue sister pointed out.

"Hey, Poe Sisters!"

The four sisters turned their attention back to their weak and drained prey…and they couldn't believe their hollow eyes. Link, who had only moments ago been drooping in the purple Poe's arms and quivering violently, was now standing tall and proud, his eyes filled with newfound strength and vigor. His hands were once again holding his sword and shield triumphantly, their polished surfaces glittering in the light of their multi-colored torches.

"What is this?"

"The boy is standing again!"

"That's impossible!"

"He can't have enough energy to be standing like this!"

"Oh, but I do!" Link laughed heartily. "And you're going to pay for what you did to me, as well as for what you did to Saria."

The Poe Sisters started to scream together in outrage, their disfigured faces twisting in disgust.

"Burn him! Burn him! Burn him! Burn him!"

The sisters then, without any kind of formation of tactical strategy, released their tinted tongues of flame upon the Hero of Time in a heated effort to burn him where he stood.

"That won't work this time!" Link cried out as he moved to doge the incoming flames. To his own the Poe Sisters' astonishment his agility in avoiding the flames was a lot nimbler than before. But while the sisters could find no explanation, Link knew why. The power of the Temple of Light flowing through him was doing exactly what Saria had said. He felt strong than before, faster than before, and more powerful than before. The boost in stamina hadn't elevated him to a godlike status, but the difference was undeniably there.

And that was all he needed.

"Kill him! Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!"

As the Poes continued to scream and release their fires, Link continued to evade the flames as if it were mere child's play. Part of the reason could've been because the sisters were firing out of pure blind rage, but the main reason was undoubtedly Link's newfound agility.

And Link was putting that agility to good use. As the sisters continued their sloppy onslaught, Link edged closer and closer to the nearest of the Poe Sisters, the red one, until he was in striking distance. The Poe was obviously surprised by Link getting near her like this, but Link allowed her no time to get away. With a single swift stroke of the Master Sword, Link sliced through the red Poe's neck before the Poe had time to even turn around.

And unlike the first time, the red Poe shrieked. It raised its hands into the air as he reared its head back in unbearable pain before, with a loud bang, the Poe transformed into a floating skeletal tomb of vapor. To the remaining three Poes' horror, the red Poe continued to scream in agony as its ghostly fluids escaped from its twisted body, until only a red tinge remained that eventually disappeared into the air like a puff of smoke.

"The boy killed our sister!"

"How did he manage to kill her when she was not interacting with the physical world?"

"He had failed in that attempt before!"

Link took a moment to admire his handiwork before he turned his attention to the Poes, whose rotting mouths were gaping in disbelief. He smiled slyly before waving the Master Sword teasingly in the air.

"One down," he taunted, "three to go. Who's next?"

The situation had changed courses so suddenly that two of the Poe Sisters couldn't even fathom what had happened. One was filled with complete fear, the other with utter rage. The former, the blue sister, started to back away timidly, while the latter, the green sister, began shaking in fury.

"How dare you destroy our sister!" the green Poe threatened.

"I…I can't believe he's so strong…" the blue sister stuttered nervously.

"Sisters, wait, do not move until we have…!"

But the purple Poe's cries when unheard when the green sister suddenly screamed in wrath and charged straight for Link, its hand outstretched to release another blast of its emerald fire. But Link wasn't stupid; he knew when to take advantage of an enemy's carelessness. Before the green Poe had a chance to fire another flaming tongue at him, Link made a dash straight towards her head-on, holding the Master Sword high above his head.

He reached her in a matter of seconds and brought the mighty blade crashing down; it found the green Poe's head and split her body in half. The enraged sister only had time to pause and scream for but a split second before it met the same fate of her sister.

By now, the blue Poe had seen enough.

"I…I…I don't…want to die…!" she screamed before dashing off in terror for the staircase.

"Sister, wait…!" begged the purple Poe, but Link was way ahead of her.

As if guided by some mysterious force, Link arched the Master Sword behind him, aimed carefully, and then with all his might _threw_ the blade straight at the blue Poe, sending its flying and spinning like a steel beast after its prey. His accuracy was dead on target. Before the blue Poe even managed to reach the first step of the stairway, the whirling blade sailed right through its target, slicing the Poe through the head and below the neck.

Like the coward she was the blue Poe thrashed and squealed in pain for a few precious seconds before it finally disintegrated into the air like its sisters.

Link smiled. "One more to go!" he snickered loudly as he looked around for the final Poe. "Do you have any last words before I…?"

Link quickly swallowed his words when he realized where the purple Poe was hovering.

It was hovering over Saria.

"Oh, no…" Link gasped in horror.

"You will pay for destroying my sisters, you arrogant fool!" the Poe screamed. "I will destroy the one dearest to you! You will suffer what my sisters have suffered, and there is nothing you can do. You will not reach me in time to save her."

With those words, the Poe reached out with its free hand and grabbed the base of Saria's neck. Almost immediately Saria began to quiver violently.

Link didn't know what to do. He was all the way on the far side of the chamber. By the time he reached the center of the room, Saria might be dead or too weak for him to save her. But he had to try! He couldn't abandon her! He had to do _something! Gritting his teeth and hoping for the best, Link took a step to push himself forward…_

_THOCK…_

His foot hit something.

Link instantly looked down.

It was the hookshot.

An idea instantly formed in his head.

_"Saria…hold on for just a minute longer!"_

Link desperately hoped Saria could somehow hear his silent plea as he reached down and grabbed the hookshot. He then straightened himself, aimed the lethal weapon with the ruby-targeting system, prayed, prayed again, and fired. The hook flew through the air like a deadly bird with a very long tail. Link only hoped it would hit find mark, or else Saria was finished…

_QOOIIIIGH!_

_"Gotcha!"___

The hookshot's head had embedded itself in the Poe's stomach! Link felt a great burden fall from his shoulders. Now there was only one thing left to do.

The Poe, meanwhile, glanced down at the implanted hook. "What do you think you can accomplish…?" she started with a sneer in her voice, but didn't have time to finish.

An instant after hooking the Poe in its rotting flesh, the chain began to rewind itself back towards the firing mechanism., dragging the hook and the hooked ghost hack with it. The hookshot's retracting ability caught the purple spirit off guard, forcing her to let go of the lifeless Kokiri girl and be hauled halfway across the chamber directly towards the awaiting Hero of Time.

By the time the Poe found the sense to dematerialize and thus release itself of the hook embedded in its flesh, it was already within arm's length of Link, who already knew what to do with the twisted ghost.

The moment the hookshot snapped back into place, Link threw the weapon to the ground and cried, "You want my energy, you monster? Here! You can have it!"

The Poe didn't have a chance to escape; Link reached out with both hands and "touched" the transparent specter. Almost instantly he could feel his energy being drained from his hands and into the monster, but this time it was different. Instead of going limp, he could feel his reflexes ordering him to pull back. But he held on, because he was confident this was the only way to destroy this beast without his sword.

And when he heard the purple Poe scream in agony, he knew he was right.

In a jiffy the Poe materialized again, making herself solid. Link took advantage of this and grabbed the monster's head in his hands. The Poe struggled as hard as she could, attempting to use her free hand to try and tear Link's hands from her skin. But Link held on, refusing to give this cruel creature one moment free of pain. Smoke was already drifting from where he was touching the Poe's face, causing her to scream more and more; the energy was burning the ghost's soul rapidly and painfully, something that made Link smile in satisfaction.

Of course, the Poe was far from satisfied. "Let me go! Let go of me, you horrible boy! Let go of me this instant!"

Link, naturally, didn't comply. Instead he spoke up in a very heated tone. "This is for what you did to my friend, you…you…you know what? There is just no way to describe something like you. You're nothing but a cruel, heartless monster that never deserved to live in this world, never mind returning to it as a ghost! I hope wherever you go, you will wear these burn marks to forever remind you of your shame! I don't know what the Three Goddesses do with your kind, but pray they have mercy on the miserable souls of you and your sisters!"

The Poe remained silent for a moment before it finally found a reply for Link. By now its face was so horribly burnt it was beyond recognition and its speech had to be forced from her malformed mouth. "You…fool…you will…die…at the hands…of my master…my Lord…Lord Ganondorf…you will…regret the day…you crossed his…his…his path…boy…mark my…my words…I will…see you…and your friend…your friends…with me…and my sisters…in Hael…"

Link had had enough. "Just _diiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeee_!"

Without a second thought, Link squeezed his hands together…

_CRAAAAAAACK…_

Link a thousands branches being snapped simultaneously, the purple Poe's skull shattered in Link's hands, collapsing into thousands of tiny shards. The ghost didn't even have time to release one final scream before its face fell apart. And with the head gone, the body had no reason to live. Like a dead leaf about to fall, the Poe's body fell limp, falling to the ground with a loud crash. The remains of the skull followed, pattering upon the ground like a chunky powder. Then, right before Link's eyes, the body and the shards melted and disappeared into the ground, leaving only the traces of the purple hue the ghost had been wearing before it, too, dissolved into the air.

Link had done it. He had killed the Poe Sisters.

But there was still something he had to do.

He tried running, but his confrontation with the purple Poe had left his legs feeling rubbery and his upper body strength lax. So instead he shuffled his way to the middle of the room, where a motionless Saria lay. When he reached her, he quickly knelt down and picked her up, holding her in his arms like had done not too long ago. There was no response from her when he did so.

"Saria, please, wake up," he whispered loudly to her. "Saria, are you all right? Please, answer me. Are you okay? Saria, please. Saria…"

When she didn't respond, Link picked up her arm. To his horror, he couldn't detect any pulse. He quickly placed his ear near her mouth, and his horror was intensified when he could hear no breathing. Fearing the worst, he touched her cheek with his hand. Her skin felt cold and icy, the feeling of a corpse that had been dead for quite some time.

_"No…"_

Link couldn't believe it. Had be been too late after all? Had the Poe drained enough of her energy to kill her instantly? Was Saria really…dead?

"Saria, no…"

Link's eyes were already releasing tears long before he started to officially sob. He couldn't believe it. Everything he had done to save her had been for naught; she was dead. Stone cold dead. Never before had he felt so much pain strike his heart. Nothing in his life had been this painful, not even all of the extreme wounds inflicted upon his body put together.

This was the worst thing he could imagine possible happening, and it had happened.

"Saria, no, no, no, no, no, no…_nooooooo_…"

Unable to even look at the Kokiri girl's peaceful yet silent face any longer, Link burned his face into her chest and poured out all his tears from his eyes. He didn't know what to do anymore because he hadn't anticipated this happening, but he just wanted to be close to her for now. He wanted to mourn for her for as much as he could and let his heart pour out all his pain. This was the least he could do for her after failing to protect her…

"Oh, Saria, forgive me," he sobbed, his voice muffled by Saria's chest against his face. "I'm sorry I failed you. I should've been the one to die, not you. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm…"

Just then, Link felt something tickle the back of his neck. At first he thought it was a sweat-filled lock of his hair, but he realized the "something" was moving in circles on his neck. Was it one of the fairies…? No, it felt like…a finger…

Link quickly looked up with his tear-stained face…and saw a weak-eyed Saria looked back at him, her face frozen with a frail smile.

Link felt his heart leap into his throat. "Saria…you're…you're alive…"

"Of course I'm alive…" the Kokiri girl muttered, unable to speak above a hoarse whisper. "Sometimes, Link, I think you worry a little too much."

The only response Link could give was to chuckle through his remaining dirty tears. "Yeah…I guess I do, don't I?"

Saria chuckled as well, albeit feebly. "So…did you get them for me?"

Link nodded. "I did…and boy, did I get them. And it's all thanks to you."

"To me?"

"Yes, to you. If it hadn't been for you, I'd be dead by now."

Saria's eyes suddenly filly with worry. "What do you mean? Did those creatures nearly kill you?"

"Yes, they did. But thanks to you, I managed to get away from them."

"Link, what are you saying? What exactly did I do?"

"Saria, don't you remember? You spoke to me. While the Poe Sisters had me immobilized, you talked to me through my thoughts and coaxed me to awaken the power of the Temple of Light inside of me. It was that power that defeated the Poes. Don't you remember what you told me? To not give up just because the situation was hopeless?"

Saria's eyes seemed to grow confused. "Link…I don't know what you're talking about. I don't remember talking to you at all after I passed out. Are you sure you weren't hallucinating?"

Link thought for a moment. _Had_ he been hallucinating…? "No, it felt too real to be a dream. I was _sure_ it was you. In fact, it almost felt like we were talking to each other through ocarinas. It couldn't have been a dream."

Saria remained silent for a second before saying, "Well, I don't remember anything. But even if it wasn't a dream, Link, how could it have been me? I don't know what this 'power of the Temple of Light' you're talking about is."

That was true. Link hadn't told Saria anything about Rauru giving him that medallion, and even if he had even _Link_ didn't know about the potential energy it had possessed. So why in the world would _Saria know about it?_

Before Link had a chance to say anything, he heard a familiar voice in his left ear. "You were great, Link! You took care of those Poes like they were nothing! And you didn't even have to rage like a madman this time!"

Link rolled his eyes. "Gee…thanks, Navi. That's exactly the kind of support I need right now. Can't you say something a little bit more applicable to the situation?"

"Okay, then, how about this? You do notice that those torches in the corners of this room are now lit, don't you?"

"They're…_what?"_

Link was about to look up when Saria's voice grabbed his attention. "Link, lift my head up. I can't move my neck. Let me see as well."

"Oh, sure thing," Link said before using his hand to gently lift Saria's head into the air. When her line of sight was level enough, Link turned his own gaze to see what Navi was talking about.

He quickly observed what the fay was talking about. All four torches in the room were now lit with the passionate flames of fire, and it didn't take Link long to realize that each flame was colored differently. Four flames, four colors. A red flame, a blue flame, a green flame, and…

"…a purple one," Link finished out loud before a thought leapt inside his mind. _"By the Three Goddesses…so the fires the Poe Sisters were carrying – the fire their souls were bound to – those were the keys! And with them destroyed, the keys have returned to…to the locks? Wait a minute…could the…?"_

"Link, the door upstairs!" Saria suddenly cried as she shifted her gaze to the Hero of Time's eager face. "Maybe the golden torches upstairs have been…have been…"

"…lit as well?" Link completed. "Yeah, it's worth a shot. You don't mind me carrying you up there, do you?"

 Saria's face seemed to redden somewhat. "No…not at all."

"Good. Let me just pick up my things first. Navi, Katl, we're going."

Link, with his friend in his arms and the two fairies hovering over him, started for the place where he had thrown down his hookshot, intending to pick that marvelous weapon up before retrieving his sword and shield. As he took the first steps, however, he felt Saria tickle the back of his neck again.

"What's that for?" Link asked.

Saria smiled weakly. "Nothing…I guess I'm just glad you didn't turn out completely how I dreamt you'd turn out."

"You dreamt…what are you talking about?"

But Saria didn't answer his question; she simply gave her attention to the image of Link she had dreamt of seven years ago. An image she had then prayed he wouldn't become. An image where Link was big…and cold…and cruel…

"Hey, Link, would you mind picking up my bow while you're picking your things up?"

By the time the foursome reached the top of the stairwell, evidence of their accomplishment downstairs was pretty much undeniable. Just as Link and Saria had guessed, the four torches surrounding the platform in the center of the chamber were lit, each with a differently colored flame matching one of the colors of the Poe Sisters' souls.

But what was even more interesting was what had happened to the platform itself. The spot where the wooden square had once been now had some…_things_ added onto it, namely four wooden square poles and a roof. Of course, since Link had never seen one before, he had no idea exactly what it was.

"What is that thing?" he asked aloud, more to himself than to Saria.

"I think…it's our ride downstairs," Saria answered as she turned her neck to get a better look.

"What do you mean?"

"Just get inside. You'll see for yourself." Saria's tone of voice almost seemed to suggest she already knew what was going to happen.

Link, although feeling a little uneasy about Saria's confidence, decided to trust her. Taking a short but deep breath, he carried his small friend and led the two fairies towards the wall-less booth. He hesitated for a moment before placing one foot inside the booth to make sure it was safe; after discovering it was, he moved his entire self inside.

"Okay, we're in," Link stated. "Now what? Are we supposed to wait for something to happen…?"

"Down."

Before Link could say anything in response to Saria's sudden utterance, the booth lurched all of a sudden before, to Link's surprise, started sinking into the ground!

"What in the name of the Three Goddesses…?"

"Relax, Link, relax," Saria assured as she patted Link's shoulder. "This elevator is just taking us downstairs, that's all. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"But…how are we moving? How…?"

"A simple combination of mechanical and magical construction. The four colored flames are the key to the elevator and they control the gears that move this elevator back and forth."

"And where exactly are we heading?"

"Downstairs, to the main acolyte hall, which should lead to the Chamber of Rituals. I'm sure that's where we'll find whatever is sealing the power of the Sage within this temple."

"Well, if that's the  case, then…" A thought suddenly jumped in Link's head. "Saria, how do you know all of this?"

Saria blinked. "Know what?"

The elevator seemed to take forever to reach the bottom. When the contraption had sunk completely into the floor, the elevator was completely surrounded by walls on all four sides, allowing only a tiny fraction of light to seep in from above. As they moved down farther and farther into the bowels of the Forest Temple, Link, Saria, and the two fairies could only wait in silence and pray that they were indeed heading where they needed to be.

Link had decided not to pursue his bizarre conversation with Saria; his mind was already too preoccupied with one of the dialogues exchanged between the Poe Sisters:

_"We are the Poe Sisters."_

_"We serve our master, Lord Ganondorf."_

_"We protect the keys to his chamber below us."_

_"We will serve him until we are no longer bound to this world."_

Those words seemed to indicate that Ganondorf, the man he despised so much, was in this very temple. It was very difficult to believe – why, of all places, would Ganondorf be here? – but somehow Link couldn't shake off the feeling that a fragment of those words might be true. He didn't know why, but he could almost feel that evil man's aura radiating from somewhere close by…

"Link, are you all right?" Saria suddenly asked softly. "You feel a little tense."

"What…oh, er, I guess I'm just a little nervous, that's all."

"Nervous about what?"

"About what we might encounter at the end of this ride…"

Those were the last words the two exchanged on the elevator, for just then the darkness all around them abruptly disappeared, replaced by shimmering torchlight all around them. The Hero of Time had to adjust his eyesight to get used to the sudden change, but when he could see again he realized that the elevator had emerged within another chamber.

Smaller than the one above them in every dimension, the room was actually about as tall as the elevator Link was standing on. Enclosed by about eight different walls arranged evenly all over, the room was completely bare save for lit torches on the walls and a plush red carpet on the ground. There wasn't even any visible artistic architecture anywhere; the room was as plain as the room where he had fought the Poe Sisters, if not more so.

What was so special about this room – the main acolyte hall, wasn't that what it was called? Maybe there was something in the other room, the Chamber of Rituals…

_THOOOF…_

With a soft thud, the elevator gently landed on the ground, bringing its trip downward to a halt. Hesitating for only a moment, Link stepped off the elevator and onto the carpet, his sharp gaze looking all over for anything suspicious. He didn't want to be caught off guard by any more of Ganondorf's minions.

"There doesn't seem to be anything here," he finally commented out loud. "Let's try that other room, wherever it may be…"

"It's over there."

Link snapped his gaze towards Saria, who was pointing to one side of the room. He followed her finger…and saw a door engraved in the wall. Link blinked several times to make sure he wasn't dreaming; he could've sworn he hadn't seen that door there before. Had it just suddenly appeared?

Could Saria…have done something…?

"Come on, Link," Saria uttered. "What are you waiting for?"

"An explanation?" Link mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"Never mind. Let's just go before something else happens."

"What…what do you mean? I don't understand what you're talking about."

"Neither do I."

The entrance that Saria had pointed out led to a long hallway that resembled the main acolyte hall in every respect, from carpet to walls to blandness. As he walked down that corridor, Saria in his arms and the two fairies on either shoulder, Link started to wonder if these special rooms, the rooms that Ganondorf's minions had taken so much effort to seal up, were really that special. Maybe they had been magnificent when the temple was first built, but right now Link could find nothing extraordinary about them. He had expected rooms filled with intricate carvings and beautiful furniture and grandiose wall coverings…but no, instead he got nothing special.

Why was he concerned about this? Maybe he was thinking too much. Maybe he was trying to divert himself away from his nervousness. Maybe he had nothing better to do…

His wandering thoughts were removed from his attention, however, when he reached the end of the surprisingly short corridor. But instead of another room, Link found himself staring at the start of a narrow staircase winding up and to the right. Oddly enough, the stairwell didn't have a ceiling…

_"Well, there's no other place to go, so..."_

With that thought in mind, Link climbed the stairs. It didn't take him long to discover the stairway was curving around to the left, and when he reached the top of the flight he instantly realized what was going on.

He _was in another room, but there was a really huge platform in the middle, a platform that left just a small gap between its edge and the chamber's walls; the stairs were merely the route to get to the top of the platform. The platform itself was an interesting piece of architecture. Perfectly circular in shape, the stage was surrounded by a series of poles about Link's height all around, spaced about a hand's length apart and each pole possessing a sharp tip that resembled an arrow head._

The floor of the platform was decorated with the familiar symbol of the ever mysterious Triforce, reaching the very edges of the stage. The walls of the chamber also bragged some decorations: a set of enormous tapestries suspended a little above the level of the platform. Oddly enough, all the tapestries were of the same thing: a dreary path leading towards a spooky castle in the distance under a half-moon sky.

Without even having to ask Saria or look around further, Link knew he had found the Chamber of Rituals.

"Well, we've reached the end of the road," Link uttered as he noted there was no other doorway or exit in the room other than the stairway. "Maybe there's…"

"Link," Saria gently interrupted, "I think…I think I can walk now. Could you please let me down?"

"What…oh, sure thing."

As gently as he could, Link lowered Saria to the ground and placed the Kokiri girl on her feet before letting go of her. Saria remained still for a brief moment before she tried taking a step. Almost instantly she lost her balance, causing her to wave her arms around in panic before she quickly grabbed on Link's nearby shoulder.

"You're still a little weak," Link pointed.

"I…I think I just need to stay up for a little bit before I get back on my feet," Saria commented. "Why don't you go look around here while I wait here?"

"You sure?"

"Sure I'm sure."

Without another word, Link nodded and helped the unsteady Saria make her way to the wall and use it to prop her rubbery legs up. When she signaled she was all right, Link nodded one more time before standing up and turning his attention to the platform.

The staircase had led him to the only break in the entire wall of spikes, obviously the platform's only entrance and exit; it was a very easy set up for a trap, a fear seemingly confirmed by a cold tingle running down his neck. Still, he also had this nagging feeling that he _had_ to step in there despite the risk.

Why did he always have to have these "feelings" at times like this?

"Navi, are you coming with me?"

The pink fey fluttered over the Hero of Time's left shoulder. "You know it."

"Katl, will you stay with Saria?"

"I suppose," Katl uttered from Link's right shoulder.

"Right then. Navi, let's go."

Deciding not to take any chances, Link drew his sword and readied his shield. Taking a deep breath, he then stepped out onto the platform.

He made it about halfway through the entrance before he heard Saria shout.

"Link, watch out!"

Acting on pure instincts, Link pushed himself into a roll, throwing his entire body weight forward. As he did, he managed to catch a glimpse of what happened a split second later. Right where he had been standing, in between the barrier of pikes all around the platform, several more pikes erupted from holes in the floor, their sharp tips slicing the air like a fired arrow. They stopped flying upward when they reached the height of the other pikes, sealing the entrance and becoming part of the wall.

When Link stopped rolling out of harms way, he stood up and quickly examined what had just happened. "What in the name of the Three Goddesses is going on?" he cried to Saria, who he could see through the spacing between the poles. "Saria, how…?"

"Link, be careful with those spikes! Their tips are covered with poison."

Link jerked his head. "Wha…poison? What are you…?"

"The poison is a traditional concoction used to purify the area of the ceremonial stage, the place you're standing on, during a ritual. It's very potent; one scratch and you'll die within a matter of seconds."

Flashbacks of Link's brief conversation with Saria in the elevator suddenly leapt into his mind. "Saria, what are you…how do you know all…?"

"I'm impressed, little girl."

That voice…

_"It can't be…"_

Unable to believe his ears, Link turned around. To his complete surprise and horror, his eyes confirmed what his ears could only indicate.

There, in the very center of the platform, was Ganondorf.

Link was frozen in disbelief. Ganondorf, the man he had grown to hate ever since he had heard his name, had materialized out of nowhere and was now right in front of him. He looked exactly like he did seven years ago: cold, sinister, and malicious. And if that weren't bad enough, Ganondorf wasn't alone; his equally malevolent horse was here as well, its cruel master looking down at Link from its back. The beast looked wild and ready to strike, but somehow Ganondorf managed to keep it under control.

But that didn't make Link feel any better.

"Ganondorf…" Link whispered loudly.

"I don't know how you learned so much about this temple," Ganondorf uttered towards Saria on the other side of the platform's pike barrier, ignoring Link, "but it doesn't matter. I'll take care of you soon, right after I kill your friend."

Saria, who was just as surprised as Link, could only prop herself as high as she could against the wall to get a better look at the evil Gerudo before she finally spoke. "You…you're Ganondorf? You're the man…who killed the Great Deku Tree? The one who has turned this beautiful forest into what it is now? You're…Ganondorf?"

"The same," Ganondorf sneered. "Now wait there like a good little girl while I attend to business." The King of Thieves then turned his attention to Link, who was still gaping in disbelief. "You…you're the boy who helped me all those years ago. You're the one who opened the door to the Sacred Realm for me. I thank you for everything you've done for me. As a token of my gratitude, I'll give you the chance to live."

"W…w…wha…?" Link stammered, not sure what Ganondorf was talking about. 

"You're obviously a good fighter, kid. You managed to undo all my spells I used to get the Spiritual Stones, and that was seven years ago. Even now you show promise as a soldier, as you've just killed two Wolfos and all four of those wretched Poe Sisters. I could use someone like you in my army. This is your one chance to live, boy. Either join me and become my subordinate, or die like that pathetic tree you once called a god."

At first Link didn't know what to think, but it didn't take him long for that train of thought to disappear. Anger started to boil inside of his heart, but it had nothing to do with his insanity fits; it was anger directed at the man before him. How dare Ganondorf call the Great Deku Tree pathetic. How dare he congratulate Link for something Link took absolutely no pride in. How dare he…make such a ludicrous offer.

How dare he…!

"Never!" Link cried at the top of his lungs, his voice resonating within the chamber several times before it faded. Link raised the Master Sword and pointed it directly at Ganondorf "I will never join you, you demon! I'd rather die than let you take pleasure in using me for your evil ends!"

Ganondorf remained silent for a moment before he started sneering mockingly. "Then you have chosen death. So be it…boy!"

Without another word, Ganondorf raised his right hand into the air; seconds later, there was a bright flash of light that nearly blinded Link. At first he thought Ganondorf was using some kind of light attack, but when the flash subsided he realized that a weapon had somehow materialized in his hand. It was a staff, lengthy and slender and equipped with a bladed weapon on either end, one end actually containing _three_ blades in a pattern reminiscent of a three-toed bird's foot.

Link only managed to get a brief glimpse of the weapon before Ganondorf started using it. Quick as a flash, the King of Thieves spun the staff around over his head several times before he whipped it downward…and pointed its three-bladed end straight at Link.

"Die."

The evil man's single word was followed by yet another bright flash, only this time it erupted directly from the three-blades in the form of a sphere of light. The time it took for the ball to take shape completely and then launch itself off of Ganondorf's weapon was less than the time it took for Link to realize that he was the ball's intended target.

He raised his shield, but it was too late.

The ball of light made a direct hit upon Link's chest. The Hero of Time felt the energy surge through his body in the span of an instant, burning his muscles and pulling his nerves. He screamed out in pain as the force of the ball striking him threw him backwards, causing him to collide with the pike wall behind him with a loud thud; his landing on the ground was thankfully not as hard. It took seemingly forever for the energy to finish coursing through his body, and even when he could move again he could still feel sparks nesting in his bones.

He knew he should be dead, and yet he wasn't.

It was the intrigued laugh of Ganondorf that jolted him into opening his eyes and look up. The desert king was looking down at his prey with his empty, hollow eyes…wait a minute. Ganondorf's eyes were never like that…

"It appears you're a little stronger than I thought you were," the Gerudo mused. "But I'm sure one more hit will finish the job. Still, I'm so impressed that I'll give you one more chance. Join me or die."

Link felt the anger and stubbornness build up again within him. "Ne…never!"

"Then be gone."

Ganondorf raised his staff once more in Link's direction. Link could already feel the energy build up near the staff's tip. Ganondorf was right: one more hit and he was finished…

_ZIIIIING…_

When Link heard that sound, he thought Ganondorf had already fired his weapon. But when he realized he was still alive, it didn't take him long to figure out he had been saved. But how…?

"Phantom Ganondorf!"

Saria…!

Despite the pain in his neck, Link turned it as quickly as he could so he could look in Saria's direction. The Kokiri was standing without any kind of support – albeit it shakily – and she was holding her bow. Judging by the way she was holding it, she had fired an arrow in Ganondorf's direction. The look on her face seemed to confirm that.

"Saria…" Link started but Saria quickly interrupted.

"Phantom Ganondorf! Show your true face!"

True face…?

Link turned his head once again, this time in Ganondorf's direction. It didn't take him long to see where Saria had fired her arrow. The projectile was imbedded in Ganondorf's face and had gone right through his head; the arrow tip was even peeking out from the other side. Link couldn't believe his eyes. Had Saria killed Ganondorf…?

"You little wench!"

When Ganondorf turned his face towards Saria, Link nearly jumped in fright. But Saria didn't flinch; she remained tall and defiant as she removed another arrow from her quiver and readied her bow for another shot.

"Remove your mask, phantom!" the Kokiri demanded. "You are not the true Ganondorf!"

Ganondorf seemed to ponder Saria's command for a moment before snarling, "You dare to order me around, you little whelp? You are lucky I kept you alive for as long as I did! Had I had my own way, you would've been dead the day you set foot inside this temple!"

"But your master wanted me alive so he learn this temple's secrets, didn't he?" Saria bellowed as she drew her bowstring back with the arrow loaded. "He wanted me to open this temple's secrets so he could conveniently step in and take them for himself. But when I got dangerously close to you, he granted you permission to kill me."

"You're a clever one, girl," Ganondorf scowled, the arrow in his face not even bothering him. "My master was right about you…"

"…but he was wrong about using me!" Saria interjected. "No matter how hard he tries, he will never learn the secrets of this temple! He will never learn the power of the Sages! Now enough talk! Remove your mask before I remove it for you!"

For the first time since getting shot, Ganondorf smiled wickedly. "You only want me to remove my mask? Why not use those pathetic arrows of your to kill me?"

"I will not be the one to kill you, because I cannot kill you! The one that will kill you, as well as your master, will be the Hero of Time!"

Ganondorf suddenly broke into laughter. "You really are an amusing little whelp, aren't you? You've been right about everything except for two things…" Then, in an instant, the Gerudo's face grew serious again. "First, my master will never be killed, nor will I, by the Hero of Time or anyone. And the second…I am not the phantom of Ganondorf…"

Link didn't know why, but for some reason or other Saria had decided to fire her arrow at that very moment. Her target was the same as before, Ganondorf's face. This time, however, the Gerudo was ready. With lightning-fast reflexes, his free hand flew through the air and caught the arrow, stopping its trajectory just shy of his face. Then, with the same fast response, he shifted the pointing direction of his staff. Now it had a new target.

The young Kokiri girl.

Link's eyes widened in horror.

"_Sariaaaaaaaaaaaaa…!"_

Link tried to get up and move, but he was already too late. In mid-scream, Ganondorf released one of his energy balls with a deafening drone. Saria could do nothing to save herself; the sphere of light struck her head-on, consuming her in a blinding flash. She didn't even scream; she simply fell to the ground with a haunting thump. As she fell, Link managed to catch a final glimpse of her face before it collided with the ground. Her eyes were completely empty, devoid of any kind of life or emotion. Her mouth was gaping ever so slightly, as if she were giving a final futile attempt to live.

It was the face…of death.

_"Not again…not again…!"_

Link was losing Saria for the third time today…and this time, he could do nothing to help her, the poisonous pikes all around the platform separating her from any help he might offer. Now he had no idea if she was alive or not, but if that face were any indication…

"Saria…Saria…" Link muttered before he, with tears already bursting from his eyes, roared as loud as he could, "_Nooooooooooo_! _Sariaaaaaaaaa_!"

Now he felt it.

He could feel his madness collect itself. He could feel his sanity slowly slip away from him, possibly to disappear like it had done so many times before. The magic bottled up inside of him – Din's Fire, Farore's Wind, Nayru's Love – flow throughout his body and surge to their highest potential. His body was on the verge of giving itself to his insanity, threatening to turn him into the monster he so despised.

But no, not this time.

It was difficult, but he was going to fight it. He will not turn into that menace again. Never again. Instead, he was going to use his power with his own will, and he will use this power to destroy the one who had dared to harm Saria. She will be avenged, he knew, and he will avenge her not as a brutal and cruel monster…

…but as the Hero of Time.

_"You'll pay!" Link screamed in his mind.__ "I swear to the gods you'll pay_!"__

Calling forth the power of the Temple of Light, Link felt his strength return. He wasted no time in standing up and facing the mounted Gerudo king, who had returned his attention to the Hero of Time. Ganondorf was a little surprised by Link's abrupt recovery, but he didn't seem in the least bit worried.

"So you're a _lot stronger than I originally thought," Ganondorf scorned as he threw Saria's second arrow to the ground. "This should make things a lot more interesting."_

"Ganondorf…" Link growled, his grip tightening on the hilt of the Master Sword. "You're going to pay for what you did to my friend! I'll kill you where you stand, you bastard! You will wish you had never crossed me when I'm through with you, Ganondorf…"

"I am not Ganondorf."

For some odd reason, those words seemed to echo louder than anything ever spoken in that chamber before. Link, however, didn't loosen his controlled rage.

"What the heck are you talking about?" he snarled. "You said yourself you're Ganondorf…"

"The need for this charade is over. Now behold what that little wench already knew!"

The man on the horse then reached for the arrow embedded in his face, grabbed the end tightly…and pulled it straight up! Link couldn't believe what he was seeing: Ganondorf was _tearing right through his face! Was he insane…no, wait, something was wrong. Ganondorf's face…it was __peeling off! It was…_

…a mask! Just as Saria had said!

And when Link saw what was underneath, his eyes grew wide with surprise. Where Ganondorf's face had once been now remained a fiercely white skull with the same hollow eyes Link had noticed only moments earlier. Link couldn't believe it. This wasn't Ganondorf at all; it was a spirit!

It was…a phantom!

"Phantom Ganondorf…" Link cried aloud, recalling what Saria had called him.

"No!" the phantom bellowed, overhearing Link's words. "I am neither my master himself nor the phantom of the man once known as Ganondorf. I am the phantom of Ganon, my lord and master!"

The phantom of…Ganon? Phantom Ganon? Who was Ganon? Was that just another name for Ganondorf? Had to be, the names sounded too similar to be different. Still, what was the purpose…?

"Ganondorf or Ganon, you're dead either way!" Link threatened. "Saria said I'm the only one who can kill you, and I'm going to do just that!"

Although his skin was gone, Link could tell Phantom Ganon's skeletal face was smiling.

"If you're that ready to die," the spirit mocked, "then come and get me…boy!"

Link decided to take up Phantom Ganon's dare.

He charged.


	42. Clashes and Revelations

**Chapter 42: Clashes and Revelations**

Phantom Ganon should've done something in response to Link's charge. He should've raised his staff in defense. He should've started moving his horse to dodge Link's attack. He should've raised his weapon to make an attack on his own. He should've done _something!_

But no. Phantom Ganon remained perfectly immobile, his hollow yet sinister eyes watching the infuriated Hero of Time raise the Master Sword for a clean strike through the specter…

…until the very last moment.

"_Hyaaaaaaaaaaaa…what in the name of the Three Goddesses…?"_

Link's swing was perfect: fast, silent, and deadly. It would've made a clean slash straight down Phantom Ganon's body and put an end to him right there…if he had still be where Link had aimed, that is. Just before Link followed through on his attack, Phantom Ganon's horse leaned back slightly before pushing itself forward with all its might and then…flew.

Yes, flew.

There was no way any horse, no matter how strong it was, could launch itself that high into the air. It flew, pure and simple.

Link quickly recovered from his attack and jerked around as fast as he could in order to behold Phantom Ganon's horse's spectacular trick. His eyes were partially blocked by his own sweat-coated hair, but he easily put it out of his mind as other, more important things flooded his thoughts.

_"Curse it!" he cried in his mind. __"That horse must be a ghost as well!"_

But the horse and Phantom Ganon saved the best trick for last. As it sailed through the air like a bird without wings, Link realized it wasn't turning or even slowing down; it was heading straight for the wall. In fact, it was heading straight for one of the mundane paintings Link had noticed earlier. Link's immediate thoughts told him the horse and Phantom Ganon were going to go through the wall, but the spirits had other ideas.

Moments before striking the wall, there was a bright purple light that erupted suddenly from the painting, covering it completely. Phantom Ganon and his horse passed right through that "doorway" of light, disappearing within its violet radiance. Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the light disappeared, and Link could not believe what he saw next.

Phantom Ganon and his horse were _inside_ the painting! They were up the path that led to the bottom of the painting, heading straight to the castle in the distance! As impossible as it seemed, Link was forced to believe it as he watched the evil spirit and his horse rode into the horizon of the painting, eventually disappearing in the distance, the clapping of the phantom horse's stride against the ground fading with every step.

Of course, Phantom Ganon wasn't one who just simply disappeared like that; moments before he was out of sight, a soft yet familiar cackle echoed throughout the chamber.

Then silence. There was complete and absolute silence. Link, his grip tightening on his sword, shifted himself towards the center of the platform; it felt like the safest place to be. He looked around for any signs of the fake Ganondorf and his steed, but there was no trace of him to be found.

Could he have possibly…run away…?

"Come out and face me, you coward!" Link screamed at the top of his lungs.

Link's voice rang throughout the chamber like a soul in search of peace. He wanted to kill Phantom Ganon where he stood; he deserved it after what he did to Saria. He so badly wanted to run to her now, to see if she was alright, to see if there was some hope she was still alive. But the barrier kept him separated from her; all he could do was look at her, and that was painful enough.

No, the only thing he could do right now – and probably the best thing – was kill the one who had…who had…oh, gods he desperately wanted to see if she was alive…

—Pray to your dead tree god, boy. You're about to die—

It was Phantom Ganon's voice. Where was it coming from? It sounded like it came from everywhere and nowhere at the same time…like that was at all useful. But the specter had made a crucial error: it had forfeited the element of surprise. Now Link knew it was coming; all he had to figure out was where…

_"There! There he is!"_

Link's attention quickly turned to a painting other than the one the phantom had disappeared inside. It was small, but he was sure he could make out the…yes, he was right! There, coming down the path towards the bottom edge of the painting, was Phantom Ganon on his horse. He was getting larger and larger, his hideous face staring directly at Link with his hollow eyes. Link could hear the phantom horse's feet stamp the ground in perfect yet haunting rhythm, like a heat beat foretelling an untimely death.

Whether or not the phantom realized Link knew where he was didn't matter; Link already knew what he was going to do.

_"This is it!" Link thought as he smiled wryly and readied his sword._ "As soon as you leap out of that painting, I'm going to cut you in two! Prepare yourself, Phantom Ganon! You're going to pay for what you did to Saria!"__

He was closer and getting closer still. Link waited for the bright flash of purple light that signaled its exit from the painting. The moment he sees that light, he'll…

What the…?

Phantom Ganon was turning around! Just as the specter reached the bottom edge of the painting, the ghost horse abruptly stopped, turned around, and headed back into the painting!

_"What's he doing…?" Link started thinking when, without warning, the expected purple light flashed. _"Behind me…?"__

Link turned around just in time to witness…_another_ Phantom Ganon leap out of one of the other paintings behind him. However, turning around was all that Link could do. Before he could do anything, the second Phantom Ganon raised the three-pronged end of his menacing pike into the air and then sent it flying towards the ground. A split second later, a bright fork of lightning sailed from the tips straight for Link.

The Hero of Time was struck directly in the chest; he didn't even have time to cry out in anger or pain. All he did was grunt in surprise as the force of the strike sent him flying through the air. He landed with a thud against one of the poison-tipped pikes, thankfully missing the deadly point. Link then laid there, his face frozen in disbelief at what had just happened.

But not for long.

"How…dare you…" Link muttered angrily under his breath as he strained to move again. "How dare you…use such a cheap trick against me…"

Amazingly the Master Sword was still in his hands, so Link used the mighty weapon to prop himself as he struggled to his feet. As he did, he heard the nowhere-everywhere voice of Phantom Ganon once again.

—So you managed to survive my lightning attack. That blast was strong enough to stop a person's heart…but then again, you're not an ordinary person. No matter. Not even you can withstand my attacks for very long. As long as you can't see me coming, you're nothing but my little plaything—

Link didn't respond immediately; instead he coughed…and tasted his own blood. All the beatings and thrashings were starting to wear him down physically…but he refused to let them wear him down mentally. He was going to use every last bit of strength he had to kill this thing, no matter what it did to him.

_"Plaything, am I? Well, this plaything will slit your throat and cut your guts open if you think I'm going to let you underestimate me like that."_

Phantom Ganon was nowhere in sight; he had probably disappeared into another painting. Pushing himself with his rubbery legs, Link made his way back to the middle of the platform, since it gave him the best vantage point. Fire burned up his back as he forced himself to stand as tall as possible, and he could feel the blood drain from his hands, threatening to drop the Master Sword. But he maintained his grip on the weapon as he looked around the room to try and anticipate Phantom Ganon's next attack.

"Where are you, you bastard?" he mumbled under his breath. "Where the heck are you…?"

Link quickly stopped mumbling when he saw him.

Phantom Ganon was doing it again: riding his horse down the path of one of the paintings. Link smirked. This time, he was…no, wait! What if…? Link took another look around the room at the other paintings. Sure enough, his hunch proved correct. There was more than one Phantom Ganon riding down the path of more than one painting.

_"So this is your little trick in action, is it?" Link cursed. __"The question is…which one is the real you?"_

Link hastily counted the number of Phantom Ganons. There were three…no, four. All of them appeared to be running at the same pace towards the bottom edge of the painting, but Link already knew three of them will turn around while the fourth, the real Phantom Ganon, will leap out and attack. But how could he tell which one was the real one? They all looked exactly alike with no visible dissimilarities. Would he have to base his decision on chance?

_"Why not?"_

Deciding to risk it, Link chose one of the paintings as the real Phantom Ganon and gave it his full attention. He could've split his concentration between all the paintings, but Phantom Ganon was too dangerous; another mistake like before could be costly. It had to be all or nothing.

_"Of course, I prefer all…"_

The lingering "clippity-clop" sound of Phantom Ganon's horse was already growing louder and louder, and Link was sure he could hear the phantom's breathe snickering menacingly. The painting he had decided to focus on seemed to completely suffocate his vision as the Phantom Ganon it contained grew closer and closer, the ghost's disfigured face growing more and more visible.

Just a little closer, Link knew. Then the truth will be revealed. Was it the real thing or not…?

_"Yes…yes…yes…no! Curse it!"_

It wasn't real. The ghost had turned around. One of the other three ghosts was the real Phantom Ganon. And Link had no time to turn around and figure out which one it was. So there was only one thing left to do.

He jumped.

Although his legs felt rubbery, he still managed to find enough strength to push himself to the side in the direction of a painting without a Phantom Ganon. The moment his feet left the ground was the same moment the already-recognizable purple flash burst from one of the other paintings. Link didn't actually see Phantom Ganon leap from the painting, but he didn't need to. An instant following the purple flash, there came a second flash of light, this one an intense white. The subsequent loud crack that echoed throughout the chamber needed no long explanation.

Ganondorf had fired his lightning again at the very spot from where Link had just leapt. Had Link not moved, he would've most certainly been hit and quite possibly killed.

But Link's relief was once again replaced by determination the moment he landed and rolled once before standing up again. The pain in his legs and back flared up again, but he ignored it as he scanned the room for the elusive Phantom Ganon. Again he was nowhere in sight.

_"By the Three Goddesses, he's fast…" Link started thinking before he heard the specter's voice bellow again._

—That was a beautiful evasive move, my friend. I guess you have more spunk in you than I initially thought. Still, you can't avoid me forever—

Link had had enough. "Shut up, you bloody ghost! Quit hiding and fight me face to face, you coward! Are you so weak that you rely on childish tricks like this to defeat your opponents? At least the other monsters I've fought had the guts to fight me one on one!"

There was a slight pause when Link finished, but he thought he felt the mood around him go sour. Had he actually gotten to Phantom Ganon? When the ghost spoke again, Link knew he had.

—You…little brat. No one talks to me like that…—

"Then come and fight me face to face, you monster! I'm not in the mood for your games!"

Another silence followed, and when Phantom Ganon spoke again Link could tell the specter was really bitter now.

—A game…is this? Well, you little pipsqueak, I'll show just how deadly this game really is. Watch this closely, because this will be the last time you will see me. Prepare yourself, Hero of Time; you're about to join your tree god and your pathetic girl friend—

What was he talking about, Link wondered. Was he actually taking up Link's offer? Or did he have something else in mind? Or…was he still going to play "guess-which-picture-I'm-hiding-in?"

Whatever. Link made his way to the center of the platform once again and proceeded in scanning the room yet again, the Master Sword shimmering in the torchlight.

_"All right, Phantom Ganon…show yourself. Prove to me you're not a coward. Show me you…"_

But Link's request was not to be. When Link looked at the painting directly in front of him, he realized Phantom Ganon was once again making his way down the path of the painting. Link snarled in anger and disappointment, but quickly decided it was best to figure out how many other paintings the phantom was using as fakes so he could do what he did before: choose one and pray.

_"Let's see…he's using the one right next to it…and the next one…and the next one…and that one too…and…wait a bloody minute…don't tell me!"_

But no one needed to tell him anything. It didn't take Link long to recognize that every single painting in the room had a Phantom Ganon trotting down its path. And that meant…Link's chance of choosing the right phantom was next to nothing. And Link will have no place to jump to once the real Phantom Ganon leapt from his painting because he'll be too absorbed in figuring out which direction to choose.

There was no way out. Link was trapped.

_"Great! Just great! Now what am I going to do…?"_

_—Link! Link! Can you hear me?—_

Link couldn't believe what he was hearing. Just like when he was losing his fight with the Poe Sisters, he was hearing Saria's voice in his head! That meant…she was…

_"Saria!__ Thank the Three Goddesses you're alive…"_

_—Link, we have no time for this! You only have a short amount of time before Phantom Ganon attacks—_

Thankfully, Link's shock in Saria being alive still left him capable of realizing she was right. Putting aside all thought of celebration, Link thought, _"Yes, yes, of course. This guy is a pain, Saria. What am I going to do?"_

_—Link, Phantom Ganon, as powerful as he is, he's still a spirit. Those paintings – I'm sure he put those up himself for this very kind of thing – those paintings simply allow him to bend dimensional space into doorways so he can enter those dimensions. The multiple Phantom Ganons you see are simply mirror images of his own image that he can manipulate any way he chooses…anyway, it's too complicated to explain right now. The main this is that the real_ Phantom Ganon is different from the fakes in that his energy is far more powerful—__

Energy more powerful than the fakes? That sounded reasonable, but still…

_"That sounds good, Saria, but what can I do with that information? I can't sense energy like that…"_

_—No, but a fairy can—_

A fairy…of course! Fairies were sensitive to all kinds of energy, from emotional to life. That means…

_"Navi!__ She can…"_

_—Yes, but there's something else, Link. Phantom Ganon isn't stupid; he strikes the very second he leaps out of whatever portrait he's hiding in. That means you have to strike an instant before he does, or else he'll kill you with his lightning blasts—_

_"An instant before he does. But how can I…?"_

_—Look in my direction, Link. What do you see?—_

Snapping out of his thought conversation with Saria, Link hastily snapped his attention towards where Saria had supposedly been killed. He didn't know if it was because he was in a hurry – Phantom Ganon was steadily approaching, after all – or some sixth sense showed him, but he quickly saw was Saria was talking about.

There, sitting between the arrow-tipped poles that separated him from Saria, was Saria's bow. And wouldn't you know it, an arrow was lying right next to it. Talk about convenience!

Or was it really that convenient…?

_"You bow! But Saria, I've never fired a bow in my life! Can't I use my hookshot…?"_

_—No! Your hookshot isn't strong enough to kill. You have to use this bow and arrow. Trust me—_

Link suddenly remembered something. _"But Saria…don't you remember? You tried killing him with an arrow before and it did nothing to him…"_

_—Not him, Link. His horse—_

Link blinked. _"His horse?"_

_—Phantom Ganon's horse is the key that allows him to bend dimensional space. I'm sure of it. Get rid of his horse and you can fight him one on one, just as you wanted—_

_"But Saria…I still don't know how to use a bow and…"_

_—This is no time for excuses, Link. You're the Hero of Time. You can do anything you have to do. Besides, it's not like you'll be doing this alone. I'll help you do it. Don't worry—_

_ As Saria finished her coaching speech, Link couldn't help but ask a nagging question in his mind. _"Saria…how do you know all of this…?"__

_—Link! Shut up and get going!—_

That was all Link needed to get moving.

"Navi!" Link cried. "Are you still with me?"

"Y…y…yes, I'm here," a feeble and somewhat scared voice uttered from under his hat.

"Good! I need you to do something for me. I want you to fly to the painting with the strongest surge of energy. You got that?"

"Wh…wh…what? Are you crazy? That's where that crazy phantom is most likely to be…"

"I'm glad you understand why I'm sending you there!" Link snapped. "Now do it!"

"But…"

"_Now! Please, Navi, I don't have a lot of time!"_

"Well, since you asked so nicely…"

Without another word, the pink fairy zipped out of Link's hat and fluttered away. Link nodded in satisfaction and then turned his attention back to the paintings…oh, gods! The Phantom Ganons were nearly at the edge of the paintings. It wouldn't be long before all but one turned around…and the real Phantom Ganon flew out to give the final blow. Link didn't have that much time…how long did his conversation with Saria take, anyway…? 

No time, no time!

The bow and arrow poking between the pike barrier looked so far away, and yet Link knew he had to get to it before Phantom Ganon leapt out of the painting again…not to mention actually _fire_ the bloody thing! He didn't know if he really could do that, but he had no time to argue with himself. It was now or never.

Pushing himself to the limits of his strength, Link dropped the Master Sword – it landed on the ground with a gentle clang – and dashed over to where Saria's bow and arrow were lying. He was amazed at how quickly he reached them – was he going to make it after all? – and without a second thought he grabbed the bow in his left hand and the arrow in his right.

Okay. Now what?

_"How do I work this thing?" he thought frantically. __"Saria, you said you'd help me! So help me_! _Please__!"_

Oh, gods. The Phantom Ganons had just about reached the edge of the painting. In another second, they were going to turn around…

_—Link! Can you hear me?—_

Link felt relief flow through his veins. _"Loud and clear!"___

_—Good. Now try to relax, because this is going to feel strange—_

This is going to feel strange? What exactly was "this?"

_"Saria, what…?" he started thinking when suddenly he felt something._

The experience wasn't new; several times he had felt "something" grow within him, so this time didn't surprise him as much as before. Even so, he was still in the dark about what exactly it was. It reminded him somewhat of a cross between the first time he had used Din's Fire and when he had called forth the power of the Medallion of Light. However, this one was different in that it didn't affect his body.

It affected his mind.

Was Saria awakening a hidden power within his body?

He was about to call out to Saria again to ask what exactly was happening…when he stopped himself. He instantly realized what was going on. This "something"…Saria wasn't _awakening_ it; she was _giving _it to him. She was giving him…_knowledge_! He didn't know how, but she was somehow transferring knowledge directly into his mind!

Did that mean…? Yes! She was "teaching" him how to use the bow and arrow! Already he could feel the grip of his hands on the bow and arrow grow more confident, more experienced. Already he could sense his mind calculating the proper way to aim the weapon. Already he could feel himself become…skilled.

How in the name of the Three Goddesses was Saria _doing this?_

_"Saria…how…?" he started when, as quickly as it had begun, the "something" receded._

But its affects hadn't. He could still feel everything Saria had "taught" him, everything stuck in his mind as if it had always been there. It was too extraordinary to believe…actually, no, it wasn't. After all he had seen, this wasn't too difficult to accept…

_—Link! You can use the bow now, right?—_

With confidence, Link thought loudly, _"Yes…yes, I can!"_

_—Then quit bragging and bloody-well use it!—_

Deciding not to argue, Link nodded. He then returned his concentration to the important matter at hand: Phantom Ganon and his army of clones. He quickly realized that the phantoms had reached the edge of the paintings and were now starting to turn around. If he didn't act fast enough, the real Phantom Ganon was going to come out…stop it, Link! Concentrate! Concentrate!

With the hands of a veteran, Link placed the arrow against the bow, locked it against the bowstring, and pulled back.

_"Now…where is he?"_

With eyes as sharp as an owl's, Link scanned the series of paintings around him, looking for the tell-tale sign that indicated where the real Phantom Ganon was. He had no idea his eyes could move around this quickly…no, don't think about it. Just look! He looked at each painting individually, scanning it thoroughly before moving on to the next one. Each examination took less than an instant, and yet Link could remember every single one of them.

_"Come on, where are you?" he thought frantically. __"I need you! You've gotta be around here!"_

The Phantom Ganons were nearly completely turned around…

_"Please, I need you!"_

Oh, gods…

_"There!"_

"_Navi_! Get outta the way _now_!"

_TWAAAAANG…_

With a deafening whistle-like sound echoing in his ear immediately thereafter, Link aimed the arrow and released the bowstring. Like a bird sailing through the air for its prey, the deadly projectile sailed through the air towards the painting that the familiar pink fey had indicated as the one where the real Phantom Ganon was hiding. Navi had fluttered quickly out the way the moment Link had shouted…which was a good thing, since the target Link was aiming for had been directly behind her.

As he watched the arrow fly through the air, Time apparently slowing down so he could see its path, Link started to pray.

_"Oh, please hit, please hit, please hit…"_

_ZANG…_

The bright purple flash.

"Now die, you…"

_QWAAAACH…_

The threatening words from the real Phantom Ganon were cut short when its ghostly horse suddenly "stumbled" in its flight path. As if affected by seizures, the dark horse started shaking violently in the air, shaking its rider quite aggressively.

"What…what's going on here? What's happening?" the specter screamed as its horse started to fall.

Link already knew the answer to that question. Lodged in the horse's head, starting at its throat and going directly into its brain, was Link's arrow. Link almost had trouble believing that he had actually shot that arrow, but his disbelief was easily overshadowed by the victory he had just obtained.

Without his horse, Phantom Ganon couldn't "bend dimensional space" or whatever Saria had described. Now he was stuck with Link…where Link could kill him.

"Pull up! Pull up! Pull up, you stupid horse! I said pull up! _Pull uuuuuuuuuup_…!"

But Phantom Ganon's pleas went unanswered. The horse was now writhing and screaming in pure agony as it tumbled down to the ground, carrying its screaming master with it. Since it now couldn't reach another painting, the horse crashed into something else: the pike barrier surrounding the platform.

_CRACK…_

Link never knew until that moment ghosts could actually sound alive when they crashed.

With its back snapped upon impact and its head twisted in the opposite direction, the ghost horse twisted in pain as it lay there with its master, who was probably trying to tell himself that he had just crashed. Then, a couple of seconds after it had crash landed, the horse started to…vaporize. Right before Link's eyes, the horse was evaporating into the air like steam.

Had Link killed…a ghost horse?

_"Oh, stop it, this is no time for irony," Link told himself. __"You've got to get this guy before…"_

Suddenly, Link felt the mood in the air change. He could feel an evil force start to surge within the air; it was so thick he could almost smell it…no, taste it. What was going on…?

"How…dare you…!"

With those words, Phantom Ganon stood up, using his enormous weapon to get to his feet, and turned to face the Hero of Time. Link nearly jumped in shock when he saw the specter's eyes: they were shining so intensely and fervently that any thought of them being hollow was quickly erased from his mind. His grotesque face rippled sickeningly with rage and ire, and his arms shook violently, almost waving his deadly staff in circles. For some reason, he appeared taller than he had been upon his horse, although that was most likely because he appeared more intimidating than before.

Phantom Ganon was now furious, and he wanted to take out his fury on the boy who had taunted him.

"You…dared to kill my horse, you little brat," the phantom bellowed, his unholy voice booming across the room. "You will pay…you will pay dearly for your insolence. I am the phantom of my great and all-powerful master. I am Phantom Ganon. You wanted a fight one on one? You _got_ one!"

_"Great…and me without my sword," Link grumbled._

I

"Now _die!"_

Phantom Ganon then lifted his staff and once again pointed the three-point end directly at the Hero of Time. Link thought the Phantom was about to fire one of his lightning blasts, but instead Ganon formed one of his energy spheres, like the one that had nearly killed Saria. Were they more deadly than his lightning attack…? They must be. Why else was he using them now, when he was completely ticked off?

Deciding not to wait a second longer, Link quickly jumped to the side. A second later, Phantom Ganon released the energy ball. It surged through the air like a giant insect, buzzing as it made an attempt to strike the Hero of Time. Luckily for Link, it missed completely and struck the metallic poles, disintegrating with a mild explosion and deafening hiss.

But this didn't deter Phantom Ganon. He simply repositioned his staff and formed yet another ball before firing it again at the one who had slain his horse.

And so began a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Without his sword, all Link could do was run. And every time he tried to get near the dropped Master Sword, Phantom Ganon would fire a blast directly at the mighty blade, forcing Link to retreat and let the deadly game begin again. The energy attacks didn't appear to harm the sword in any way…which was more that Link could say should one of the attacks hit him. Once in a while, the ghost actually did manage to find its target perfectly; luckily, Link still had his shield, which managed to take the brunt of the force of the energy balls. Even so, every hit was enough to throw him off his balance, which would've made him a sitting duck, had not had the reflexes to dodge a subsequent attack by the irate phantom.

"Die, die, die, die, _die_!"

With each scream he released from the depths of his voice, Phantom Ganon fired a deadly shot at the Hero of Time. With each shot that didn't kill Link, he grew more and more angry. Link could've sworn his energy balls were getting more and more powerful, but the only way to test that theory was to get hit by them, something he obviously wasn't prepared to do.

_"Curse it! Let me get my sword and you'll wish you still had you horse!"_

Of course, Link had no clue how he was going to get his sword back, and his attention was completely focused on dodging Phantom Ganon's attacks for him to come up with a plan…

_—Link—_

Saria…

_"Saria, I'm afraid I'm a little busy right now," Link called out in his mind as he rolled to the right to dodge another attack. _"Unless you have an idea for me to get my sword back, then…"__

_—Link, I do have a way—_

Link's eyes widened with hope.

_"I'm listening…" Link leapt to the left to avoid another energy ball _"…as well as I possibly can!"__

_—Link, don't you remember your magic? Can't you use your magic to attack or distract him long enough to get your sword back?—_

_"Magic?" Link repeated before he remembered his demonstration to Saria of Din's Fire earlier when he killed those Wolfos. __"Well, I'm not sure if I can. He might attack me while I try to use it against him. If only I were faster…wait a minute…faster? Of course! Saria, I have the answer! Thank you so much…!"_

_—Wait, Link, there's one more thing I need to tell you…—_

Saria was briefly interrupted as Link raised his shield to sideswipe another energy ball.; luckily the impact didn't knock him off balance.

_—Woah, close one—_

_"No need to tell me that. So what did you want to tell me?"_

_—Link, once you get your sword back, there's one thing you need to do to defeat Phantom Ganon. Alone, your sword won't hurt him. You need to call forth the energy of the Temple of Light—_

_"The energy from the Temple of Light?__ Why? Because it'll make me stronger or something?"_

_—Something like that. Just remember the Poe Sisters—_

_"The Poe Sisters?__ What do they have to do…?"_

Suddenly, Link realized what she was talking about. It had escaped him before, but now he understood. Now he knew what to do _both _ways.

_"Gotcha.__ Thanks, Saria…"_

_—Link…—_

_"Yes, what is it?"_

There was a slight pause, during which Phantom Ganon took another shot at Link. The shot missed, and the moment it disintegrated with its soft bang was the moment Saria spoke up again.

_—Oh, it's nothing. Nevermind. Good luck…Hero of Time—_

It didn't take Link a lot of thinking to realize what Saria was _really trying to say, but he decided not to say anything about it. Now was not the best time to be discussing something like that. Maybe afterwards, when he had defeated this monster…_

_"Thanks, Saria. Now watch and be amazed…"_

With that final thought, Link shifted his entire concentration to the battle once more, where everything seemed to happen in real time once again. Phantom Ganon, as angry as ever, still appeared to believe that the best way to kill the Hero of Time was using his energy balls; he was still firing them nonstop.

"This guy is incredibly mad or incredibly stupid," Link uttered under his breath. "But we'll soon see. Okay, Phantom Ganon, let's see whether you can keep up with me when I go a little bit faster."

Link then waited for Phantom Ganon to fire one more energy ball and dodged it by jumping to the left before he whispered loudly two words to himself. He then pushed himself forward, heading straight to where the Master Sword lay.

"Die!" Phantom Ganon for the hundredth time yelled as he fired a ball of energy at the Master Sword like he had done so many times before.

To the specter's complete surprise, before the energy ball even reached the mighty blade halfway…it disappeared! Phantom Ganon blinked his hollow eyes several times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating…and then he abruptly realized that the Hero of Time had _also_ disappeared! Both he and the Master Sword were gone!

"What in the blazes…?" he bellowed but didn't have the time to finish when he felt pain sear up his left arm.

Phantom Ganon roared in shock and fury and looked down at where he felt the stinging throb. There, running down his arm from his elbow to his wrist, was a deep gash. Since he was a phantom he had no blood to bleed, and yet the fact that he actually had the gash in the first place was mind-blowing.

But what both amazed and frightened him was that he was actually feeling…_pain! He was a ghost! He shouldn't feel pain! What was going on…?_

"Hey! Looking for me?"

Phantom Ganon looked up from his arm to see the Hero of Time, standing in the middle of the room. The way he was standing suggested he was mocking Phantom Ganon in some way, and resting on his right shoulder and under his right hand was the Master Sword, which inexplicably seemed to glow brighter than it did before. He didn't seem to feel any pain or uncertainty; in fact, he looked as calm as could be!

Link stared at the dumbfounded phantom for a moment before he threw his long green cap back with a flick of his neck and flashed a smile. "Does it hurt? I'm sure it does. It must be quite painful, especially for a ghost." Link's face then quickly turned serious. "And that's only a small part of what you're going to get for what you did to my friend. Prepare yourself, Phantom Ganon. You're about to die."

Phantom Ganon, who still couldn't believe what he was seeing, tried to remain composed but found it increasingly difficult through his ire. "You…dare to threaten me? What do you take me for…you little brat? You'll regret coming up against me! Take this…!"

The specter then raised his staff again to fire another energy ball, but Link moved first. He decided not to use Farore's Wind again because it would deplete his energy too quickly; instead he simply launched himself forward and raised the Master Sword over his head, ready to strike the ghost down. Phantom Ganon, caught off guard by Link's swiftness, only had time to call off his attack and raise his staff in defense.

_CLANG…_

Steel clashed with steel as the Master Sword shed sparks upon Phantom Ganon's staff, missing the ghost's head by mere inches. The initial attack was strong enough, but Link still had plenty more to share. Without stopping, he lifted his sword and started slashing away at the ghost as hard as he can; all Phantom Ganon could do was shift the weight and position of his staff to block the Hero of Time's attacks.

But not for long.

The phantom may have been caught off guard at the start, but his rage refused to let him be defeated by a mere boy. As soon as he regained the fury he had during his energy ball attacks, he started moving on the offensive, countering Link's sword slashes with some of his own moves. Link managed to gracefully counteract these attacks and then answer with his own, which were again defended and answered back.

And thus began what had to be the most intense melee battle Link had ever fought. Never had Link exchanged and countered so many blows with an opponent before. In every other fight before this, he could recall every jab, slice, dodge, and maneuver he had made against his enemy. But not with this battle. Now the only thing he could do was count how many times he attacked and defended as every assault and movement were quickly replaced by the next set of advances:

Link slashed to the right of his opponent, aiming for the neck.

Phantom Ganon parried with the upper end of his staff and used the lower end to conduct and upward slash.

Link dodged the slash and spun around, bringing his sword around with him in an attempt to cut the phantom in the lower torso.

Phantom Ganon used the closest end of his staff to push the blade downward. Once the blade was vertical he brought the blades of the upper end down to cut open Link's head.

Link caught the attack from above by bringing his sword around and back. When the staff's blades fell upon the Master Sword, Link pushed it back to try and throw Phantom Ganon off balance and strike his right arm.

Phantom Ganon managed to recover in time to parry the attempt on his arm.

The fight between Link and Phantom Ganon moved like this for the longest time. The two fighters circled the room in a deadly dance, knowing full well that the one who stumbled would be the one to fall. Their rhythm was the sound of their weapons colliding with each other, creating a haunting echo throughout the chamber with each beat. Each clash seemed to grow stronger and louder as the fight pressed on, but neither fighter was about to give way to his opponent.

Even so, Link was still human, after all, and humans grow tired. The energy from the Temple of Light was flowing through his body, giving him the necessary stamina to stand up to the phantom's advances, but not even that could hold him forever. Soon enough, he started to feel his strength slowly fade away and his concentration waning.

_"Curses!__ I can't give out now! Not now, of all times!"_

Link knew he had to do something to buy him some time, at least to let him rest, even if it were for a moment. But what could he do? Phantom Ganon was obviously bent on killing Link where he stood…

_CLISH…_

The Master Sword collided with Phantom Ganon's staff once again in another attempt to slice through the ghost's torso. It was at that moment that Link had an idea. Quick as a flash, he twisted his sword around and allowed it to use momentum to slide down the staff. Just as he had hoped, the blade found Phantom Ganon's hand and proceeded to carve right through it.

Phantom Ganon, who had never known pain until this very day, stepped back and raised his cut hand in genuine agony. Link took the opportunity to take several steps away from the screaming ghost, allowing the Light Temple energy to stop flowing. He still held the Master Sword ready for attack, but his main priority was getting his strength back and figuring out a way to defeat this guy other than wasting his energy on simple hack-and-slash.

As he breathed slowly and heavily to regain his breath, Phantom Ganon raised his slashed hand to see what happened to it. The fingers were halfway cut and the palm had a huge gash running through it. The pain was comparable to the pain given to him by Link's first attack, but this one somehow felt worse in that the boy had dared to injure him a second time…

"Boy…prepare to die!"

At first Link thought he was simply going to charge at him and thus resume their one on one duel, but the Hero of Time was in for a rude shock. The air around him suddenly grew thick with power, a tainted power. Never had Link felt the air in the chamber grow _this_ powerful; it was so strong it very well could've knocked Link unconscious had he not had the willpower.

Link's mind told him what was going on, and his eyes confirmed it when the ghost raised his weapon: Phantom Ganon was charging his staff for another energy ball attack. But this time his attack felt different; maybe that was because this one felt powerful enough to kill every living person within a mile radius!

As Phantom Ganon was about to deliver his devastating attack, Link quickly contemplated his options.

_"Oh, gods…oh, gods…what'll I do? What'll I do? Call forth Farore's Wind…? No, it'll drain my energy too much and I'll be too weak to fight him. Charge him now…? No, he'll get that ball off before I ever reach him. Then what? What? What_? This things is going to _kill__ me if I don't do something! It's not like I can just…hey, wait a minute…maybe I can_!"__

Just like that, possibly the craziest idea Link had ever had formed in his mind. Normally it would seem insane, but somehow logic seemed to indicate otherwise. Of course this logic had been assembled on the spur of the moment, and there was a very good chance he was going to miss. But it was probably the best chance he had. If this didn't work, he would be dodging deadly energy balls again and most likely dead anyway.

_"Okay, you demon!" Link snarled as he tightened his grip on the Master Sword. __"Give it to me! Show me what you got!"_

As if answering Link's question, Phantom Ganon fired his energy ball with a deafening roar.

Time seemed to slow down as Link watched the energy ball approach him. It was huge, almost the size of his entire upper body. It was also undoubtedly more powerful, humming with a deadly intensity that threatened everything that dared to touch it. Link could already tell that one wrong move and he would be dead either way. But there was no turning back now. It was now or never.

He waited for the ball to get closer, and when it was within arm's reach, he acted. He again called forth the Light Temple energy again – it was a key ingredient to his insane logic in this plan – waited for the right moment, raised his sword high, and then brought it down with all his might.

_SHAAAAAH…_

The Master Sword, which seemed to glow with the passion of the sun, collided with the energy ball with a loud hissing sound. There was a bright flash, which caused Link to initially believe the ball had exploded. But when the flash subsided he realized that the ball had merely _changed_! Hard as it was to believe, the ball had changed its color. Before it had burned a fiery yellow, but now it radiated an intense white (with the same intense power, of course).

Had the Light Temple energy somehow merged with the energy ball's?

Who cared? It wasn't important.

But what Link noticed most about the ball, and was most amazed yet relieved about, was that it had changed direction! Instead of heading for him, it was heading straight back to its creator!

To Phantom Ganon!

It didn't take the specter that long to realize that his lethal attack had somehow been deflected and was heading right for him. Unfortunately, for him, he had no time to dodge.

"_Nooooooooooo…!"_

_SHCLAAAAAAAH…_

For a huge energy ball, it sure didn't make that big of an explosion.

But that was beside the point. When the ball struck Phantom Ganon, enveloping him in pure energy, all the phantom could do was cry out in anguish and rear his head up to release the pain through his voice. The energy surged across his body for about a minute before it started being absorbed into the specter's body, disappearing from view. When the last of the radiant light explosion subsided, Phantom Ganon, standing up and arms spread out in pain, fell to his knees with a thump.

He would've fallen on his face had he not used his staff to prop himself up.

Even so, the attack that had backfired (literally) on him had done its damage. Phantom Ganon was weak and powerless, unable to move from where he was kneeling.

This was exactly what Link needed.

Taking no time to hesitate, Link maintained the flow of Light Temple energy through him as he sprinted forward and raised the Master Sword one more time. This was one thing Link had absolute confidence in. This was one thing he was not going to miss. Not by a long shot.

Without a single word, witty line or departing remark, Link brought the Master Sword down on Phantom Ganon's head.

The blade sliced through the ghost's skull cleanly and effortlessly, making nary a sound. The sword did manage to reach as far as past the monster's neck, but that didn't matter; what mattered was that Link had got its head. All of a sudden, Phantom Ganon found the strength to move. He dropped his staff and grabbed his split head with both hands, somehow managing to scream even louder than before. He writhed in agony and pain, as if hoping it would save him, but his fate was already sealed.

He was already starting to disintegrate. Just like the Poe Sisters and his horse before him.

Link had won. He had destroyed Phantom Ganon.

_"And good riddance."_

Already feeling tiredness creep into his muscles, Link sank to the ground in exhaustion. He fell to his knees and used the Master Sword to prop himself up, his breathing moving rapidly and heavily. But inside he could feel his heart leap with joy. He had done what he had set out to do… without turning into that bloodthirsty killer like before.

Even though he was tired, he forced his lips to curve into a smile.

_"Saria…if you can hear me…I did it. I actually did it…"_

"Good job, kid."

That voice…

_"No! It can't be…I just killed him!"_

Link looked up, expecting to see Phantom Ganon standing over him without a single scratch on his ghostly body. But no. The phantom was still disintegrating; in fact, he looked even worse than before and completely incapable of speaking. Then why did Link just hear his voice…?

"To think…you actually destroyed my phantom. Your battle with him wasn't too shabby, either."

The voice _was coming from the decomposing ghost, and yet…it didn't sound like it _was_ the ghost. Could it be…the voice of…?_

"However, this phantom was, after all, just a phantom. The real me is, I can assure you, nothing like what you've just fought. This ghost is a shell compared to me."

It was Ganondorf! The _real_ Ganondorf. He was speaking through his phantom! But how…?

"Remember this, kid." Ganondorf's voice suddenly grew hostile. "You've been lucky so far, but you've hardly won anything. All you've done is awaken a weak Sage who pales in comparison to my great power. And I still control the other temples. Yes, boy, I control the other temples. If you wish to awaken the other Sages, then I dare you to come and die. Enjoy your victory, because it was your last You'll die soon, anyway. No one who opposes me lives.

"Now…to attend to other matters…"

Then, without warning, the phantom started writhing and shaking violently, as if something were wringing his neck and waving him around in the air like a doll. He didn't scream at all, but Link could tell he was in a lot of pain.

"Your defeat proves you're nothing but a worthless creation not worthy of the magic used to give birth to you," the ghost – actually the real Ganondorf – uttered through its tossing and turning. "As punishment for being beaten at the hands of this mere boy and using my godly image while doing so, I shall banish you to the gap between dimensions. Hael is far too good for the likes of you."

The still dissolving Phantom Ganon looked shocked when he heard those words and seemed to try and plea with its voiceless voice, but it was already too late. Before he could anything else, a bright purple light suddenly enveloped his body, blinding Link's eyesight for a moment. Link heard a sharp whine for a split second, and then the light abruptly disappeared. When Link could see again, he turned back to where the phantom had been.

He was gone. Phantom Ganon had disappeared.

_"What just happened…?" Link started thinking before realizing it wasn't worth thinking about. Whatever Ganondorf had done to his phantom was not Link's concern. Right now he had another, more important concern._

And she was lying outside the barrier of poison-tipped pikes, waiting for him.

Link couldn't believe that Saria had actually known how he had defeated the Poe Sisters, especially since he himself had only figured it out midway during his fight with Phantom Ganon; before he had just considered it a fluke. But who would've guessed that the energy of the Light Temple would actually not only flow through his body but also through the blade of the Master Sword?

It made sense when he thought about it. The Sages were the ones who had created the Master Sword as a key to the Sacred Realm, so of course the sword was sensitive to the power of Sages. He knew from the moment he had called it forth that the Light Temple's energy was what had burned the Poe Sisters when they had tried to drain his energy; now he knew why the Master Sword had also managed to harm them when before it hadn't.

And that's why Saria knew only he could kill Phantom Ganon: the Light Temple's energy was the only thing that could even hurt the specter.

Of course, there was still a question as to _how_ Saria knew that kind of information. In fact, how did she know _anything_? Ever since she had been drained by the Poe Sisters, she had done things Link would've ordinarily found disturbing. What exactly was going on with her?

Maybe when he asked her, he…

"Link! Link, you were terrific!"

Link's thoughts were interrupted by an over joyous Navi who fluttered in front of his face with her pink light flickering like crazy. Link couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "Well…thanks for the compliment, Navi…"

"But don't you _ever fire an arrow at me like that again! You hear me? I could've been skewered! Next time you want to use me for targeting practice, I think I'll go ask you to shove those arrows where the sun doesn't shine!"_

Link snickered; Navi was still her old self, even in times like this, thank goodness. But what happened to that bow, anyway? Link couldn't remember what he did with it after firing that arrow. He had probably dropped it somewhere…oh, well. It wasn't that important.

"Come on, Navi," Link said as he struggled to his feet, ignoring Navi's snapping. When he made it to his feet, he sheathed the Master Sword and returned his shield to his back. "Let's go see Saria. I'm sure she's…"

Before Link could finish speaking, he was interrupted. By a glowing light. That completely surrounded him.

As if there hadn't been enough bright lights already!

"Link, what's going on?" cried Navi, who suddenly grew hysterical.

Link looked around for an answer, but couldn't find any. "I…I don't know, Navi. I…I just don't know…"

The light seemed to be coming from everywhere at once; there was no single identifiable source. Was this one of Ganondorf's tricks? Was the Gerudo king trying to finish him off right here and now? Link wish he had the answers, but right now all he could do was stand his ground and watch the room around him grow brighter and brighter with each passing moment. Not even the Master Sword could help him now.

Soon the entire room had been swallowed by the white light…and yet strangely Link could still see; he wasn't blinded in the least by the brightness all around him. Only he and Navi were visible; everything else had vanished. And although he didn't feel like he was falling, he couldn't feel any ground underneath his feet, either.

The feeling was very uncomfortable, to say the least.

Then, just as quickly as it had arrived, the bright light started to disappear again, allowing the surroundings to return to Link's vision. However, as the light grew dimmer and dimmer, it didn't take him long to realize that he was no longer in the giant chamber underneath the Forest Temple. Even so, he still didn't know where he was now, or how he had gotten there…

_"Wait a minute…blue light…light waterfalls…different colored islands…hey, I know this place!"_

With a start, Link realized he was in the Chamber of Sages!

Before he could contemplate the significance of what was going on, Navi started crying out again. "Link! Link, what's going on? Where are we? What is this place? Why…?"

"Calm down, Navi, calm down," Link cried back. "I know this place. We have nothing to worry about. It's completely safe."

"'Safe,' you say? If this place is safe, when why in the name of the Three Goddesses did we suddenly just 'arrive' here?"

"I…I don't know the answer to that question, Navi, but I'm sure there's a reason. Maybe Rauru brought us back here or something, but I wouldn't be here if there wasn't…"

"Thank you, Link, for awakening me."

That voice…it sounded familiar, yet Link couldn't put his finger on the owner at the moment…

"Link, look!" Navi abruptly shouted. "That green island! It's glowing!"

Link turned his attention to what Navi was shouting about. Sure enough, the green island of the six different colored islands that surrounded the Triforce-shaped island he was standing at the moment on was glowing. With a green light, no less. The light wasn't too bright; it was just vivid enough to show that it existed, projecting itself around the island in a circular pattern.

Was this why he had been brought to this place? Was something about to happen?

_"Wait…could this be…? Is that who that voice belonged to…?"_

Before he could continue with that train of thought, something started to happen with the light. It started to..._bend_…no, wait, it wasn't bending, it was _shaping_ itself into something. At first Link couldn't tell what the light was trying to become, but soon he could make out distinct features that indicated the light was forming the shape of a person.

_"A person…? I knew it! I knew it was that…"_

Link thoughts were again cut off when he realized that the person the light was shaping looked familiar. _Too_ familiar, in fact. The height was about half his own. The hair was formed in a very recognizable shape. The clothing wasn't too difficult to identify. And the face…he knew that face anywhere!

As the light filled in the details of the figure it had created, Link felt his heart sink in shock. Was this really who he had thought it was? It _couldn't_ be! Could it…?

_SHIIIING…_

With a tiny burst of its own brilliance, the green light exploded brightly, hiding the figure from view and forcing Link to look away momentarily. When he looked again, his heart sank even further.

There, standing tall and proud, completely fleshed out by the sculpted light, was Saria.

The little Kokiri stared at the Hero of Time, who was gaping in astonishment and disbelief back at her, for about a minute in silence before she finally nodded her head once and uttered, "Thank you…Hero of Time."

Somehow, Link managed to find the strength to speak. "Saria…what…what are you…how did you…why are you here…where did you come from…how…?"

"Link, Link, it's all right. I'm pretty sure before I fully materialized that you already knew who I was."

"And who would that be?" inquired Navi, who sounded just as surprised as Link looked.

Saria smiled weakly. "Why…the Sage of the Forest, of course."


	43. Never Cry Again

**Chapter 43: Never Cry Again**

Link had lost his voice; he couldn't utter a single word. He just couldn't believe it, either because it was too amazing to believe or he simply refused to believe it. Saria was the Sage of the Forest? How could that be?

_"It…it doesn't make sense…it just doesn't make any sense at all…"_

_—If you'll let me explain, Link, I can make sense out of it—_

Saria's voice…inside his head again…oh, gods, this was really starting to wear him down. Link needed to sit down…and he did. Actually, he collapsed, landing on his behind with a loud thump. He didn't even attempt to cushion his fall; he was just too shocked to do anything but keep his gaze fixed on Saria.

Speaking of Saria, when she saw how Link reacted to her voice inside his head, she lowered her head a little; she looked like she was about to shed a tear. 

"Link…I know this is hard for you," she said in the gentlest way she could, "but it's hard for me as well. Please…give me the chance to explain this, and I'm sure everything can be worked out. Please, Link, that's all I ask. Just a chance to explain. Please?"

Link still didn't know what to think, but when he noticed that Saria was close to crying he decided to give her a chance to explain what was going on. Using all of his willpower, Link managed to nod, the only way he could tell her he was ready to listen. Saria smiled when she saw Link's acknowledgement, although she did shed a lone tear that rolled down her cheek.

"Thank you, Link. Thank you." Saria then took a moment to find her composure before she straightened herself out and continued. "Remember when I told that upon entering this temple, I felt a kind of bond with it? A special bond that I couldn't explain? Well, that bond was a result me being the Sage of the Forest. I didn't know it at the time, but my soul held the spirit of the slumbering Forest Sage, and it was that spirit that kept me here for two years.

"And yet…I never awoke as the Forest Sage, thanks to Ganondorf's sealing of the power with his dark magic. Even so, the Forest Sage kept calling out to me, wanting me to help it awaken. But since I did not have my ocarina, the spirit couldn't somehow 'tell' me that I needed to play a certain song to open a door that housed the torch keys. For two years that spirit dwelled inside of me, unable to do anything but keeping me here for that period of time."

"Then you arrived."

By now, Link had managed to calm himself down and was listening to Saria's tale patiently and eagerly. Saria seemed to notice Link's easiness and smiled weakly before continuing.

"Thanks to you, you managed to open the door that led to the torch keys of the elevator…as well as where the Poe Sisters were hiding. It was during that fight that I was nearly killed when one of the Poe Sisters drained my energy…but it was during that fight that the spirit of the Forest Sage started to awaken within me.

"The Forest Sage spirit could not awaken fully yet, but it managed to use my hidden powers to speak to you. Remember when I talked to you when you were at the mercy of the Poe Sisters? That was the Forest Sage spirit speaking through my consciousness to reach you. Amazingly, it knew a lot about what you possessed, such as the energy of the Light Temple and how to awaken it. But even more amazingly…it used my ability of song to talk to you.

"Remember how we used to talk to each other using the ocarinas and my personal song? That apparently was a power inherited by the Forest Sage, a power I thought was merely a gift of the Great Deku Tree. The Forest Sage spirit used that power to speak to you, although I couldn't remember a thing afterwards because it had not yet fully awakened.

"However, as we got closer and closer to the source that prevented the Forest Sage from awakening – namely Phantom Ganon – the Forest Sage spirit grew more powerful and powerful and was able to use me to speak to you more easily. But even so, it wasn't until you managed to slay Phantom Ganon that the seal on power of the Forest Temple was broken and the Forest Sage spirit finally awoke. Now I have been reborn as the Sage of the Forest…with the purpose of aiding you, the Hero of Time, in destroying the source of evil in Hyrule: Ganondorf. Because I have awoken, the power of the temple has brought you here so you may be given what is needed on the long journey ahead of you."

Saria suddenly lowered her head, as if she were about to say something she didn't want to say. She appeared on the verge of tears, but she continued anyway.

"And now that I'm the Sage of the Forest Temple, I'm afraid to tell you…that you and I can never be together again."

When Link heard Saria say those words, Link felt his heart leap into his throat and then sink farther than it had ever sunk before.

"S…S…Saria…what are you saying…?" he stammered, his eyes wide with shock. "You…you can't really mean that…"

"Please, Link, don't make this harder than it already is," Saria gently interrupted as she allowed the first set of tears to trickle down from her eyes. "It's hard enough to know that I'll never be able to return to the forest again because I am now the Sage of the Forest. And it's even harder for me to tell you this when I love you so much."

Link didn't know if his heart broke or not when she said that, but he did know he was feeling uncomfortable hearing them. But as much as he wanted her to stop speaking and let things be, he realized she had to say this because…because…he might never see her again? Was that even possible…?

"I…I've loved you almost since the day I met you, Link," Saria persisted, her voice starting to choke on the tears "We've been friends for the longest time, but you've been much more to me for almost just as long. I never had the courage to tell you how I felt about you because I didn't want to risk losing you…and now…here I am telling you how I feel just before I'm about to lose you forever."

Link somehow found the courage to push himself to his knees. "Saria…you don't know what you're saying! How can you lose me forever? How…?"

"Because we're from two different worlds, Link. You are the Hero of Time, while I am one of the six Sages. You have somehow grown up to be a man, while I have remained with the body of a child. Time and destiny have separated us forever. There is nothing we can do to change our fates. Even so…I love you with all my heart, Link. Neither Time nor destiny will ever change that."

Saria, whose face was now growing dirty with tears, then stepped forward. Link nearly cried out to her because she was walking into the pond of flowing blue light…but miraculously, Saria didn't sink into the water. She walked on the blue light as if it were solid ground. Link, who had been astonished too many times in a short period of time, simply watched as Saria walked across the pond onto his island.

She then paused…

…broke down into a heartfelt sob…

…and broke into a run straight for Link.

She collided with the Hero of Time against his chest and started crying her eyes out, unable to speak or even look at Link in the face. Link, unable to hold in his own grief either, wrapped his enormous arms around Saria, held her as closely to his heart as possible, and started to cry himself. He remembered the last time he had held her like this: when they had reunited after not seeing each other for seven years.

Who would've thought they'd be in the same position when they were saying goodbye forever?

"Saria…" Link started after a short period of crying.

"Y…yes, Link?" Saria stuttered.

"I…I've always loved you, too. Not just as a friend, but…but…by the Three Goddesses, I can't even say it right…"

"You don't have to, Link. I…I completely…completely…understand."

Without another word, Saria withdrew her face from against Link's chest, extended her face upward…and planted a small kiss on Link's right cheek.

It wasn't Link's first kiss – that honor belonged to the farm girl Malon – but it was most certainly the first kiss Link had ever received from Saria, the most important person in his life. As he felt her small, moist lips caress his facial skin with their delicate touch, one thought echoed in his mind:

Of all the possible times…why now? Why?

He had never lost his faith or his feelings for her. From the moment he had left the Kokiri Forest seven years ago to this very day, he never once forgot about how he felt about her. Even when Princess Zelda surprised him with her rather intimate gestures, he never lost faith in her. Even Malon's behavior never pushed his feelings for her out of his mind. The seven year long dream he had experienced still echoed what he had wanted all his life. 

He loved Saria…he had _always_ loved her!

And this was how fate was repaying him.

_"Curse you, destiny!"  Link bellowed in his mind. _"Curse you for all eternity! Is this what the Great Deku Tree meant? Is this the path of destiny Rauru said I was to walk? Is this the destiny I was meant to have? I don't want it! I don't want any part of it!"__

As if by instinct, Link realized Saria was about to pull herself away from him, so he quickly used his left hand to dry his tears. If this was indeed going to be the last he ever saw her, he didn't want her last image of him to be with a crying face. Besides, he might be Link, but he was also the Hero of Time. The least he could do was act the part.

Just as he predicted, Saria pulled herself away from Link's chest and looked into his face. Her cheeks were stained with tears, but she was trying hard to smile. They stared at each other for a brief moment before Saria took a couple of steps back, out of Link's arms. The Hero of Time made no attempt to stop her; he simply watched and waited for whatever she was going to do.

"Fate may have separated us into two different worlds," Saria uttered, her hands shaking with restrain, "but fate has allowed me to help you as well. By slaying the one who sealed the power of the Forest Sage within this temple, you have not only awoken me but you have also destroyed Ganondorf's hold on this forest. Even as we speak, Ganondorf's foot soldiers outside are fleeing the Lost Woods; they have sensed Phantom Ganon's destruction and thus run like cowards back to their true master. And the evil aura of death and decay that has surrounded the Lost Woods for seven long years is finally lifted; soon these woods will regain the beauty they once possessed. For this, you not only have my thanks but the thanks of the Kokiri and all of the fairy folk, as well as every living creature of the forest.

"Even now the spirit of the forest is returning, and the power of the temple is growing stronger and stronger. And now that you have awoken me as the Forest Sage, I can give you that power, just as Rauru gave you the power of the Temple of Light. Link, will you accept this power from me?"

Despite the somber mood, Link couldn't help but chuckle a little. "There's no need to be melodramatic about it, Saria. Of course I'll accept it."

"Very well," Saria smiled. "However, there's one other thing I wish to give you first. Hold out both your hands."

Link did as Saria asked, holding out both his hands with their palms up. Saria then held out her own hands and placed one in each of Link's palms. She then closed her eyes before muttering something inaudible under her breath. A split second later, Saria's hands started glowing a faint white. Link was surprised but he didn't flinch in the least. As he watched, the light under Saria's hands radiated from her palms for a moment before they started to grow outward in both directions parallel to her body. The arm of light in between her two hands joined together, and the two other arms stretched outward for about an arm's length before stopping.

Then, with a silent pop, the light gently burst, blinding Link's eyesight for but a moment. When he could see again, he realized his hands were holding something. He looked down and saw he was now holding a longbow. But it wasn't just any longbow. It was Saria's longbow; the craftsmanship and markings was unmistakable. However, he couldn't help notice that this bow was _longer than the one he had used to slay Phantom Ganon's horse._

"Is this…?" Link started before Saria interrupted him.

"Yes, this is my bow. I don't need it anymore, and I figured you could really use it on your quest. However, I decided to use my magic to reshape it for your larger hands, but it should feel exactly like the smaller one you used earlier. And all that knowledge on how to use it I bestowed upon you earlier should still be with you."

"And the arrows?"

"Look behind you."

Link reflexively reached behind his back with his left hand and immediately felt a quiver hanging on his left shoulder.

"That quiver has thirty of my best arrows, also elongated to fit your body size," Saria continued. "They should more than suffice for your quest."

Link nodded gently before glancing at the bow one more time and slinging it over his left shoulder. "Thanks, Saria, I…"

"Don't thank me yet, there's still one more thing I need to give you. Look up."

A moment later, Saria raised her arms into the air, and Link heard a familiar whistling sound above his head. He looked up and, like before in the Temple of Light, saw a sphere of white light descend towards him. Without hesitating, Link stood up so he could reach out and grab it in his hands. The moment his hand touched it, the light disappeared without a sound, leaving the recognizable shape of the enormous medallion Rauru had first given to him. This time, however, the medallion was colored green instead of yellow, and Link was sure the symbol was also different.

Link knelt down again, keeping his gaze fixed on the object's glossy surface that sparkled in the radiance of the flowing blue light all around him.

_"Okay," he thought, _"now I just have to absorb this thing…"__

_ZING…_

Without warning, the medallion started the absorption process, the trinket's power surging down his arms in the blink of an eye. Link thought the first time he had gone through this would've prepared him for the next one; he was wrong. The experience was just as exhausting as the first time, if not more. Was it because the Forest Temple had more power than the Light Temple? Link didn't know…or really care, for the instant the medallion finished bestowing him its power Link dropped to his hands and knees, hanging his head in collapse. He panted heavily, as if he had just run from Hyrule Castle New Town to the Lost Woods without stopping. The sweat trickling down his face was so thick it nearly blinded his eyes. He could feel every muscle grow stiff and rigid, refusing to budge at all.

For one brief moment, he felt completely paralyzed.

Then he heard Saria's voice.

"You now have the power and the strength of the Forest Temple. Use it well, Hero of Time."

The stiffness in his muscles started to loosen, so Link lifted his head to face the Kokiri. To his surprise, she was back on her green island, staring at him silently and sadly.

"Stand up, Hero of Time." Link did so, even though he knew not where he got the strength. "It is time for you to return to your quest," Saria continued. "The Chamber of Sages will return you to Kokiri Village, where you have one more person to meet before you leave."

"No wait!" Link cried out. "Saria, do I have to leave now? I'll never see you again…"

"Do you still have my ocarina?"

Link's memory jolted with the image of Saria's last gift to him before he left home seven years ago. "Yes, I do," he replied, patting the pouch to his side where he kept not only Saria's ocarina but the Ocarina of Time as well. "It's right here…"

"Keep that ocarina close to you, and I will always be with you. Play it, and you will hear my voice in your heart."

Saria then lowered her eyes a little. "Thank you…for so many wonderful memories. I'll never forget you, Link…never."

With those words, Saria raised her hands to her mouth. It didn't take Link long to realize that she was holding an ocarina in her hand. Before her lips covered the mouthpiece, Saria uttered one more word:

"Listen."

She then started to play her ocarina. Link instantly recognized the song: it was Saria's Song, only she was playing it slower than usual. Actually, "slow" wasn't the right word to use; "heartbreaking" was a better description. A song once filled with limitless joy and rapture was now singing a melody of pain and sadness. But why…?

_—Never forget this song, Link. Promise me you'll never forget this song so you will always be reminded of me. Promise me—_

Saria was speaking inside his head again. Link quickly understood; she was giving him her a personal request in the most personal way she could think of. Link smiled as he wiped away a nonexistent tear from his eye.

_"I promise, Saria. I'll never forget your song. And…and I'll never forget you. Thank you for everything, and…"_

Suddenly, the Chamber of Sages started to grow white. Link already knew what this meant: he was being removed from the room.

_"No, wait! There's a lot more I need to tell you…"_

_—There's no need…I already know. Farewell, Hero of Time…I love you, Link—_

_"Saria, wai…" Link started when he realized that she was right; she did already know. There was no point in saying anything else. There was only one thing he could do now, and that was say goodbye properly. He knew he would kick himself if he didn't do that now…_

_"Goodbye, Saria…and I love you, too…"_

With those words, Link got one final look at the girl he had loved all his life. Saria gave Link one more smile before she disappeared under a blanket of white light…

Link had no idea when the ground underneath his feet disappeared, but when he thought about it he realized the ground beneath him felt different. Instead of hard and firm, it felt soft and spongy, which immediately ruled out the Forest Temple. Saria did say the Chamber of Sages would return him to the Kokiri Village, so the ground must be soggy grass…

Wait a minute. Wasn't the grass dead when he arrived back in the village? Wasn't it dry and desiccated? Grass doesn't recover _that_ quickly. Did that mean he was in a place other than the village? If only this white light would dim itself down faster…

The first thing Link saw when he could finally make out his surroundings was a rocking crag a little to his left. The next thing he noticed was the meadow-like grass at the foot of that crag, running away from rock face's base. Link looked around, and he saw a familiar passageway carved in the face of the crag a little ways away. It was smaller than he remembered it, but it was certainly the same one he had used when…when…

_"Did Saria really send me here…?"_

Link turned around…and came face to face with the fossilized shell of the Great Deku Tree.

Link couldn't believe it: the remains of the Deku Tree hadn't changed in the least. The wintry textures that covered its once beautiful bark were as gray as ever, and it still seemed to have as many leaves hanging from its high branches as it did when Link first stood before the deity. It was an eerie experience to stand before him, seven years after he had killed Gohma from within his mighty roots; Link wondered if he was still alive in some way, still watching over Link…?

_"If you're still alive," Link thought as he strode slowly towards the giant tree, _"I wonder what you would've thought of me now? I found the princess of destiny, but…is this really the path of destiny you wanted me to walk? Is this really what you expected…you _wanted_ to happen to me? Is it?"__

Link stopped within throwing distance of the Deku Tree. _"Please, if you can, tell me that this is not what you wanted. Tell me that somehow, someway, this is not what my fate is. Tell me that once this is over, I'll be able to come back to this forest and be with Saria again. Please, Great Deku Tree…if you can hear me…"_

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Link's thoughts were interrupted by Navi, who fluttered in front of his face a moment after she interjected. Link sighed. "Nothing, Navi. Just…thinking."

"About what?"

Link rolled his eyes. "Guess!" he bellowed at the fairy. He then realized what he had said, shook his head and added, "Sorry, Navi, I…I'm just trying to let all of this sink in."

Navi paused for a moment. "I…I'm sorry, Link. I knew Saria was important to you, but I never knew the feelings between you two were that strong. And now she's…well, you know…"

"Hey, you guys!"

Link and Navi looked up to see a familiar light flutter in their direction. Link stepped back to allow Katl to fly between his face and Navi. Saria's fey turned to look at both the Hero of Time and the pink fairy before continuing.

"Tell me something…what's going on here? What's this about Saria not coming back?"

Link blinked in surprise. "You mean…you were there with us?"

"With you?" Katl replied. "No, I wasn't with you in that bizarre chamber, if that's what you mean. But I was there. One minute I was watching over Saria as you cut through that ugly ghost, the next minute she and everything disappears under some strange white light. I don't know how long I remained in that light, but then it suddenly disappeared and I found myself in a room that was the strangest thing I've ever seen in my life…"

"And Saria was there?" Navi interrupted politely.

"Yes, she was right there and standing up, as if nothing had happened to her. I flew up to her and tried asking her what was going on, but she stopped me and started talking about how she was the Sage of the Forest Temple and how she had to help you, the Hero of Time with her mystical powers or something like that. She also said thank you for me being a great fairy all her life and that this was goodbye…what is this, some kind of joke? I couldn't believe it when she finished explaining, and I still don't believe it after she sent me back to this meadow. What's going on?"

Link glanced at Navi. "Should we…tell him?"

"Is there any harm in doing so?" Navi inquired.

Link shook his head gently. "I guess not." He then turned to Katl. "Listen, Katl, I know what I'm going to say might sound crazy, but it's the truth. I…"

"Wait. Let me hear your story as well."

Link and the two fairies turned around to face the owner of the new voice. To Link's surprise, it was Mido, standing at the mouth of the snake passage with his hands behind his back.

"Mido…what are you doing here?" Link asked.

"I was just taking a walk down the village road when I saw a bright white light shine from behind the rocky hill that surrounds the Great Deku Tree. I ran here as fast as I could and found you three here, talking about Saria. So now I want to know what's going on."

Link twisted his mouth in uncertainty. "I, uh…I don't know if I can, Mido. You see, I…"

"Please, Link, just tell me what's going on," Mido pleaded.

"Mido, you must…" Link stopped. Did he just hear what he thought he heard? "Wait a minute…what did you just call me?"

Mido scratched the back of his head before answering, "Link. I called you Link. That's your name, isn't it? You are Link, the one who disappeared from this village seven years ago, aren't you?"

Link couldn't believe it: Mido knew who he was. Did he overhear his conversation with Navi and Katl…no, his name hadn't been mentioned at all. Did that mean…?

"How…how did you know it was me?"

Mido smiled faintly. "I had my suspicions after you said you were 'a friend of Link's.' It sounded too convenient, too…abrupt. And the way you talked, the way you moved, the way your face lit up when Saria's name was mentioned…it all simply fit Link's personality. Of course, I couldn't just straight out _ask_ you, so when I was alone with your friend Sheik I slipped out your name. He was surprised I knew who you were; I was surprised I was right."

At first Link didn't know what to say, but he decided to say something anyway. "So…I guess you're wondering why I didn't tell you straight away who I was."

"That…and what's exactly is going on here," Mido uttered quiet seriously. "I know you're Link and that you once lived amongst the Kokiri, but that's about all I know. I don't know what you're doing, why you needed to go to the temple, and what has happened to Saria. What's going on, Link? What's happening? I need to know. Please."

Link hesitated. Should he really tell Mido what had happened to him ever since he left the Kokiri village seven years ago? It might not be a good idea to reveal anything to someone not too involved in the fight against Ganondorf. But then again, Mido was obviously very worried…not only about Saria, but surprisingly also about Link. Even though many of Link's memories about Mido were quite painful, Mido had certainly changed…

Link sighed. "All right, all right. You might not believe what I'm going to say, but…"

Link made sure his little talk was as brief as possible; Mido and Katl didn't need to hear every little detail about his adventures. He made sure to mention Princess Zelda, his quest for the Spiritual Stones, and his imprisonment in the Temple of Time for seven years, and how he must now find and awaken five Sages in order to fight the evil Ganondorf, who has also killed the Great Deku Tree. When his talk reached the Forest Temple, his discussion got a little more detailed as he went over the more important points of Saria's revelation: how she was the Forest Sage, how she couldn't return to the forest because she was the Sage, and anything else important.

He made sure to leave out how much she loved Link; it was hard enough for Mido as it was. But he did include the reason why he didn't reveal his identity at first.

When he was finished, a silence fell over the meadow before Katl spoke up. "So…I guess I now know what she meant back there. You know…in all likelihood I should be crying right now. But…but I feel so…so…happy for her. Saria was a very loving girl; she loved the forest almost more than anything else. And now…she has the chance to protect that which she loves so dearly. I'll surely miss her…in fact I wish I could be with her now…but I suppose this is all for the best. Maybe I'll see her again one day…I hope."

_"Me too," Link thought sadly._

A gentle sniff turned Link's attention to Mido, who was wiping a tear away from his eye. "I just wish I could've said goodbye…and I'm sure all the other Kokiri will be sad when I tell them this."

"Mido…" Link started but Mido held up a hand to stop him.

"Don't worry, I won't tell them anything you don't want me to. I'll simply tell them that Saria won't be coming back, all right?"

Link smiled. He couldn't believe Mido had "grown" to be this…likable. If Mido had been like this seven years ago, he and Link more than likely could've been friends…

"So, Link…what are you going to do now?" Mido continued.

Link paused. He didn't know. Saria had said he had to meet one other person in this forest before he left. Was it Mido? Katl? Or was it someone else? Someone he didn't even know? He wished she had told him, then he could find him or her quickly and…

"Link!" Navi suddenly cried. "I just remembered something. Isn't there something you need to do now?"

Link looked up at the fay. "Do now? What do you mean?"

"Remember what you did with Sheik before he left? Remember?"

"What I did with Sheik…?"

_"But…but if you had no intention of going in with me, then why did you just follow me all the way to this point? Mind explaining that?"_

_"I have a reason," Sheik replied as he fiddled his fingers with one another, "and that reason is because there is one thing you must do before you enter the temple."_

_"Oh, really?"__ Link asked almost cynically. "And what might that be?"_

_"This," Sheik answered moments before removing something from behind his back. It was a harp, shaped like a cursively drawn U__ with a metal pole stretched between the two ends. The instrument was fitted with six strings, which meant it was either very simple or the musician was a master of his craft._

_"You need to learn a song."_

_Link wondered why Sheik suddenly wanted to play music at a time like this and asked the Sheikah. Sheik seemed to smile under his collar. "The Ocarina of Time has powers beyond opening the seal of the Sacred Realm. It can also heal when the right song is played. Once you have unsealed the power of the Forest Temple and awoken the Forest Sage, you need to play a song to allow the temple's power to heal the land around it.  Each temple's power responds to a different melody. I'll teach you all of these melodies in due time; right now I need to teach you the one for the Forest Temple."_

_Link blinked, intrigued.__ "Okay, so what's this song called?"_

_"The Minuet of Forest."___

_"And where do I play this Minuet of Forest?"_

_"Anywhere within the forest will do. Just get out the Ocarina of Time so you can learn it."_

_"It's not difficult, is it?"_

_"Oh, it should be no trouble at all for someone like you."_

_Link blinked again, this time in surprise. "For someone like…what do you mean by that?"_

_Sheik seemed to blush under his enormous collar. "Ne…never mind."_

Link remembered. The Minuet of Forest had been quite easy to learn; it only took him one try to memorize it and keep it stored in memory alongside his growing collection of songs. It was a very simple song, actually, consisting only of a few measures, straightforward notes, and an uncomplicated melody. It wasn't fast or slow but evenly paced, somewhere between the pace of Saria's Song and the Song of Time. Link was sure the song was originally a duet between the harp and the ocarina, but since Sheik wasn't here anymore he would have to make due.

"Okay, Navi, I remember now. I guess I'd better get this done before I forget."

"Do what?" Mido inquired.

"I'm not sure myself," Link replied as he reached into his pouch and produced the Ocarina of Time. "Stand back, everyone. I don't know what this is going to do, so…"

Deciding to take his advice, Mido, Navi, and Katl moved several paces away from the Hero of Time. When Link felt it was safe, he took a deep breath, raised the ocarina to his mouth, took another deep breath, and started playing the Minuet of Forest.

He pictured Sheik playing his harp in his mind, trying to guess where the harp would perform in the ocarina's place. But rather than close his eyes as he often did, he kept his eyes open this time. He wanted to see what was going to happen when he played this song, if anything at all.

He didn't have to wait long. When he finished the last note of the short tune, he didn't even have time to consider repeating the song when he felt something inside of him begin to move. At first he didn't know what it was, but it resembled the initial buildup he had experienced when he first learned to use Din's Fire. Then he discovered it felt more like the buildup of the power from the Temple of Light; he quickly realized it had to be the power of the Temple of the Forest. The song must've activated the power from the medallion Saria had given him. But what was it going to do…?

_KVOOOOOOOM…_

Like a silent thunderbolt streaking across the sky, Link felt the power growing within him snap like the sonic boom of a cracked whip. And yet it didn't feel at all uncomfortable; in fact Link considered it about as painful as a gentle slap on the arm with a finger. The "implosion" of power within him seemed to gather somewhere inside of his body – although he couldn't pinpoint where exactly – before it "exploded" outward, somehow exiting his body. He heard nothing, but he certainly felt something.

All of this happened in a fraction of a second.

Then silence.

_"What just happened…?" he started thinking when he felt something tickle his left leg._

He looked down at the soggy, green grass – which in itself was strange since the rest of the forest was barren – and saw something that made him gape in amazement.

Several yellow flowers were growing in a small cluster at his feet, developing and budding before his very eyes!

He quickly looked around the meadow. All over he saw several other clusters of flowers also appearing, growing just as quickly as the ones at his feet. And the flowers weren't the only things changing – the green grass was somehow getting greener and taller, as if trying to outdo itself. But the abrupt growth was far from unstable; the vegetation instantly stopped growing after reaching a certain height. Link realized that the grass and flowers were not only growing but they were growing healthy as well!

The scene was creepy, almost as if Time had somehow sped up while remaining constant for Link, and it was happening all over the meadow.

Link watched the eerie sight for a few moments before he turned his attention to Mido and the two fairies. Not surprisingly, they were also bewildered by what was happening before their eyes.

"How…how is this possible…?" Mido mumbled. "Link…what did you just do…?"

"I…I think I helped the forest heal itself," Link uttered, unable to come up with a better explanation.

"But…if this is what's going on in this meadow," Katl stated in disbelief, "then what's going on outside…?"

"Mido! Mido! Are you in here? Mido!"

Everything turned their attention to the snake passage in time to see a Kokiri boy emerge from its mouth, his arms waving in the air wildly. He looked very flushed from running and from screaming his head off, and when he reached Mido he collapsed at his feet and started panting heavily. It took Link a moment to recognize the boy as Bori, one of his and Saria's closer friends.

"Bori, what's wrong?" Mido asked.

"I…I'm not sure if…if you can call it…wrong," Bori gasped as he struggled to talk, "but…but something's happening to the…to the village. I was walking over to Lana's house…just to see how she was doing…when the…when the…when the weeds on the path suddenly started dying."

"The weeds suddenly started dying?" Mido repeated.

"Right before my eyes, too. At first I thought everything was dying, but then I realized…it was _only the weeds. And the grass…it was growing at a very fast rate. I decided to look for you and headed for this place, 'cause I knew you headed in this direction. As I ran, I saw other strange things. The vines around our houses…they were dying and dropping off. And the peeled bark was also falling off where new bark was growing! That only made me run faster. Any idea what's going on?"_

Mido didn't answer Bori's question but instead looked up at Link, who was just as amazed as Bori was. Was this the power of the Forest Temple? Had playing the Minuet of Forest awakened the temple's power within him and used him to spread its influence over the forest? Or was the temple itself doing the healing, simply heading Link's call with the song Sheik had taught him?

_"I…I honestly don't know what to think anymore…"_

—Thank you, Hero of Time—

Everyone in the field jerked their heads in every direction when the loud yet gentle voice boomed across the meadow. It seemed to come out of nowhere, and there was no one in sight.

"Who's there?" Link called out when no one else did. "Who are you?"

—Come to the base of the Great Deku Tree and all will be revealed—

Link wasn't so sure about following the mystery person's instructions without question. "I'll do so if you reveal who you…?"

"Link," came the whisper of Navi's voice in his head suddenly. "I…I think we can trust him."

"Why?" Link asked in a similar whisper.

"Because…because I'm feeling something…something I lost seven years ago…when the Great Deku Tree died…"

Link was still feeling uncertain about this enigmatic newcomer, but he decided to follow Navi's intuition and turned towards the hollow shell of the dead Deku Tree. Mido, Katl, and Bori decided to go with Link, as they were just as curious to find the owner of the strange voice.

The small group reached the base of the tree in no time, and not surprisingly they found nothing there.

"Okay, we're here at the base!" Link called out. "Now where are you?"

—Look down at your feet, Hero of Time—

Link complied…and noticed something situated directly in between and in front of his feet. It was a plant of some kind, a plant that didn't resemble any of the other plants in the meadow. As far as Link could tell, it appeared to be a single shoot with only two leaves; in other words, at first glance it looked like nothing special. Maybe if he had a closer look…

"What in Din's Fire is this thing…?" Link muttered under his breath as be knelt down to examine it more closely…

_WHAAAAAMPH…_

Without warning, the shoot…_shot_ up straight out of the ground, heading directly for Link's face! Link, almost caught off guard, doubled back to avoid being hit. Unfortunately, the maneuver caused him to lose his balance; he spent a few seconds flapping his arms wilding in circles before he fell backwards, landing on his backside with a gentle thud.

Everyone else was also surprised by the shoot's abrupt behavior and hurriedly moved away from it. When Link was in control of his balance again, he quickly returned to his feet and reached for his sword, ready to attach the shoot…or whatever it _really was._

_"I'm ready for you…whatever in the name of the Three Goddesses you are!"_

To his bewilderment, he found himself staring at what appeared to be a young tree sapling rooted directly where the mysterious shoot had once been. The sapling stood a little under Link's height and stretched out as wide as his own body. It had a few branches poking out through its sides, but very few leaves were attached to those branches. Its bark's texture strongly indicated the sapling was very healthy. Upon examining it, Link discovered he couldn't figure out what kind of tree sapling it was.

"What…is that?" Mido asked Link nervously behind him. "Is it an oak? A maple? A pine? I've never seen any tree with a bark that smooth."

"I'm not sure myself," Link replied. "But whatever it is, it sure has some nerve to suddenly spring out of the ground like that right when I was taking a closer look…"

—Forgive me, Hero of Time. Please excuse my little joke—

The voice was definitely closer than before. Everyone looked around to find the voice's owner, but could find no one.

"All right, this is getting old," Link called out. "Show yourself now or…"

—But I have already shown myself, Hero of Time. I am right in front of you—

Link glanced down at the sapling. "You mean…you're the tree?" he asked somewhat skeptically.

—I am—

Link twisted his face up in doubt, although the idea of a talking tree wasn't too farfetched. He practically worshipped one seven years ago!

"Okay, so you're the tree. So who are you…?"

"The Great Deku Tree…"

Link and the two Kokiri with him turned their attention to Navi, who was hovering over Link's right shoulder. "The Great Deku Tree?" Mido repeated. "What do you mean…?"

"It's…the Great Deku Tree!" resounded the voice of Katl. "By the Three Goddesses, the Great Deku Tree has come back to us!"

Now it was Link's turn to speak. "Look, what are you two talking about…?"

"I can't believe it! The Great Deku Tree! He has returned! He has returned!" Quick as a wink, Bori's fairy Jitn, who had been hiding underneath his cap, suddenly zipped into view and joined Navi and Katl. The three fairies then started to fly around the tree sapling in a frenzy, as if their lives had suddenly be saved from something horrible.

Link was about to say something when the voice spoke up again.

—So the fairies have already connected with my life source. Maybe it won't be too long after all before I'm connected with the Kokiri, just like my father—

_"Father…? This sapling…is the Great Deku Tree's…son_?"__

Link approached the sapling by taking a couple steps forward. "Tell me something…are you…really the Great Deku Tree's son?"

The sapling seemed to nod in a sudden gentle breeze.

—I am, Hero of Time. Seven years ago, when my father died, his remaining life force was concentrated into a single point, a point from which my seed was born. This seed was placed deep within the ground and incubated within the nutrient rich soil of the forest. And now I have finally awoken, ready to take the place of my father as the guardian of this forest and those who live within—

By now, Mido and Bori had gathered around Link to listen to the sapling, their faces just as bewildered as Link's. "But…how come it took you seven years to reach the soil?" Mido asked. "Were you placed too deeply into the soil…?"

—No, Mido, I would've reached the surface within one month's time of my seed's creation, had it not been for the one called Ganondorf—

That name sent a chill down Link's spine, but he didn't say anything and allowed the sapling to continue.

—Seven years ago, when Ganondorf stole the sacred relic from the forbidden land and used its power to seal the power of the temples, he doomed this forest to die. The forest would die without the power of the Forest Temple to protect it, and I would've died along with that forest. You probably noticed that the grass was uncharacteristically green in this meadow while everything else in the woods was dead or dying. With the forest dying, my growth had been hindered by a lack of sufficient nutrients. The forest tried to aid me by drawing nutrients from all over the forest in order to help me grow, but sadly all they could do was keep me alive. Each year those nutrients grew fewer and fewer, and I had not long before even they couldn't sustain me. However, when you unsealed the Forest Temple's power and returned life to this forest, I was able to grow once again. I owe you my life, Hero of Time. Again, I thank you—

Link didn't know what to say. Now that he knew this sapling truly was the son of the Deku Tree, he had so many questions for him, many things he wanted to know. But before he could form a question in his mind, the sapling waved its branches in a manner that suggested it was looking up.

—Ah, so my father's children are coming to greet me—

Link turned around and looked upward just in time to see what the sapling was talking about. Flying over the mountainous crag surrounding the Deku Tree's meadow was a swarm of…of fairies. In all his life with the Kokiri Link had never seen so many fairies clustered together like this. There appeared to be hundreds of them of various sizes and colors: big ones, small ones, tall ones, short ones, red ones, blue ones, green ones, pink ones, purple ones…Link was even sure he saw a multicolored one somewhere in the cloud. But they all had one thing in common: they were all heading straight for the Deku Tree sapling.

Things got even more hectic when the swarm actually reached the sapling. The fairies joined Navi, Katl, and Jitn by flying wilding around the sapling in random patterns while shouting various phrases seemingly at no one in particular. Link managed to overhear a few of the phrases in the chaos, and they all had something to do with the return of the Great Deku Tree.

Link scratched his head in amazement and released a soft chuckle. But he had no time to comment on the situation when he thought he heard something approach the field through the snake passage of the rocky hills. He turned around to look…and saw a stampede of Kokiri heading into the meadow! Everyone he had ever known – and a few he couldn't recognize at all – were all streaming into the Deku Tree's field, mumbling to each other loudly. Some of their gazes were directed upward towards the fairy swarm, indicating they were all following their fairies who had suddenly abandoned them for no reason.

Without saying a word, Link watched as the entire Kokiri Village gathered around him and the sapling, their mutterings growing louder and louder. Then a couple of them noticed that Mido was in the field and within a matter of moments virtually all the Kokiri were directing their questions and concerns towards him.

"Mido, what's going on here?"

"Something's happening in the village. Have you seen it?"

"The grass suddenly started growing again…and the vines around my house just fell off!"

"And my garden flowers are blooming again!"

"And those ugly shoots growing near my window died before my eyes!"

"I've just come from the forest. All the weeds and torn bark are dropping like flies…come to think of it, I haven't seen that many flies either when it started happened."

"What's going on, Mido?"

"What are you doing here in the meadow of the Great Deku Tree…?"

"What's going on with the fairies? They just suddenly upped and left us."

"And how did the stranger get in here…?"

—Please, my children, be still. Give Mido some room to speak—

In an instant the meadow grew silent as every pair of eyes turned to the sapling with fairies flying all around it. Some of the Kokiri had looks of surprise on their faces, others had looks of fear. But no one dared to speak.

—Thank you. My children, the reason your fairies left you is because they could not contain their excitement. They just had to come and witness with their own eyes the son of the Great Deku Tree—

Gasps of shock replaced the silence for a brief moment, but no one still dared to talk.

—I know many of you are wondering whether I really am the son of the Great Deku Tree, and I understand your reservations. The bond my father had with you has not been restored as of yet, but the one with your fairies is, which is why you see them as they are. There is much more I can tell you, but I shall allow Mido to tell you what _needs_ to be told—

Mido jerked his head in the sapling's direction. "M…m…me?" he stammered. "Why me?"

—Because you have the right balance of knowledge, my child. You know neither too much nor too little, and I have faith that you will reveal only what needs to be revealed—

"But…but…"

—The one called Saria trusted you to lead the Kokiri, Mido. I have faith that you still do—

Unable to argue with that kind of statement, Mido hesitated for a moment before he finally nodded in acknowledgement. He took a couple of steps forward so he could separate himself from the crowd, turned to face the crowd, and took several deep breaths. He made sure he had everyone's attention before he started to speak.

"My fellow Kokiri…I have something important to tell all of you, so I ask you to please listen to what I have to say.

"We've all seen what the Lost Woods have become over the last seven years, how our once magnificent forest fell into decay to the point beyond recognition. This was all caused seven years ago by a single man. His name is Ganondorf, and he stole a precious item with incredible power and used it to spread his evil across the land, eventually reaching the Lost Woods. Ganondorf also happens to be the man who killed the Great Deku Tree."

Nearly every Kokiri gasped in horror when they heard that.

"But apparently, there is someone called the Hero of Time who is going to fight this evil man and destroy him," Mido continued. "That man…is the stranger you see before you."

Mido then pointed directly at Link, who waved at the crowd sheepishly. The Kokiri looked at him in semi-awe before returning their attention to Mido.

"This Hero of Time came to this forest to find a temple, a temple which held the key to saving this forest. I don't know how he did it, since I was not there, but when he came back he had managed to find that way of saving our beloved woods. You have already seen the end result: our village and the woods are healing themselves."

The Kokiri started chatting hurriedly amongst themselves, as if to confirm between themselves that Mido's words were true.

"But not only did the Hero of Time help our forest to heal, but he also helped the son of the Great Deku Tree to grow once more. The tree sapling you see before you was born from the dying life force of the Great Deku Tree. Look at the fairies flying around him. Look how happy they are. See with your own eyes that we have a new Deku Tree, one that will grow up to be as great and loved as his father."

The chatter amongst the Kokiri intensified and everyone's face was beaming with excitement and anticipation. But Mido wasn't finished yet.

"Unfortunately, I also have some bad news. Our beloved Saria…can no longer be with us."

The silence that followed was the most deafening silence Link had heard since his awakening from his deep sleep in the Chamber of Sages.

"Don't worry, Saria isn't dead. She's alive and well. However…I don't know how to say this, but…Saria has been given a very important job to do, a job I don't think I can explain properly. This…job…it…it…"

Suddenly Mido felt a hand clap gently on his shoulder. He turned to find Link smiling down at him. Before Mido could ask what Link was doing, Link spoke up.

"What Mido is trying to say is that Saria is safe, she has something very important to take care of, and she will be unable to return here because of that job. That's all you need to know. However, just because Saria is gone doesn't mean that will be without a strong leader when times call for one. If I had to choose one of you Kokiri in Saria's absence to restore this village…no, this forest back to its former glory, there's no one else I'd pick other than…this Kokiri right here."

Link then patted Mido's back a couple of times, causing the former Kokiri bully to gaze up at the Hero of Time in genuine surprise. Understanding why, Link bent down and whispered into Mido's ear, "You've earned it."

When he straightened up again, he could see Mido's eyes holding back tears. Whether they were tears of sorrow for Saria or joy at being recognized by the Hero of Time, Link did not know…

"Hey, Mister!" a Kokiri from the crowd unexpectedly called out. "How do you know so much about this village and this forest?"

"Yeah, how do you?" cried out another, which started a frenzy of questions from the crowd.

"He said that he's a friend of Link."

"A friend of Link? You mean the one who disappeared seven years ago?"

"The same one."

"So Link is alive? Wow, that's great. Where's he now?"

"This outsider surely knows where he is!"

"Hey, mister! Can you tell us where Link is?"

"Hey, you haven't even told us your name! What's your name, mister?"

"That's right. He never did tell us his name."

"What's your name?"

Link didn't know how the Kokiri crowd grew silent, but it somehow did. Each voice that died down was an extra knot in Link's stomach. Each gaze that stared directly at him felt like a tiny needle piercing his skin. The Kokiri were expecting an answer, and he had to give them one. And this time Link knew he couldn't lie to them – he couldn't bear lying to his friends any longer.

But how will they react? Will they accept him as a grownup? Will they still see the same Link they knew as a child seven years ago? Or will they reject him? Will they consider him a stranger from the outside who has no place in the Lost Woods? He guessed he was about to find out.

He hesitated for about a minute, trying to figure out what to say, and when he finally figured it out he started saying it.

"My name…my name is…"

"His name is unimportant."

Everyone, including Link, directed their gazes towards Mido, who continued, "This fellow standing before us does not need to give us his name, for it will be meaningless. All we need to know is that he is the Hero of Time, the one who will destroy the one Ganondorf, the man who killed the Great Deku Tree and that threatened our beloved forest. He doesn't need a name; he is the Hero of Time! _The Hero of Time!"_

Mido's last cry of Link's title was so passionate that every single Kokiri surrounding the Deku Tree sapling cried out in response, whipping themselves into a deafening fervor. Some of them waved their arms high into the air wildly, while others chanted "Hero of Time!" in unison. Link, who couldn't believe what he was seeing, gave a quick look at Mido, who was smiling mischievously.

_"What are you up to, Mido?" Link asked in his mind._

Then, without a warning, Mido raised his hands in the air. The ruckus died down as quickly as it had started.

"Furthermore," Mido continued, "the Hero of Time…is a very close friend of Link, whom many of us remember as a good friend before he sadly disappeared seven years ago. The Hero of Time earlier informed me that Link…might possibly not return to us for reasons only Link knows, but news of him being alive and well is enough. Whatever he is doing right now, I'm sure it's for the best. I don't know if we'll ever see Link again, but we all know he was and still is a great Kokiri."

Link nearly tripped over thin air when he heard that. Did Mido just call Link…a Kokiri? Link was now itching to ask Mido was he was up to, but he knew talking to Mido now wouldn't be a good idea, so he decided to let Mido finish his speech.

"But now onto a more serious matter. The Hero of Time has saved our forest from certain death and given us a new Great Deku Tree for future generations. He has done so much for us that I hereby decree that the Kokiri will do anything we can to help him in his fight against Ganondorf. We have remained idle long enough in these woods. We have ignored the happenings of the outside world when they have directly affected us. I'm sure this is what Saria would've wanted us to do: fight back against those who dared to take what is most precious to us.

"If any of you standing here wish not to be a part of this, you are allowed to make that choice. But I myself choose not to sit back and let everything around us be destroyed again. I'll do whatever I can to aid the Hero of Time in his cause. I can't think of a better way to thank him for what he has done for us here. If anyone here wishes to say something about the matter, then please speak up."

After Mido finished his speech, he quietly surveyed the crowd. Every Kokiri had a look of uncertainty on his or her face, trying to interpret what Mido had just said and whether or not they should accept it. Link managed to overhear a few of the conversations the Kokiri were having amongst each other, and he could tell many of them were ready to turn around and leave…

"I have something to say," someone from the crowd cried out.

Everyone turned their attention to Bori, who stepped out of the crowd and turned to face Mido. "I'm still a little uncertain about all of this. All of this sounds strange and even too far-fetched to even be real. But in the last seven years I've seen many incredible things, many of them terrifying. And today I've seen miracles happen before my eyes. Right now, we are all standing in the presence of the Great Deku Tree's son, and we have this stranger, the Hero of Time, to thank for it. If helping him fight this man called Ganondorf is the best way I can thank him, then I'll do it. I think the late Great Deku Tree will be ashamed if I did otherwise."

The other Kokiri started whispering amongst themselves again, asking each other if Bori was right. Link was starting to get nervous; were these Kokiri really going to follow Mido like this? Bori had stated he would, but what if he was an exception…?

"I'll help the Hero of Time!" came a cry from the crowd. A girl Kokiri help up her hand to indicate where she was…and to show she was not afraid of letting everyone know where she stood on the matter. "He gave us our forest back. I'll help him in every way I possibly can!"

"Me, too!" cried a girl Kokiri next to her. "If she can help him, then _I can help him."_

"I'll do it!" exclaimed a boy Kokiri near the back. "My hands are strong! They'll do whatever is needed!"

"I know a thing or two about fighting!" bellowed another boy Kokiri, this time near the front. "If anyone comes near this forest, I'll protect it in the Hero of Time's name!"

"I'm not afraid to help! I'll do whatever is necessary!"

"I'm in!"

"Me too!"

"Count me in!"

"Tell me what to do and I'll do it!"

Link watched in utter amazement as the crowd slowly up surely raised their voices in support for the Hero of Time. Within a matter of moments Link found it difficult to find anyone in the crowd who wasn't raising his voice as loud as possible. Eventually Link nearly had to hold his hands over his ears because the roaring was so deafening. But as he watched the roaring before him, he couldn't help but feel something inside of him grow warm, something feel…elated by what he was seeing…

Just then, he felt something touch him on the side. He looked down to see Mido staring up at him. "So what do you say, Hero of Time?" he asked before stretching out his hand. "Do you accept our help?"

Mido was offering Link a handshake? At first Link didn't know what to think, but he quickly realized what he had to do. Smiling back at the Kokiri, Link replied, "I myself don't know what you can do to help, but I'm sure Sheik will be pleased to learn of your offer. Whatever you do to help us…will be greatly appreciated.

Link then reached out with his own hand, grabbed Mido's tightly, and the two former rivals shook hands firmly.

The crowd only seemed to cheer louder when they did…

"So when are you leaving exactly, Link?"

Dusk had crept over the Deku Tree meadow, enveloping it in golden shadows from every direction Din's Eye could cast them. The crowd of Kokiri that had once stood in the enormous meadow had long ago left to clean up the rotting weeds and vines left by the forest's transformation. The fairies that once hovered over the Deku Tree sapling's head like a shining cloud of dust had also dispersed to be with their respective Kokiri. Link and Mido were the only ones left in the meadow; Navi had mysteriously disappeared.

Link, who was standing a short distance away from the Deku Tree sapling, didn't take long to reply to Mido's question. "I'm…I'm not really sure, exactly. I was told there was one other person I needed to meet in this forest before I left, and I'm not exactly sure who that person is…or even if I've met him already."

"One other person you need to meet, huh?" Mido echoed. "That does sound a little strange. I don't know anyone whom Saria would want you to meet other than herself and…and…the Great Deku Tree?"

"The Great Deku Tree? You mean the sapling? But haven't I already met him?" Link asked as he pointed to the tree behind him.

"I guess you're right…" Mido started when he was suddenly interrupted by a now familiar voice.

—Mido. Link. Please stand before me. There are several things I need to reveal to you both—

Deciding not to ask any questions, Link and Mido walked to the base of the Deku Tree sapling, who strangely looked just as commanding as the original Deku Tree even without the incredible height.

"Yes, what is it?" Mido asked.

—You have both proven yourselves to be worthy of association with this magnificent forest. I am indeed proud of both of you for what you have done, just as my father was proud of you when he was alive—

The sapling then seemed to turn to face Mido

—Mido, against all odds you have managed to redeem your life and turned it around. You were once known as a bully, but now you are the one all the other Kokiri turn to when they need help. My father didn't approve of your bullying, but he loved you all the same. I'm sure if he were alive today, I'm sure he would've been more proud of you than I am at this moment. To thank you, I will return to you something you lost seven years ago, something that was very precious to you. Navi, you may bring him out now—

Without warning, a familiar pink light darted out from behind the Deku Tree sapling.

"Navi, where were you?" Link asked.

"I was doing something for the Great Deku Tree," Navi replied. "He wanted me to fetch someone."

"Fetch who…?" Mido started when a second light emerged from behind the sapling. The light was obviously another fairy, but unlike Navi this fairy seemed more nervous and tense. His light was flickering lightly in apprehension and it took him a while before he was finally in full view.

It took Mido a minute to figure out who the fairy was, but it took him only a second to nearly break down in disbelief. "D…D…Dakt? Dakt, is that you?"

"Hello, Mido," the fairy responded.

The fairy now identified as Dakt then proceeded to slowly flutter his way towards Mido, who was now gaping in surprise. When the fairy was within arm's reach of Mido, Dakt stopped and simply hovered in front of the Kokiri.

"I…I suppose you still think I'm worthless, don't you?" Dakt muttered sadly. "I remember how angry you were with me the last time we spoke…and I could tell you didn't want to see me again. The…the only reason I came here was because the Great Deku Tree wanted me to talk to you. But if…but if you want me to leave, then I'll go away and you'll never see me…"

"Dakt…" Mido softly interrupted.

Daklt looked up. "Yes?"

"I…I'm sorry."

Dakt seemed to "jump" back in surprise in the air. "You're…you're sorry? For what?"

"For being such a jerk…as well as such a terrible friend," Mido replied as he clasped his hands behind his back. "I don't know why I said those horrible things to you, but looking back I knew I should've never said them to you. You've been my best friend my entire life, and to turn my back on you and threaten you like that was just so…so…wrong. I never meant a word of it, Dakt. I swear on the grave of the former Great Deku Tree that I never meant a word of it. I'll do anything to make it up to you, I swear. I nearly died when I lost you, Dakt, and I want you to come back. I'd rather have you than anyone else as my fairy."

Dakt remained silent for a seemingly long minute, probably just as stunned as Mido was at first. He then flew a little closer to Mido's face almost cautiously, hesitated, and then uttered, "Do you really mean it? Do you really…want me back?"

Mido smiled weakly. "If you want me."

At first Dakt didn't move; he just stared at Mido as the Kokiri quietly gave the fairy time to think. Then, in the span of an instant, Dakt's fairy light abruptly flickered rapidly. Link recognized this form of flickering: Dakt was happy beyond depiction. The fairy didn't say anything as he suddenly zipped forward and circled Mido's head several times before landing on the Kokiri's left shoulder, where he proceeded to hug Mido's neck.

"I missed you so much, Mido," Dakt whispered. "I'm sorry for ever leaving you."

"Quit being sorry when I'm the one at fault," Mido beamed. "I'm sorry for yelling at you like that. I'll never do it again. I promise."

Mido's face was smiling gleefully as he made that vow, but Link could tell by the look in his eyes that he was holding back tears.

_"Man, how many times have people cried today…?" he started pondering when the voice of the Deku Tree sapling spoke up again._

—And now, Link, it's time for me to reveal to you something that you have finally earned the right to learn—

"Link?" Dakt cried in surprise before turning to Mido and pointing at Link. "This is Link? This is the guy we picked on…?"

"He is," Mido acknowledged, "although to tell you the truth, even after everything he's told me, I still don't know how he's become like this. He is a Kokiri, after all…"

—Mido, I need you to do something for me—

Mido snapped to attention at the sound of the Deku Tree sapling's voice. "Anything you want."

—I want you to bear witness to what I'm about to reveal to Link. What I have to say to him is of the utmost importance, and thus I need someone trustworthy to have knowledge of it should the need ever arise. But understand that what I say may never leave beyond this meadow. Do you understand, Mido?—

"Perfectly."

—Then listen, Link—

The sapling then seemed to turn its "gaze" in Link's direction; the Hero of Time straightened his posture and tried to look as dignified as he could. Navi fluttered to his side as he straightened out and both quietly waited for the son of the late Great Deku Tree to speak. When he did start speaking, the air seemed to feel heavy for some reason.

—All the knowledge that my father once possessed, I have inherited. Everything he knew I now know. I know the name of each and every fairy in this forest, as well as every face of all the Kokiri my father created. I know everything there is to know about this forest and even about the air that blows through its canopies. But the knowledge I inherited also stretches back to the days when Time was born, and that includes the history of the world before it became the united land it is now. I'm telling you this because you, Link, were raised with the belief that you are, have always been, and still are a Kokiri, despite everything that has happened to you.

—But the truth is, Link, that you are not a Kokiri—

When Link heard those words, he felt his legs abruptly lose their strength and he nearly fell to the floor. "Wh…wh…whaaaaaaat?" Link cried out. "What are you talking about?"

—You are not a Kokiri, Link. You are in fact one who was born outside of this forest. You are…a Hylian—

A Hylian? Link was a Hylian? He was born in the land of Hyrule? How could that be…?

"Wha…what game are you trying to pull?" Link demanded, unable to believe the sapling's words. "How can you even think this is funny?"

—I don't find it funny in the least, Link. This is something of great important. You were raised as a Kokiri, but you were born a Hylian—

"No!" Link bellowed, throwing his hand in anger. "I cannot believe it! All my memories are that of a Kokiri! I've lived with the Kokiri for longer than a normal child ever has! How can I be a Hylian when I haven't aged during my years in this forest…?"

—It is because of the bond you had with my father—

Link blinked in puzzlement. "Bond? Your father? What in the name of the Three Goddesses are you talking about?"

—Will you allow me to tell you without interruption of any kind?—

Link quickly glanced at Mido, who seemed unsure of what to make of what he was just hearing. Link then glanced back at the Deku Tree sapling, who was waiting patiently for an answer. Shaking his head in frustration, Link took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Fine, I'll listen to your story."

—Thank you, Link. Now listen carefully. In the years before the land of Hyrule was what it is now, before the great king of Hyrule united all the lands together under his rule, the world was in chaos. People were killing one another over senseless ideals and grudges, and everyone everywhere lived in fear of his or her neighbor. The fires of war were everywhere, fueled by greed and malice; to live in such a time was a horrific experience for anyone who was old enough to have memories of it.

—Five years before the Hylian king created what is known today as the Kingdom of Hyrule, the young wife of a soldier was forced to flee the fires of war. Chased by bandits and mercenaries, she reached the Lost Woods, which had remained untouched by the evils of the war. Whether it was by cunning or miracle, she managed to evade her pursuers and make it to Kokiri Village. The Kokiri, eager to help the poor young woman, brought her before my father, but they were too late to save her. She collapsed out of exhaustion and died at the base of my father's trunk. However, with her last breath, she asked my father to adopt and care for her child.

—For you see, Link, the woman had with her an infant baby boy—

Link thought he knew where this was going, but he restrained himself from saying anything.

—My father agreed to raise the boy as one of the Kokiri once he was old enough. Using his mystical abilities, he raised the boy lad in secrecy in the meadow until he had matured into a boy that would pass as a Kokiri. However, since the boy was a Hylian and not a Kokiri, my father realized the boy would grow up unless he did something. So he decided to form a bond with the boy and allow him to continue to grow until he reached a suitable age to remain a Kokiri; after that, he would halt the boy's growth so he would remain in a child-like body forever.

—But when my father made that bond he didn't count on discovering something amazing. The boy possessed the ability to learn magic; in fact the boy had some of the strongest magical potential he had ever seen. But then he discovered something more important: the boy was tied to destiny itself. The boy was predestined to protect the world from those who dared to destroy it. The boy was linked to the fate of everyone and everything around him, and there was no way to break that link.

—That is how my father decided on the boy's name. From that day on, he was known as Link—

Link felt something in his stomach tighten, but he still prevented himself from interrupting.

—My father knew that this boy was destined to leave the forest one day and fulfill his destiny, and thirty years after the Hylian woman entered the Lost Woods he was proven right. Hyrule was united, and the first king's son was ruling the land. He had given birth to a daughter whom my father could also sense a strong flow of destiny within—

_"Zelda," Link thought._

—And then, seven years ago, a man named Ganondorf entered this forest and killed my father. It was then he realized that it was time for the boy of destiny to leave the Lost Woods and save the world from that horrible tyrant. Before his death, he gave you the Spiritual Stone he possessed and sent you to find the princess of destiny. Once you left this forest, the magical bond he had made with you was severed, allowing you to grow up once more. That is why you appear as you are now. 

—Now you are the Hero of Time, and it is your fate to save the world from the cruelty that Ganondorf plans to inflict upon it. I am glad that I've finally been able to reveal to you your past. My father would've told you this had he not died from Ganondorf's curse, but I'm glad to have finally rectified that—

_ "But I'm a Kokiri! I'm not even supposed to age! Seven years should mean absolutely nothing to me! Why is it I've aged like this when I…"_

_"I cannot answer that question. Fate has forbade me to tell you anything about this matter. The only one who can tell you is the one who raised you."_

_"The one who raised me…? The Great Deku Tree! You mean the Great Deku Tree! But he's dead! How can he tell me anything if he's dead?"_

_"Again, I cannot answer that. But trust me when I say that all will be revealed. And try to understand that it will be revealed at the proper time and place…"_

Now Link knew what Rauru was talking about. All had been revealed, but Link wasn't sure it was the proper time or place. He wanted so desperately to lash out at the Deku Tree sapling and denounce everything he said. He wanted so desperately to cry out that everything told to him was a lie, that he really was a Kokiri and that there was some rational explanation behind his growing up.

But he couldn't. He looked down at his gloved hands, staring at them in stony silence before looking down his arms and then across his body. There was no other way to explain it: he was a Hylian, pure and simple. No wonder he had had so many strange feelings before, no wonder he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was somehow different from the Kokiri and also similar to the Hylians.

He was an outsider. Even Mido's acceptance of Link as a Kokiri didn't seem to have that much importance anymore. Link was an outsider. He wasn't a Kokiri…

Link twisted his gaze to his left when he felt a gentle nudge against his arm. He saw Mido staring up at him, his eyes filled with concern. "Link…you all right? You look a little pale."

Link didn't respond.

—Link, I know what I've told you sounds unthinkable, but it is the truth. I hope you will understand…—

"Shut up…please, just shut up."

The Deku Tree sapling immediately fell silent after Link ordered him to do so. Everyone else in the field nearly gasped in disbelief, especially Navi. "Link, what do you think you're doing? How dare you tell the Great Deku Tree to…"

"Navi, if you say one more word, I'm going to tear off your wings and stuff them down your throat."

Now it was Navi's turn to turn pale. "Link…how could you…say that…?"

"Just…don't…come…near…me."

Without another word, Link started walking forward, leaving Mido, Navi, and Dakt to watch him in stony silence. The Hero of Time didn't even turn to look at the Deku Tree sapling as he walked past it; he simply kept looking straight and continued walking slowly but surely.

Within a few moments he reached the base of the late Deku Tree's hollow trunk. He surveyed the fossilized bark for a minute, staring at each cracked surface as hard as he could in the twilight. He then gazed up as far as he could, trying to picture a face upon the tree god he once admired so much as a boy.

_"As a boy…now that doesn't sound so strange anymore…"_

He tried to imagine the mighty, commanding voice of the late Deku Tree ringing inside his mind, telling him what he had to do because it was his destiny. He tried to picture what it was like when he blindly obeyed the Deku Tree's words, following them without wondering exactly what his so-called destiny was. But nothing could help him relive that day, because now he knew what he was seven years ago.

Naïve.

Completely and utterly naïve.

_My father would've told you this had he not died from Ganondorf's curse…_

Link felt his fists tighten before he muttered one word to the dead tree before him. "Liar."

"Excuse me?" Mido uttered nervously from behind Link. "Did you say something?"

Ignoring Mido, Link reached behind his back. "You're nothing…but a _great big freaking liar!"_

The moment he cried out the last word, Link drew the Master Sword from its sheath, gripped it firmly in his hand…and proceeded to stab the Deku Tree's bark as hard as he could as quickly as he could. The stone-like bark split easily against the Master Sword's cold steel, creating echoing thuds that flew across the meadow and bounced back against the crags.

Link had stabbed the Deku Tree about five times already before everyone else realized what he was doing. "Link!" Navi cried as she rushed over to him. "Stop it! Stop that immediately! Link!"

"You lied to me, you miserable bastard!" Link bellowed, disregarding his fairy's pleas. "You tricked me! How could you do this to me? How could you do this to me? How! How! _How_!"

Navi tried flying in front of Link's face to get him to stop, but Link's eyes were too filled with rage to stop. He simply continued jabbing as furiously as he could at the dead Deku Tree.

"I admired you! I looked up to you! I even _loved_ you!" Link's cries were getting louder and more irate. "But you _betrayed me! You sent me out knowing full well what would've happened to me! You could've said nothing…and yet you sent me out anyway…!"_

Before he could continue, something heavy leapt onto his back. Link stumbled back a little, almost losing his balance as Mido struggled to cling onto Link as tightly as he could. "Link!" the Kokiri pleaded. "Calm down! You have to calm down! You don't have to do this…!"

"Shut up, you little brat!" Link then reached behind with his free hand, grabbed Mido by the scruff of his neck, and yanked the Kokiri off his back before throwing him to the ground. Mido landed on the soft grass with a gentle thud; Link stared at him for a moment before returning his attention to the Deku Tree. "He stole everything I ever loved! He stole my friends! He stole my home! He stole my happiness! He even took _her away from me! He destroyed my life, and you expect me to _calm down_?"_

Link then grabbed the Master Sword by both hands and started hacking away at the tree bark as hard as he could, this time sending loud clangs echoing throughout the forest.

"You horrible bastard! You took everything from me! _Everything! You said I should fulfill my destiny…well __you can have it! I don't want it! I don't want any part of your bloody destiny! Take it back! Take it back! Give me my life back, you miserable wretch! I want my life back! Give it to me!"_

When the dead Deku Tree didn't respond, Link only hacked even faster. "Why don't you say something? Say something, for the love of the Three Goddesses! I hate you! I hate you! _I hate you_!"

Then, with seemingly all his strength, Link thrust the Master Sword as hard as he could into the bark; the blade of the mighty sword sank all the way to the hilt. Link tried to remove the weapon, but it had wedged fast in the stony bark of the dead deity. The Hero of Time pulled as hard as he could until finally he fell to his knees, his right hand still gripping the sword's hilt firmly.

Link tried to cry, but he had cried so much that day that no tears emerged from his eyes. Instead he simply wailed at the foot of the late Deku Tree, mumbling a single phrase over and over:

"How could you? How could you? How could you…?"

Link left the Kokiri Village the next day; all the Kokiri were there to see him off as he rode Epona through the village. Many of the Kokiri restated their vows to aid the Hero of Time in his quest against Ganondorf; others simply were there to say goodbye to the man who has saved their forest. As he passed the throng of Kokiri all around him, Link smiled and waved back, not saying anything except thanking everyone for their help.

But only Link, Mido, and their fairies knew that underneath Link's smile were an indescribable pain and an enormous effort to hide it from everyone. He tried not to look at anyone directly, fearing his eyes would betray the hurt in his heart. Every wave he made took an incredible amount of willpower on his part. At the moment the only thing he was thankful for was the fact he was nearly out of the village.

He exited Kokiri Village and departed into the trees with the crowd of Kokiri cheering from behind him. He gave one final wave before they disappeared behind the trees, but he couldn't bring himself to look at them. The last thing he wanted to see of the village were his old friends cheering for a lie.

That was he was: a lie. His entire life had been a great big lie. Now he was no longer Link the Kokiri; he was Link the Hylian. It seemed like such a small, inconsequential thing to those who had witnessed the revelation, but for him it was like losing a part of his soul. Where was his life going to go now that he knew what he really was?

He had thought about it all of last night. His laceration of the late Deku Tree's bark had tired him out completely, but when Mido had brought him to a bed to get some rest Link couldn't sleep a wink. All he did last night was think…think about who he was and what he needed to do. And during that time, he started to realize a lot of things about his past decisions and his life.

He really had been naïve. Looking back, he now saw that a lot of things he did were stupid and foolish. He had followed orders almost without question, and look where that got him. He obeyed the Great Deku Tree to find the princess of destiny…and ended up going on a dangerous quest for a couple of stupid stones. He followed Princess Zelda's orders to open the Sacred Realm…and ended up sealed away for seven years.

Not to mention all the things he did out of the "kindness of his own heart." Looking back at those decisions, he realized how close many of those choices came to getting him killed. Sure, he was still alive, but one wrong move would've led to otherwise. And Malon, that girl from Lon Lon Ranch…what did he ever see in that girl to act the way he did for her? He hardly even knew her, and yet he risked his freedom to save her and her horses…

No! He had taken too many chances in the past for things that didn't mean that much to him. He had ignored everything he had ever truly cared about – the Lost Woods, his friends, Saria – and now they were gone. He no longer belonged there …or anywhere, for that matter. He was a wanderer now, someone without a home. He had no friends now except a fairy and a horse, and even then he felt more like a…a…loner.

As he rode through the now healed Lost Woods, Link quietly made a vow to himself. _"I swear, upon everything I once loved or cared about, I swear I will no longer be the naïve little boy I once was. I've made many mistakes in the past, but I will live with them. I am the Hero of Time, and I shall fulfill my duties as the Hero of Time. I will free the Sages and kill the one called Ganondorf. I shall do whatever I need to do._

_"But…I will walk my own path. I will follow no one's orders if I do not believe in them. I will not walk any path if I don't wish to walk it. I will not put my life on the line if it sounds ridiculous. I will turn my back on destiny, turn my back on fate, and turn my back on all who try to force it upon me. I will live my own life the way I choose to live it. I will not let anyone or anything govern me any longer. Never again. Never again…"_

As he finished making his vow, Link felt a single tear trickle down his left cheek. He was instantly reminded of all the things he cried for, and he realized he didn't want to think about such things anymore. Shorting in disgust, Link quickly wiped it off with a stroke of his fingers.

"Never again…" he muttered angrily. I will never…cry…again."

"What did you say, Link?" Navi asked from underneath his hat.

"Nothing, Navi," Link uttered. "It's nothing."

When he was far enough outside the Lost Woods and beyond the tree line, Link stopped Epona and turned himself around. He knew which direction to look, so he managed to make out the enormous treetop of the dead Deku Tree peeking through the green canopy, swaying gently in the wind.

He stared at the Deku Tree's treetop for a moment before uttering to the wind, "Find my path of destiny? I refuse. And I dare you…to try to stop me. You think I can't run away from it? Watch me."

He then turned back around and resumed his journey back to Kakariko Village…


	44. Cutting the Strings

**Chapter 44: Cutting the Strings**

The sun performed another silent dawn as its yellow-orange face slowly peeked above the horizon and bathed Kakariko Village in its rays. The only sound to accompany it was the gentle rustle of wind in dry grass and the occasional crumbling of a roof shingle somewhere in the village. Very few people were out to witness the sunrise; many of the villagers felt there was no point to waking up early in a land that was condemned to die by the man ruling it with an iron fist.

Sheik, however, was different. He found a very good reason to be where he was now: sitting on a small shelf on the windmill, perched just beneath the rotating blades, staring back at the half-hidden face of Din's Fire. The marvelous beauty that can be found in a sunrise was one of the few things that Ganondorf had not tainted with his foul touch; Sheik woke up early every morning to watch the sun emerge so as to be reminded of the beauty that was stolen from Hryule, beauty that will be returned to them, thanks to the Hero of Time.

Speaking of which…

_"I wonder how long it'll take for Link to awaken the Forest Sage?" he thought, scratching his cheek underneath his enormous collar. _"It's been, what, five or six days since I left him. I hope he's doing all right without my help. This is his first major battle since his awakening, not to mention his first major battle as a grownup…"__

Sheik straightened himself out before continuing his line of thought. _"Link…a grownup. Boy, it must be hard to be a child one moment and then be an adult the next, especially for someone like him. To be forced to grow up that quickly must be so…nerve-racking. But then again…we all had to do the same thing when Ganondorf stole the Triforce…"_

Just then, as he glanced down at the ground away from the sun, which was now high enough to burn his eyes, Sheik noticed a long shadow moving down in the village. At first he thought it was a villager taking a morning walk, but he quickly realized the shadow was too long to be just a person. No, the bottom portion of the shadow was quite thick compared to the rest of it, which meant the owner of the shadow was…

…riding a horse.

"Link? Is that you?"

Sheik shielded his eyes so he could filter out the sun's rays, and when he glanced upward to see the owner of the shadow, he instantly saw what he was looking for: a horse with a single rider who was wearing a long cap on his head and a sword and shield upon his back. Sheik didn't need to make out any details to realize who the person was.

"Link! You're back!"

Sheik didn't scream out Link's name loudly; the possibility of spies being anywhere nearby was very high in this day and age. Instead he simply waved wildly to draw Link's attention. When he was sure Link was looking in his direction, Sheik stopped waving and started moving. He jumped down the shelf, deciding not to use the ladder, and landed on the ground with a delicate thud. He then started to run as fast as he could to the edge of the village, where Link was probably waiting for him now.

He found Link easily; the Hero of Time was indeed waiting on horseback near the entrance to the village. Sheik only increased his speed as he ran up to Link, still waving furiously. When he reached the horse – her name was Epona, he believed – Sheik didn't waste time looking up at its rider in delight.

"Welcome back, Hero of Time," Sheik announced with a smile under his collar. "How did things go at the Temple of the Forest?"

To Sheik's surprise, Link didn't answer or even turn to look at the Sheikah. Instead the Hero of Time simply remained seated on Epona, staring blanking ahead without making a single movement.

"Hero of Time? Are you all right?"

This time Link responded, but not through speaking. Instead Link abruptly dismounted Epona on the side opposite of where Sheik was standing. He then grabbed the horse's reins and proceeded to lead her to a nearby horse tether. As he securely fastened Epona's reins to the tether, Sheik walked up to the Hero of Time, looked at him curiously for a moment, and then tried to say something again.

"Is something the matter…?"

"Do you know what I've been thinking about?"

Sheik blinked in surprise when Link unexpectedly spoke. "Um…come again?"

"Do you know what I've been thinking about?" Link repeated, this time more firmly. "Do you know what's been on my mind for the past couple of days?"

"Uh…no, I don't. What are you…?"

"Death."

Sheik nearly jumped back when Link interrupted him. "Death?"

"Death." By now Link had finished tethering Epona and turned around to face Sheik. When the Sheikah saw Link's eyes he couldn't believe how narrow and twisted they were. They seemed to be bloodshot from a lack of sleep, but they also appeared almost cold and condescending.

"You see, Sheik," Link continued, "as I was riding back here from the Forest Temple, I reflected upon all my past accomplishments and achievements…and failures. I then realized that many of my accomplishments would've become failures had it not been for one thing: death."

"Death? I'm still not understanding what you're talking…"

"I'm talking…about killing."

That got Sheik's attention.

"When I first started out on this little quest or whatever, I hated killing. I thought it to be the vilest thing imaginable. My first kill, the monster known as Gohma, I made with an apology. I gave her a reason for her death. Back then…I would've done almost anything else other than killing. Anything."

Link then smiled. "But now…I realize that it was killing that has gotten me this far. All those beasts I've slain, all those monsters I killed with my own hands…they all deserved to die. And it was their deaths that have taken me where I am today. Had I not killed, I would've been killed. And now that I've come to accept that, I will not hold back any longer. I will not allow sentimentalism to get in the way of what I need to do."

Sheik was starting to shake, although he didn't know why. "I…I still don't understand. Why are you telling me this? What's the point to telling me this…?"

"I'm just giving you a fair warning, Sheik," Link uttered. "When I have to kill…I will not hesitate. And anyone who gets in my way…will wish they hadn't."

Without another word, Link reached into his pouch and pulled out what appeared to be a red fruit of some kind. He then lifted it to his mouth and took an enormous bite out of it, chewing it quickly.

As he chewed, Sheik stared in amazement at him. Was this the Link he had left several days ago back at the Lost Woods? Was this the Hero of Time who was destined to save Hyrule from the evil of Ganondorf? The old Link was a kindhearted, gentle boy who was willing to do anything to help, but now he seemed so flippant and uncaring. And his speech about killing sounded incredibly callous. Was this really the same Link Sheik knew…?

"Pueah! Yuck! This fruit's rotten!" Link cried as he spat out the contents of the red fruit from his mouth. He then looked at the remainder of the fruit in his hand, snorted in disgust, and crushed it between his fingers with a loud squelch, spraying fruit juice in every direction.

Sheik, still surprised at Link's sudden turnabout, took a step forward and said, "Link…are you…okay?"

Link didn't answer immediately but instead looked up and stared deep into Sheik's eyes. He then smiled a smile that seemed almost devilish, one that nearly frightened Sheik. Sheik also quickly glanced at Link's hand that once held the fruit; by now its red juices were trickling down his hand and arm like…like…blood…

When Sheik looked back up at Link's face, Link responded. "Sheik…I've never felt better."

"And that's how it happened, Sheik. He just…snapped."

Sheik nodded and paused for a moment, allowing Navi to recollect her thoughts for any more questions Sheik might have. The two of them were inside the house where Sheik had given Link the hookshot, the window curtains drawn and the only light provided by the single flame burning in the fireplace. Sheik had managed to get Navi away from Link about fifteen minutes ago outside; Link had been practicing with his new bow and arrows while muttering to himself about improving his aim.

The Sheikah and the fairy stared at each other in silence for a brief while before Sheik finally spoke up again. "So can you tell me anything else? What happened after he learned he was a Hylian? Anything?"

"Well, on the way from the Lost Woods to back here, Link did look very restless and I don't think he slept that much. He would either giggle softly to himself or stare blankly at his hands without a word. I tried talking to him a couple of times, but each time he would just mumble incoherently. Then I think it was a day before we got here that he started practicing with his sword."

"Practicing with his sword?"

"Yes. He did sword practices before, but never that fiercely. The way he waved that blade, the look in his eyes as he practiced…it was frightening. I never thought that he would change like that just from learning his true past."

"I suppose his past meant a lot to him," Sheik observed. "When I learned that my father died from fighting in the war against Ganondorf, I broke down inside and seriously considered quitting the resistance movement. For him to lose his past must've been enough to for him to turn his back on his new one. At least that's the best explanation I can come up with right now. But you're right; Link's sudden change is frightening."

The two fell silent again before Sheik continued, "By the way, Navi, what do you think of it? What do you think of Link discovering he's a Hylian? Does that change anything for you as his guardian fairy?"

"Well, not really…he may be a Hylian, but he's still my charge, given to me by the late Great Deku Tree. I will be his fairy until I am called back by the new Great Deku Tree or either I or Link is dead. That will never…wait a minute, how do you know about the contract between a Kokiri and a fairy, Sheik?"

Sheik suddenly seemed to choke a little as he adjusted his collar. "Well, I…I've been reading a lot these years…and, you see…"

_BAAAAAAM…_

Navi and Sheik turned their attention to the door, which had been slammed open. Link was standing in this doorway, his hand resting securely on the door. His eyes surveyed the room for a moment before they found the Sheikah and his fairy. He stared at the both of them almost coldly before he started walking into the room, crashing the door behind him with a firm swing.

"Link…" Sheik started before Link rudely interrupted her.

"I've awakened the Forest Sage, Sheik. Now where's the next temple?"

Sheik blinked. "Excuse me?"

"The next temple!" Link snapped as he pounded his hand on the table. "Can't you tell me where the next bloody temple is? I'm supposed to awaken the five Sages, am I not? And one certainly isn't going to cut it, now is it? Now…where is the next temple?"

"Well, I…I'm don't know if…that is, I…"

Link gaped in sardonic surprise. "Don't tell me you don't know where the other temples are!"

"No, no, where know where they are," Sheik assured as quickly as he could, "but…there's a little bit of a problem."

Link raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Oh? And what problem is that?"

"Look here."

Sheik then drew Link's attention to the familiar map on the tabletop. The Sheikah used his finger to point out a mountainous representation behind what appeared to be Kakariko Village on the map. Link didn't need Sheik to tell him what that representation was, but Sheik did anyway.

"This is Death Mountain, which I'm sure you're familiar with. One of the temples, the Fire Temple, is located here…"

"Then what's the problem?" Link demanded.

"Well…have you seen Death Mountain lately?"

Link paused to think the question over for a minute. "I guess…but what does that have to do…?"

"There is a legend in this village handed down by the Sheikah. It says, 'When the clouds of the mountain are as red as its fires, you can be sure all is not well there.' Legends always seem to have some kind of truth in them, for we now know that Ganondorf has been to Death Mountain."

At the mention of that name, Link's eyes narrowed. "Ganondorf is up there? Then it's all the more reason for me to go there right now…!"

"Ganondorf's not there right now," Sheik pointed out, "but his influence is. But Ganondorf isn't the only thing I'm worried about. You see, we've discovered through ancient scripts that the Fire Temple is located somewhere deep within Death Mountain's volcanic area, so anyone other than a Goron who goes there will be unable to withstand the incredible heat.

"Then there's the beast."

Link jerked his head in surprise. "Beast? What beast?"

"For several months now there have been rumors going around Hyrule that Ganondorf has resurrected some kind of beast within the mountain. I've tried sending spies to find out what this beast could possibly be, but they've found nothing. I fear that Ganondorf might've put the monster inside the Fire Temple to protect it from outsiders, which means this task will be more difficult than we really need it to be."

At first Link didn't say anything to Sheik's description of the situation, but then, to the Sheikah's surprise, Link chuckled.

"Link…what's so funny?"

"So that's it, is it?" Link uttered without even hearing Sheik's question. "Then it's settled: I'm going to kill that beast."

Now it was Sheik's turn to jerk his head in surprise. "Kill the…Link, what are you talking about?"

"It all makes sense," Link stated as he looked down at the map and pointed at a portion inside the Lost Woods. "When I went inside the Forest Temple, I had to fight a phantom version of Ganondorf. After I defeated that phantom, the power of the Forest Temple was awakened. And now I hear that Ganondorf might have put a beast inside the Fire Temple…that can only mean one thing. Ganondorf sealed the temples using the life force of monsters to imprison the temples' power. Killing the monsters is the key to unlocking the temples' power. All I have to do is kill whatever beast Ganondorf put inside the Temple of Fire and…well, I'm sure you know the rest."

Sheik, while still a little nervous of Link's sardonic tone, couldn't help but see his logic. "I see your point," he agreed. "However, it's only an educated guess at best. What if you're wrong and…?"

"We'll have to go and see, then. I'm leaving for Death Mountain first thing in the morning."

"Tomorrow morning? Are you sure? Maybe you should wait a couple of days and rest yourself before you tackle something like…"

"I'm fully rested already, thank you very much!" Link snapped. "I don't need someone telling me when I can or can't do what I need to do! I'm leaving tomorrow morning the moment the sun rises, with or without you…which reminds me, do you have another song to teach me? Another song I need to play after I've awakened the next Sage?"

"What…oh, er…yeah, I do…"

"Do you need to teach it to me up on the mountain, or can I learn it right here right now?"

"Well, um…you need to learn it on the mountain, or else the song won't be affixed to the surroundings it's meant to heal…"

"Then be ready to leave first thing tomorrow, because I will not wait for you. Now, is there anything else I need to know?"

Sheik hesitated and thought for a moment before shaking his head. "No…I guess there isn't."

"Then, if you'll excuse me, I'll be outside practicing."

Without another word, Link turned around and promptly headed for the door. But just as he grabbed the door handle to open the door, Sheik held out a hand and cried out, "Wait, Link, I just remembered something."

Without turning around, Link muttered, "What?"

"It's the Gorons. Since Ganondorf has been up on the mountain, I'm sure he's done something or is planning to do something awful to the Gorons. I just want you to be ready to save them if need be."

Link remained silent for a minute, not moving to even turn around and look at Sheik. He seemed to be muttering to himself, as if asking himself if something he was doing was what he really wanted to do. Sheik waited patiently for Link to answer; when he did, he got something completely unexpected.

"Why should I?"

The silence that followed was thick enough to shatter into a thousand shards with but a whisper.

"Link…wha…what do you mean by that?"

Now Link turned around, and when Sheik saw his eyes he nearly fell to his knees in surprise. The Hero of Time stared at the Sheikah sternly and coldly, as if the question shouldn't have been asked.

"What do I mean by that, you ask?" he asked, sounding irritated. "I'll tell you what I mean by that. What I mean…is that I want a very good reason why I should put my life on the line for them."

"Because…you're the Hero of Time!" Shiek blurted out without thinking. He quickly realized that it was not what Link wanted to hear.

"Because I'm the Hero of Time," Link repeated cynically. "Since when did the job of the Hero of Time come with such a ridiculous requirement?"

"Ridiculous…?"

"If I remember correctly, all I'm supposed to do is awaken the five Sages and kill the man who is ruling this country. I don't remember hearing anything about going on rescue missions that could be pointless or even suicidal. Or maybe I wasn't paying attention. Would you care to enlighten me? You seem to know a lot about the Hero of Time, after all."

Sheik struggled to find a reply to Link's bizarre statements. "Being…being the Hero of Time…is about saving this land of Hyrule…and that includes the people that dwell within it…"

"Oh, so now you conveniently make people part of the land that I, the Hero of Time, am meant to save…this is a war, Sheik! I can't just go out and rescue everyone that's been captured or sentenced to die for whatever reason! I have my core job as the Hero of Time to do, and I don't have time to act rashly or stupidly."

"Link…I…you're right. This is a war we're in right now. And I know you can't save everyone…but you have to do all you can to save as many as you can. You can't just ignore those that need your help in their time of need. You have to help them…"

"And I ask again…why should I?"

Without thinking again, Sheik cried out, "Because it was the responsibility you chose to wield as the Hero of Time, that's why!"

It didn't Sheik more than a moment to realize that this response was worse than the last one.

_CRACK…_

With one quick movement, Link raised his right hand and punched it straight through the cottage's wooden door. Splinters flew in every direction and the door nearly loosened from its hinges because of the impact from Link's fist, but luckily the door held fast. Link didn't withdraw his hand immediately from the hole he had just created; instead he stared at Sheik with a stare so sour that Sheik could feel his blood run cold.

"Link…" he tried to start before the Hero of Time interrupted him.

"Don't…you…dare…tell me…that…_again_!" he bellowed before yanking his arm from the door with a soft crunch. "I didn't choose anything, you understand? I was made the Hero of Time without my consent, without my permission. Did you really think that I would submit that easily to be something I never wanted to be in the first place? If you did, you had better get your ideas straight."

Link then stormed his way toward the table behind which Shiek was standing, slammed his right palm on the table, and leaned forward. "I lost something precious…something really important to me…because I was the Hero of Time. I will not allow myself to be manipulated like that again! I will not be controlled by this title anymore! I will _not_ be anyone's…_puppet_! _Do you understand me?"_

Link leaned even closer to the Sheikah, making sure his gaze was more than enough to make his feelings known. He noticed Sheik trying to respond but unable to say anything; all the Sheikah did was stare back at Link, his eyes betraying a very real fear of the Hero of Time.

It was then that Link noticed something about the way Sheik was looking at him. It wasn't the fact that Sheik looked scared; it was how Sheik was showing he was scared. Sheik's eyes were shivering with horror, struggling to prevent tears from escaping. They reminded him of when he had seen someone else appeared this terrified, reminded him of when someone had this look of fear showing on her face.

He could still remember vividly how Princess Zelda looked at him as she rode off with Impa on her horse seven years ago. Ganondorf's evilness had been what had instilled that fear in her. And now he was seeing the exact same thing from Sheik. Was he really, at this moment, acting just like…just like Ganondorf…?

Link slammed his other hand on the table and glared at Sheik for a moment before suddenly straightening his back, turning around, and heading for the door. He stopped just a footstep shy of the door and stood still, waiting patiently for Sheik to regain his composure.

"Link?" Sheik mumbled after finding the courage to speak again.

"I'll make a deal with you, Sheik," Link interrupted again, only this time more politely than before.

"A deal?"

"When we go to the Fire Temple, I'll do what I can to save the Gorons…but only within what I feel is necessary. I will not put my life on the line for them…or go too far out of my way to help them. That's about as much as I can guarantee for you, and that's all I'm going to offer. Do I make myself clear?"

A slight pause filled the room before Sheik quietly nodded. "Yes…crystal clear."

"Good," Link uttered before opening the door gently. "We're still leaving in the morning. I suggest you get ready whatever we need for the trip. I'll be practicing outside if you need any help, all right?"

For the first time in a while, Sheik smiled. "Okay. Thank you, Link."

Link tilted his head a little to the side but still didn't turn around. "Just remember, Sheik. I will not be a puppet any longer. I've given you a fair warning. I suggest you take heed of it."

The Hero of Time then exited the cabin, closing the door behind him with a soft yet firm thud.

The sun broke over the horizon the next morning slowly, almost painfully, like a dreamer awaking from a forced sleep. As Din's Eye's orange rays blanketed the world below, the landscape slowly recollected its colors lost the evening before. But Death Mountain remained as bleak as ever, refusing to shed its dark countenance in the wake of the morning light. Even touched by Ganondorf's evil hand, it was still the foreboding and threatening peak it had been seven years ago.

_"You will not gain the upper hand this time," Link vowed, remembering how he had nearly been killed on the mountain's surface the last time he visted. He then made sure he had a firm grip on the rocky ledges before using one hand to cup his mouth. "Hey, Sheik, how much farther?"_

From above, Sheik looked down at the Hero of Time from a small but sturdy ridge. "Not too far, Link. There should be an entrance to Goron City a little higher up from here. Just be careful; some of the rocks feel a little slippery."

"No problem…" Link cried back when he was gently interrupted by the fairy underneath his hat.

"Link?"

"Yes, what is it, Navi?"

"I…there's something we need to do. Something on this mountain."

Link rolled his eyes. "Something we need to do? Navi, we're a little busy right now doing something we need to do. If it's something else, we can't…"

"We don't have to do it right now. We can do it after we awaken the Sage of Fire. But we have to do it before we leave the mountain."

"Fair enough," Link uttered before swinging his arm over a crevasse to grab a sturdy foothold. "So what exactly are we going to do?"

"I…I'm not sure."

For some reason, Link wasn't surprised. "You're not sure?" he repeated agitatedly. "And why is that?"

"I…I don't know how to describe it, but I just know that there's something we need to do. I'm pretty sure I know where we need to go, but that's about it…"

"That's it, huh?" Link groaned as he pulled himself up. "Well, Navi, I suggest you find something more substantial to go with your hunch, because I sure am not going to…"

Just then, Link felt his entire bodyweight start to fall. He quickly glanced up and was in time to see his right hand holding onto a large rock…that was detaching itself from the rest of the mountain!

"Oh, drat!"

He quickly tried to let go of the loose rock so he could grab onto another hold, but the momentum of the stone was pushing his hand away from any possible jut he could grab. And he could already feel his other hand's grip loosening, which meant he had only his legs to keep him from plummeting down the vertical cliff he was climbing. And he was already tilting backwards like windmill blades, so that didn't really help him…

_"Curse it!" Link swore in his mind._

Without a second thought, Link let go of the rock with his left hand and reached for his belt. He quickly grabbed the hookshot, yanked it from his belt, pointed it up at a nearby ridge, and squeezed the trigger. The mechanical hook sailed through the mountain air and struck the crest with deadly accuracy, dragging the rattling chain with it. The moment that Link heard the hook sink into the stone, he released the trigger to activate the retraction coil…

_SIIINNNNG…_

Link didn't know how fast it took for the hookshot to jerk him off the cliff face and up to the ridge, but it was a lot quicker than he had anticipated. Before he could even blink, he was hanging at the bottom of the shelf by nothing more than his hand holding onto the hookshot's handle; he almost felt like a piece of moss hanging from a tree branch…

"Link!" screamed the voice of Sheik from somewhere above. "Link, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry," Link yelled back.

"Do you need any help?"

"No. I can handle this myself. Just wait a couple of minutes."

"I told you those rocks were slippery!"

"Tell that to the rocks! They slipped off of themselves!"

Link then grumbled loudly to himself before uttering under his breath, "By the Three Goddesses…it's at times like this that I wish Kaepora Gaebora was here…whatever happened to that Owl, anyway…?"

Almost as if expecting the Owl to fly up behind him and scare him, Link turned around, but not surprisingly he only saw the sunrise climbing the distant horizon. Shaking his head slightly, he thought, _"Well, that was stupid, now wasn't it? Still, it's a nice sunrise, though…"_

CLING! CLANG! CLING…

_The howls of steel striking each other echoed across the plains as the sun shone its brilliant orange face over the horizon. The fields surrounding Kakariko Village were usually quiet during times such as this, but not tonight. Tonight someone was ready to prove something and was willing to push himself to the limits to prove it._

_Or, rather, _her_self…___

_The elongated shadows created by the setting sun danced vibrantly across the plains as the shadows' owners clashed equally vibrantly with their swords, making blow after attempted blow but never actually striking the other. The moves they both made were extraordinary and certainly worthy of a master swordsman, but it quickly became apparent to both fighters that they were evenly matched._

_CLAAAAANG…_

_A final clang ended with both fighters pushing each other back. They both stumbled slightly as they parted from their opponent, but they quickly regained their balance and readied themselves for another attack. When none came, Sheik was the first to speak._

_"You've really improved, princess. I'm impressed."_

_Zelda smirked. "I appreciate the compliment, Sheik, but I won't rest until I'm standing over you with a blade against your throat."_

_Now it was Sheik's turn to smirk. "Interesting threat. Let's see if you can come through with it."_

_"Heh."___

_Without another word, Zelda charged, her sword raised in a position that could either attack or defend easily. But Sheik just as easily countered it with a quick swing up his right side. He kicked Zelda's sword to the side, but Zelda used the momentum to her advantage as she swung around to strike him on his right. Yet Sheik again countered, stopping Zelda's momentum cold._

_"Not bad…" Sheik muttered as he struggled against Zelda's surprising strength._

_"You haven't seen anything yet," Zelda smiled._

_"Oh, I think I've seen enough."_

_Without warning of any kind, Sheik shifted the force applied to his sword, causing Zelda's blade unexpectedly to slide down his. With reflexes rivaling those of a cat, Sheik used his opponent's new momentum against her by allowing her stomach to fall onto his sword's hilt. A gruff sigh of wind escaped Zelda's lungs as she was struck by Sheik's hilt, but he wasn't done yet. The Sheikah immediately followed his attack by leaping into the air and landing a firm kick with his knee against Zelda's chest. The princess didn't even grunt as she toppled backwards and landed on the soggy ground with a gentle thud._

_Smiling at the immobile girl before his feet, Sheik rested his sword on his right shoulder and walked up to her. "Good effort, but not good…"_

_"I thought you weren't supposed to waste time mocking your opponent!"_

_Now it was Sheik's turn to be surprised. Before he could react, Zelda's limp body sprang to life. The princess forced all of her strength into her legs, where she made a well-placed side-kick that targeted Sheik's legs. The Sheik didn't have time to jump before he felt the ground underneath him disappear. He couldn't even execute recovery maneuvers before he felt his own back hit the soil._

_Not wasting any time, Zelda leapt to her feet and dived onto the fallen Sheikah. Then, quick as a wink, she flipped her right wrist…and out from her sleeve popped a tiny yet lethal-looking dagger. Within an instant, Zelda had the tiny blade in her hand and pressed firmly against Sheikah's throat._

_Now it was Zelda's turn to smile. "And now you pay for your mistake."_

_Sheik glanced down at the dagger while keeping his head completely still. "A…a dagger? Since when did I allow those?"_

_"Since you said that the enemy will do anything to win."___

_Sheik's gaze looked back into Zelda's eyes, which were burning with fierce determination and pride. He couldn't help but smile. "So…I guess you really did get a blade against my throat, just like you said."_

_Zelda nodded._

_"But…you're not standing over me."_

_Zelda blinked in gentle surprise, but quickly came up with a reply to his observation. "Ah, well. Beggars can't be choosers."_

_The two of them then fell silent for a brief moment…before they both started chuckling softly. It didn't take long for the chuckling to turn into full-scale laughter. As they laughed, Zelda loosened the pressure she was applying with her dagger against Sheik's neck, allowing him an opportunity to turn the tables on her._

_But he didn't. He decided to let her live this moment. He would get her back next time, he promised._

_By the time they both stopped laughing, Sheik first spoke up. "I must say, you really surprised me today. Of course, since you let your guard down while you were laughing, I could've pinned you down instead."_

_Zelda smiled. "Who said I let my guard down then?"_

_Sheik's eyes widened in surprise…then forced a laugh. "My, you really have_ surprised me today. But how do I know that you're weren't bluffing?"__

_"How do you know I'm not bluffing now?"_

_Sheik shook his head. "All right, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. You defeated me today. Happy?"_

_Zelda sheathed her dagger back in its hidden pocket within her sleeve. "Very."_

_"Good."_

_Zelda then looked around for her sword. "Okay, Sheik, I think it's time we packed up and went back to the village. The sun's almost set and…"_

_"Zelda?"___

_Zelda turned back around. "Yes, what is…?"_

_Before she could continue, Sheik raised his right hand…and lightly touched the left cheek of Zelda's face. He then started stroking it gently, pushing some of Zelda's sweaty hair behind her ear. Zelda immediately felt her face go red and her heart start beating faster. She didn't say anything in protest or question; she simply stared back at the boy whose eyes were his only visible facial feature underneath his enormous collar._

_"Sheik…? What are you doing…?"_

_"Sorry…it's just that…it's rare for me to get a good look at your face like this, especially this close."_

_Zelda could feel her heart beat faster. "I see…but what's so special about my face? Is it dirty?"_

_"No, it's not dirty. It's clean…and smooth as silk…soft as a gentle breeze…pure as a winter's snowfall…perfect. Just…perfect."_

_Zelda started to breathe rapidly, although she tried to hide it from Sheik, who was now staring deeply into her eyes. "Sheik…what are you…saying…?"_

_Suddenly, just as soon as it started, Sheik allowed his arm to drop. "Sorry, guess I got carried away."_

_He then forced a laugh that really__ sounded forced before he squirmed his way out between Zelda's legs. Once free, he stood up, dusted himself off, and sheathed his sword. "Come, princess, let's head back. I don't want to be out here at nightfall when Ganondorf's patrols are more active."_

_Sheik then started to head towards Kakariko Village…but then stopped and turned around to see that Zelda was still kneeling on the ground. "Are you all right, princess?"_

_Zelda didn't respond. She didn't even turn around._

_"Princess…?"_

_"Yes…I'm, er…I'm fine. Please…go ahead without me. I'll catch up."_

_"You sure?"___

_"Yes."_

_"Very well, if that's what you wish."___

_Sheik then continued to the village, leaving Princess Zelda alone in the fields. As she remained where she was, her hands slowly moved across her chest. She could still feel her heart beating wildly from what had just happened, and already she could feel her face get warmer just by thinking about it._

_What had just happened to Sheik? Was he…could he be…?_

_But if so, then what should Zelda do? She couldn't just say no, not after all he had done for her. But she couldn't stop thinking about the other, the one to whom she had given her heart. However, only she knew that she had given her heart to someone; not even the person to whom she had given her heart knew. And there was a very good reason why…_

_Perhaps she should see him again, see the person to whom she had given her heart. Maybe if she saw him again, she would figure out if he really deserved it. Maybe she was being naïve by giving her heart to him, especially since she hardly knew him. But then again…she couldn't deny that she shared something with him, something that not even Time could destroy…_

_Zelda decided there and then to think about the matter. She'll stay with Sheik a little while longer and see how things pan out from there. And if need be, she'll visit the one…_

_The one whose name echoed in her mind every time she thought of him.__ The one called…_

"Link…are you okay?"

"I'll be okay…as soon as I get used to this ghastly smell!"

The Sheikah and the Hero of Time were standing on a level close to the top of Goron City – in fact they were on the level that Link remembered quite well. All around the edge of the level he could see the ropes that extended into the darkness in the very center of the city where they housed the altar where the Goron's Ruby once resided. He could also vividly recall when he was young enough to be carried across the ropes by a certain Goron.

But now Link realized not even a Goron could walk across that rope; it was in complete shambles and looked as if it was about to snap at any moment. And as he looked around the giant cavern that was Goron City, he realized that it wasn't only the rope that was in poor condition.

The sturdy walls and floors that once made up each level of Goron City were in pieces; chunks of the walls were littered all over the ground, and parts of the floor were lying on lower floors. Furniture had been tossed around like firewood, and the beautiful ornaments that he had noticed were completely destroyed. It was very reminiscent of the horrific scene he had witnessed in Hyrule Castle New City after awakening from his seven-year sleep.

But then Link saw something dotted sporadically yet noticeably around the cavern that he recognized answered his own question.

"Hey, that's…" he uttered, pointing to a giant red stain on a far wall before Sheik finished for him.

"Blood."

Link quickly shifted his gaze towards Sheik. "So Ganondorf slaughtered the Gorons…?"

"Not all of them, at least. As near as we can tell, Goron City was attacked by a hoard of Moblins with orders to capture all the Gorons alive. Ordinarily Moblins will obey their master without question, but in this case they had some Wolfos with them, and apparently the Moblins couldn't control some of them."

"Did the Gorons…fight back, by any chance?"

Sheik shook his head. "The Gorons aren't a warrior race and don't know how to adequately defend themselves. All they can do is roll up in a ball and pray to the Three Goddesses that their hard shells protect them. But Wolfos are known to find weaknesses in even the strongest armor, which is why even that didn't save many of the Gorons."

"I see. So answer me this: where are the Goron carcasses? Did your spy team bury them or something?"

Sheik didn't answer immediately – the curtness in Link's voice caught him off guard – but he quickly found his answer. "Actually…that's something we haven't been able to figure out."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when Moblins kill, they tend to just leave the bodies of their victims where they lie to rot…either that or feed them to the Wolfos. But what's peculiar is that we haven't found any trace of any Goron bodies, not even bone fragments. It's as if someone came along and…cleaned everything up. Our spies found Goron City like this when they first arrived.

"I don't know why, but I'm sure that someone did this because he wanted to give the Gorons a proper burial."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Look at those blood stains," Sheik uttered as he pointed to a nearby stain. "Do you notice those bizarre strokes? It looks as if someone were trying to clean the stains off the wall. That's certainly not the work of a Moblin."

"So what?" Link sniffed. "It could've easily been someone collapsing in the blood and writhing around in it."

"But…"

"Enough. We have no time to spend chitchatting about this stuff. It's time we got moving and…"

"Link. Wait"

Navi's voice entered his ear as a whisper, prompting Link to whisper back. "What is it, Navi?"

"There's someone else in this room. Someone is watching us."

Link immediately grew tense and alert. His right hand reached for the Master Sword – although he didn't draw it – and his eyes scanned the city.

"Link, what…?" Sheik started before Link silenced him with a wave of his hand.

"Be quiet," he hissed towards Sheik before whispering to Navi, "Do you know where he is? Can you see him?"

"I can't see him," Navi murmured back, "but I know he's here. I can hear his heavy breathing. He's not too far away, actually. He's somewhere nearby."

"Nearby, huh?"

Link took another look around the cavern. If the mysterious watcher were indeed somewhere nearby, where could he be? Most of the doors were blocked with rubble, and there didn't appear to be any hidden ledges above him. Maybe the watcher was behind a secret passage, looking at them through peepholes…in stone? Yeah, right. So where could…?

Wait a minute…there's only _one_ place where the watcher could hide…

Link remained in his tense pose for a moment longer…and then relaxed. He straightened his posture, removed his hand from the Master Sword, and took in a deep breath. He then…smiled!

"Link? Are you all right?"

Link grinned. "Yes, I'm feeling great."

"What was that just now? Is something the matter?"

"Oh, no, nothing's wrong with me, for you see...I just found something I was looking for."

Sheik scratched his head. "Something you were looking for? I don't understand…"

"Here, I'll show it to you."

Suddenly, without another word, Link launched himself forward…straight onto the closest rope that led to the Goron's Ruby's altar! He landed on the rope with a little unbalance, but the Hero of Time quickly found his equilibrium. He then wasted no time in running straight across the rope into the darkness that enveloped the altar; he himself was shrouded in the gloom within a matter of moments.

It was only then that Sheik snapped out of his surprise and called out, "Link! What do you think you're doing? Those ropes are unstable! Get back here before…"

_WAKCAAAAH!_

Sheik jolted to attention as a loud bang echoed throughout the city. The Sheikah quickly scanned the cavern, considering the possibility that it was some of Ganondorf's troops using some kind of weapon…but he quickly discovered the real culprit. One of the ropes holding the altar above the city had snapped in two and had flailed through the air like a whip before dangling to the ground from its unseen pivot point in the darkness.

But before Sheik could even take the sight in completely, there was another earsplitting crack…and another rope holding the altar in place dangled downward like a limp vine.

"By the Three Goddessess…Link, get outta there! The altar's going to fall! Link…"

_WAKCAAAAAAH!_

Another rope snapped.

"Link! Can you hear me? Link! Are you even listening? Link…!"

"Who are you?"

The voice that abruptly erupted from the gloom was undoubtedly Link's, but Sheik was immediately confused. "What are going on about? I'm Sheik! I…"

"I'll ask you again! Who are you?"

"I just told you! I'm…"

Wait a minute…was Link not talking to Sheik? Could it be that…there was something or someone else with him on that altar…?

_WAKCAAAAAAH! WAKCAAAAAH!_

The ropes…

"Link! Whatever you're doing in there, hurry up! The altar's not going to stay up there for much longer!"

"This is your last chance! Who are you?" Link voiced bellowed again, obviously not paying attention to the worried Sheik. "We're not leaving here until you tell me who you are!"

_WAKCAAAAAH!_

Sheik could feel his shirt become drenched in sweat. "Link! Just get out of there! Link…"

_WAKCAAAAAH! WAKCAAAAAH!_

"What's it going to be? This altar won't stay up here for long, and I doubt you want to plunge all the way to the bottom and risk this enormous altar falling on your head. So what's it going to be?"

_WAKCAAAAH! WAKCAAAH! WAKCA-WAKCAAA-WAKCAAAAAH!_

Ropes were now breaking in rhythm. Sheik was so frantic that he reached for the collar around his neck so he could scream as loud as he could. But before he could yank the collar away from his mouth, he heard Link's voice again, this time sounding pleased, relieved, and annoyed at the same time.

"Thank you. That's all I wanted to know. Now I suppose we'd better get off this thing. Here, climb onto my back…good. Now hold on tight…"

There followed a stony, uncomfortable silence…which was almost instantaneously interrupted by a loud crack. At first Sheik thought it was another rope snapping, but when he saw something fly like a silver bat from the darkness in the middle of the chamber, he realized that was no rope.

_KACHUN…_

The head of the hookshot sank into the stone wall just above Sheik, almost as if it had selected Sheik as a target but had overshot. Once the hook was firmly gripped in the stone, the chain attached to it grew taught and a loud clickity-click started echoing throughout the city. A split second later, a familiar figure emerged from the darkness, dragged through the air by the hookshot's firing mechanism.

The Hero of Time used his momentum to somehow land perfectly on the ground in front of Sheik; he also seemed to use very little effort to unhook the hookshot from the wall and real the tip back in. When the hookshot was ready for use once again, Link smiled at the Sheikah.

"Did you miss me?"

Before Sheik could comment on Link's snide remark, another loud snap ricocheted throughout the chamber. Both Link and Sheik turned their attention back to the platform just in time to watch the final set of ropes break off from their supports. Moments later, like a stone falling through a murky cloud, the platform that had once held the Goron's Ruby altar emerged from the darkness, falling straight down and dragging the ropes still attached to it with it. The platform fell quietly until it struck one of the lower levels of the city with a loud crash, shattering into a thousand pieces and scattering itself all over the ground, leaving a pile of rubble in its wake.

The silence that followed was broken by Sheik. "Wha…wha…what do you think you were doing back there?"

Link turned his attention back to Sheik. "Back where?"

"On that platform!" the Sheikah demanded almost angrily. "I was yelling myself silly for you to get back here but you just ignored me, speaking to…who were you speaking to back there, anyhow?"

"Oh, you mean him?" Link asked, pointing behind him.

It was then that Sheik noticed that something was attached to Link's back…and that something was a some_one. More specifically, it was a young Goron, about as tall as Link's waist to the ground but making up for it in weight. Sheik couldn't see his face because it was buried in Link's back._

"Okay, we're safe," Link uttered, poking the Goron's arms wrapped around his neck. "You can let go now."

It took a moment for the Goron to believe Link's words, and even then he took his time to climb down Link's back. Once his feet were firmly planted on the ground, he took a few shaky steps backwards away from the Hero of Time, keeping his gaze directed towards the ground.

"Why were you spying on us?" Link asked without any warning.

"I…I didn't know if you were friend or foe," the Goron meekly answered in a surprisingly deep voice.

"I thought the Gorons were all captured," Link continued. "How long have you been hiding like this?"

"Since…since they came," the Goron answered. "My dad managed to…to put me in a safe place when the city was…was…was attacked. Ever since then I've been all alone here, watching the city and all who come here…"

"So you were the one who cleaned up all the corpses left by Ganondorf's forces?" Sheik politely interrupted.

"Yes. I wanted to give my friends a proper burial. They deserved better than to be left rotting like that."

"And the blood stains?"

"I tried to clean some of them up, but unfortunately the blood has seeped too far into the rock. And that smell…is awful."

Sheik nodded as he realized just how mature the Goron was acting, even though he was certainly very nervous. The Sheikah decided to get that out into the open. "I suppose you're a little afraid of us, aren't you?"

The Goron nodded. "A little. Your friend made my blood run cold when he threatened me like that."

"He wha…? Oh, you don't have to worry about him. He's simply overcautious, that's all." At least that's what Sheik hoped explained Link's behavior. "In any case, we're not going to hurt you. In fact we came here to save the Gorons…"

A loud cough from Link cut short Sheik's declaration, reminding the Sheikah of Link's earlier avowal. Deciding not to test Link's temper, Sheik decided to change topics. "Anyway, do you have a name?"

The Goron nodded.

"So…can you tell us your name?"

Again the Goron nodded. "Sure. My name…is Link."


	45. Into the Fire

**Chapter 45: Into the Fire**

Both the Hero of Time and the Sheikah nearly leapt into the air with complete surprise when the Goron revealed his name. Link, however was the first to respond.

"Wait a minute…did you just say your name was Link?"

"Yes…that's my name," the Goron confirmed.

Link shook his head wildly and scratched his hair before returning his gaze to the nervous Goron. "Are you sure that's your name…or are you just borrowing mine for convenience?"

Now it was the Goron's turn to look surprised. "Why would I borrow your name? I'm using the name my dad gave me when I was born."

"You're serious…your dad really named you Link."

The Goron nodded. "Yes, he really did…why, is there something wrong with my name?"

"Oh, no, there's nothing wrong with it," Link uttered as he folded his arms and rolled his eyes. "I've been using the same name all my life, and it's always been good to me."

For the first time since he got off Link's back, the Goron looked up from the ground and immediately eyed Link, staring at the Hero of Time in silence for perhaps a full minute. Then, as if coaxed by a voice only audible to his ears, his small dark eyes started to grow and his large mouth stretched out across his face until they showed all of his enormous teeth. Before Link could even react, the Goron started jumping up and down in excitement.

"Link? You're Link? You mean…_the Link?"_

"_The Link?" the Hero of Time repeated. "What, is there another Link out there or something?"_

The Goron stopped leaping around but the excitement was still flowing through his muscles. "What I meant is…are you the Link who came here…seven years ago and…and single-handedly slew King Dodongo?"

"King Dodongo...? Oh, yeah, I remember him. It's pretty hard to forget a guy who nearly burned your arm clean off."

As impossible as it seemed, the Goron's eyes grew even larger. "Then it's true! You _are_ the great hero Link! The young boy that saved the Goron race from near extinction! The one my father looked up to so much…!"

"Wait a minute," Sheik broke in. "Didn't you already know he was Link? Didn't you hear me screaming his name back there as the platform was collapsing?"

Goron Link turned his gaze towards the Sheikah with a look of puzzlement in his eyes. "You were shouting back there?"

Sheik's jaw dropped. "You mean…you didn't hear me?"

"I guess not. The only sounds I remember were those of the great hero Link threatening me with his commanding voice."

Great…hero…Link…threatening…? Sheik couldn't believe he was hearing the Goron talk so favorably about Link after he intimidated him back there. Then again…if what Link did seven years ago – save the Goron race from extinction – was true, then who was Sheik to complain?

"In any case," Goron Link continued, returning his attention to the real Link, "I'm so glad to finally meet you. My dad spoke highly of you for as long as I could remember. From the stories he's told of you, I'm proud to wear your name. My dad always said that the leader of the Gorons need a mighty name to wear as an honor, and the name Link is…"

"Wait a tic…leader of the Gorons?" Link interjected. "Who's your dad? What's your dad's name?"

"My dad? Darunia."

Link knew he should he surprised, but all he could say was, "Well, that explains a lot of things."

Goron Link started to hop on his fat toes. "Do you remember my dad? Do you?"

Link made an uncomfortable smile. "Sure, of course I do," he uttered before adding under his breath, "It's pretty hard to forget someone who tries to hug you with those enormous arms."

Goron Link grew even more excited. "I'm so happy that you do! It's an honor for my dad to be remembered by one of the greatest heroes of the Goron race! If I may, can I please ask for a favor? Would you give me your autograph? I don't care what you sign, but I just want a keepsake of yours so I can forever remember this incredible moment! I…oh…"

Without warning, the look of pure joy on Goron Link's face abruptly changed into one of the most depressed countenances Link had seen since his awakening. The Goron then dropped his head again, lifted his hands to his eyes, and started crying softly.

"What's wrong?" Sheik asked, leaning in close to comfort the bawling Goron. "Did we do something to upset you?"

"No…no…" Goron Link mumbled through his tears. "I'm sorry, it's…it's just that…I just remembered…that now's not the time to ask for such…such silly things. Many of my people died…and everyone else will be eaten by Volvagia…"

By then the Goron's words were completely muffled by his tears, but he had already spoken enough to pique both Sheik and Link's interest.

"Volvagia? That's a name I don't recall hearing before," Sheik commented to the Hero of Time.

"Maybe the little pipsqueak knows more about him?" Link proposed.

"I ask," Sheik replied, disregarding Link's almost callous "pipsqueak" remark and turning to face the Goron. "Link…I know how you're feeling right now…but we really need your help right now. You know a lot more about what's going on around here, and we really need what you know to help your…to do what we need to do. Will you please help us?"

Goron Link looked up and wiped some of the tears from his face. He was smiling faintly, but he was shaking quite a bit. "I…I'll try. What…what do you need to know?"

"Can you please tell us about Volvagia?" Sheik asked as gently as he could.

"Volvagia…" Goron Link started before taking a deep breath and continuing. "Volvagia is actually part of the Goron race's ancient past. Volvagia was once a great dragon that lived in this mountain when the Goron race was in its infancy…"

_"Dragon, huh?__ This might explain that 'beast' Sheik was going on about," Link thought as he listened to the Goron speak._

"He terrorized the Goron race relentlessly, devouring any who dared to stray from the safety of Goron City. But one day, a mighty warrior arrived to save the Gorons from Volvagia's reign of terror. Armed with a weapon known as the Megaton Hammer, this warrior confronted, fought with, and in the end struck down Volvagia. We don't know whether the warrior actually slew the evil dragon, but his courage saved the Goron race from his fiery rule for generations to come.

"Today, many of my people dismiss this as just a legend, but my dad knows better. He's actually a descendant of this warrior, and as proof he knows where…"

"I hate to interrupt this little history lesson," Link uttered, "but can you tell us something more about the dragon itself?"

Goron Link nodded, as if not minding Link's rudeness. "The past describes Volvagia as a wretched worm that commands the element of fire with but a single thought. It's said that his entire body is surrounded by flames and that his speech is coated with the fires of Hael itself. He glides the winds like a bird using the volcanic heat for lift, and his gaze is enough to test even the deepest of courage. I haven't seen him myself, but I'm sure this is the creature that has been resurrected, for every so often I can hear his howls echo through the city."

"So we're going in blind," Link muttered angrily. "Curse it!"

"What were you saying earlier?" Sheik asked. "About proof that your father is the descendent of this warrior?"

"Just that my father knows the location of the Megaton Hammer."

That bit of information caught even Link's interest. "Reeeaaaaallly…"

"Yes," the Goron beamed proudly. "It's a family secret passed down generation after generation."

Sheik stood up and faced the Hero of Time. "Link, that hammer could be very useful. If Volvagia really is the key that'll free the temple's power, that hammer could really help us defeat him."

Link almost seemed to take offense to that. "I dunno…why would I need a silly hammer when the Master Sword is more than enough for dealing with trash like that?"

" 'Strong the Master Sword is, but the strongest it is not,' " Sheik proclaimed in a commanding voice. "It's a very well-known saying passed down among the Sheikah. You're probably right in that the Master Sword will be enough, but why take chances when we know there is a weapon out there that can get the job done without fail?"

Link twisted his mouth into a face. "I see your point, but still…looking for the stupid thing will waste precious time…"

"But you forget that we have a guide," Sheik declared as he pointed to the Goron next to him. "Link here can take us directly to the hammer and…"

"No I can't."

Both Sheik and Link jerked their heads in Goron Link's direction. "What did you say?" they both cried out at the same time.

"I can't take you to the hammer," the Goron said sheepishly. "I don't know where it is."

"But…you just said…wasn't the location of the hammer…a family secret…?"

"Yes, I did say that, but my dad hasn't passed that secret down to me yet. I'm too young, you see, and…"

"I think I've had enough of this," Link interrupted. "We can spend hours talking about hammers and dragons, but I'd rather just run in and make that worm taste the blade of the Master Sword. Just point me in the direction of the temple and I'll slay that bas…"

"Wonderful!" Goron Link abruptly exclaimed, once again jumping up and down in excitement. "This is so exciting! The legendary hero Link will save the Goron race once again! He will…but wait, if the temple you're talking about is the temple I think it is, then you can't go in just yet."

"Why not?"

"Because the temple's located right in the middle of the volcano, right?" Sheik answered.

"Correct," Goron Link smiled.

Link crossed his arms, pouting. "Yes, of course, I completely forget about that stupid detail."

"But…there is a way that an ordinary Hylian can withstand the heat of Death Mountain," Goron Link pointed out almost happily.

"And what might that be?" Link asked.

"Why, special clothing, of course. Long ago, when Hylians frequently visited this mountain, a method had to be devised to allow them access to the volcanic crater. Special tunics and hats were developed for just such an occasion. They work by reflecting most of the external heat while maintaining a cool layer of temperature around the wearer's body; I've been told wearing one makes the volcanic heat of Death Mountain feel like a lukewarm summer day."

"Do you have any of these tunics left, by chance?" Sheik asked.

"We've got several sitting around in the special storage rooms," Goron Link answered with a smile. "You can get dressed in one right now, if you'd like."

"I would," Link uttered impatiently. "I don't feel like standing around here talking any longer. Take me there this minute."

"As you wish. Follow me."

With a wave of his hand, Goron Link started walking. Link was about to follow him when he noticed that Sheik was making no indication that he was going to follow the Goron.

"Aren't you coming to get dressed?" Link inquired.

Sheik seemed to blush underneath his collar. "No, I…I'm very shy about…about my body…"

"Then I'll get dressed first and leave you and your body to yourselves when I'm done. Does that sound better?"

Sheik's face somehow grew even redder. "Actually, I…I don't think…I really…"

"Oh, fine, have it your way."

Link then turned and hurried to catch up to Goron Link, who was making his way to a nearby staircase cut into the rock.

As the number of minutes slipping past totaled to half an hour, Sheik pondered whether going with Link to get dressed would've been better than simply waiting here for him to return. At the very least he could've waited outside the room while Link got dressed. But then again, there was the possibility of Link insisting that Sheik changed clothes with him…

Sheik quickly decided to switch to a different line of thought.

"So Ganondorf has taken the Goron race hostage," he muttered to himself as he paced around in a circle, "and by the sounds of things it's very likely he found the Fire Temple as well. If what Link said is true, then to awaken the Fire Temple's power he needs to slay this dragon Volvagia. But where is did Ganondorf take the Gorons, and for what purpose did he leave them alive? What is the Evil King planning? What is he planning…?"

"What are you doing, Sheik?"

Sheik turned around instantly when he heard Link's voice behind him. The Sheikah expected to see the Hero of Time dressed in some clothes reminiscent of the attire worn by municipal workers of Hyrule Castle New City…at least the New City of seven years ago. To his surprise, Link was dressed in the exact same clothing as before – tunic, hat, even his tights – except for one detail: they were colored bright red instead of green.

"Link…what happened? Did you dye your clothes or something?" the Sheikah inquired.

Link looked all over his body for a moment before answering, "These do look like my old clothes, don't they? But no, these aren't my old clothes. I found them hanging along with the rest of the heat-resistant clothing in the storeroom. It's amazing, actually; the threads look remarkably similar to how a Kokiri would've made something like this."

He then looked up. "But you didn't answer my question. What were doing, walking around in circles and talking to yourself like that?"

"Oh, I was just thinking to myself, that's all. It's nothing important. By the way, where's Goron Link…?"

"Right here," uttered the Goron, who stepped into view to Link's right as if he had always been there. The Goron then walked up to Sheik and offered the Sheikah a red bundle of cloth in his arms. "And I brought you some heat-resistant clothes. I didn't know your size, so I brought you several sizes. You can change right here if you wish. There's no one around here but Link and me."

Sheik blushed again. "But…but…"

"Yes, we know, you're shy of your body," Link sighed frustratingly. "But we don't have time for that now, Sheik. Just put that aside and change before we lose more precious time."

"I…I…" Sheik began when a flash of inspiration hit him. "Wait, I've got a better idea."

Link rolled his eyes. "Now what?"

"Before we waste time arguing about this, why don't you and Goron Link head down to the entrance to the crater…assuming our friend here knows where that entrance is…"

"Oh, don't worry, I know where it is," Goron Link smiled, showing off his massive set of teeth.

"Great. While you go there, I'll get changed. How does that sound?"

The Hero of Time crossed his arms. "Fine, fine. As long as it gets us going. But you know, Sheik, you're making quite a big deal about your body here, especially at such an important time here. I'm not stupid. I can tell something's going on, and you had better tell me."

Link expected Sheik's blush to redden, but instead the blush weakened, as if Sheik were accepting something he could no longer hide. He scratched his head and looked down at the ground for a brief moment then back up at Link. "It…it's a long story, Link. I'd give you the details now, but I can guarantee it would only bring up more questions that we don't have time to answer. If you wait long enough, I'll tell you what's going on, but now is not the time. Can we just leave it at that for now?"

Link searched his mind for a snappy response that demanded he know what was going on, but didn't take long for him to realize Sheik was probably right. Whatever Sheik was hiding, it probably had a back story behind it that would take up too much precious time explaining, and they needed every second they could get. Dropping his arms to his side, Link reluctantly nodded.

"All right, Sheik. I'll wait. Just don't forget this." The Hero of Time then turned to the patient Goron by his side, who had quietly placed Sheik's clothing by the Sheikah's side. "Okay, Link, lead me to the entrance to the crater. We'll wait for Sheik to catch up."

"Yes, yes, of course," the Goron exclaimed excitedly. "Just follow me."

Goron Link then eagerly grabbed Link's hand and started leading the Hero of Time to another set of stairs carved in the rock. As he was being guided away, Link turned his head to meet with Sheik's gaze. "I just hope that whatever you're hiding, it isn't a bunch of ugly scars all over your body."

He made the comment more as a little joke, but as he turned his head back around, did he just hear the Sheikah whisper in a serious and sad tone, "Don't worry…you won't"…?

"The entrance to the crater is in here?"

Link asked his question just Goron Link led him into the inky tunnel at the bottom of Goron City that led to Darunia's room. The Goron, not slowing down or loosening the strong grip on Link's hand, nodded wildly in the darkness of the corridor.

"That's right. This is the only entrance into the crater other than actual crater on Death Mountain itself. Back when Hylians came to this mountain frequently, it was feared some might try to steal precious minerals from the crater, so it was decided that the entrance would be kept safe in the room of the Goron's leader."

"But I don't remember seeing any entrance when I last came in here," Link remarked, recalling the first time he laid eyes on Darunia seven years ago.

"The crater used to be where we mined our food, but that changed when we discovered the Dodongo Cavern year and years ago. And since by then Hylians had stopped visiting us, there was no more use for the entrance to the crater. So we sealed it up, only opening it when needed."

"And what exactly did you use to seal the…?" Link started when he was interrupted by the brightness of the room at the end of the corridor. As he waited for his eyes to adjust to the light, he felt Goron Link's hand let go of his own and heard his feet shuffle across the room to the far end. The moment Link could see clearly again, he looked around for the Goron.

He found him standing next to the Goron-esque statue at the far end of the room.

"Behind this statue," Goron Link proclaimed as he pointed to it, "is where the entrance to the crater is."

Link smirked slightly. "Huh. I wondered what that thing was for when I first came here," he muttered under his breath.

"Unfortunately," Goron Link continued, "this stone is too heavy for me to move by myself. It was designed that so only really strong Gorons, like my dad, could move it."

Link's smirk widened as he bunched his fingers together and cracked his knuckles one by one. "Is that so? Well, I'm not going to let a measly rock get in my way. All I have to do is put a bomb next to it and…"

"You'll do no such thing."

Link turned around just in time to see Sheik walk into the room from the dark tunnel. The Sheikah was fully dressed in the bright red clothing Goron Link had given him, clothing that resembled some of the designs Link recalled seeing in Hyrule Castle New City seven years ago. But Link noticed something very peculiar: the Sheikah's face was hidden by a fabric mask that stretched all over his face, covering everything save his eyes and nostrils. Link thought the Sheikah looked a little ridiculous in the mask, especially with no mouth in the mask.

"What's with the mask?" Link asked.

"It's to protect my face from the heat," Sheik insisted in the same muffled voice as before. "You've got your hat, and I've got this mask."

"But why a mask? Why not just a simple hat?"

"It was the only thing Goron Link brought that would fit me."

"I find that a little hard to believe…but anyway, why in the name of Din's Fire can't I blow up this statue with a bomb? Don't you like big explosions or something?"

"It's not that," Sheik stated, ignoring Link's cynicism. "I just remembered something. Remember back at the Forest Temple when we ran into those Moblins? Who's to say that there probably aren't hoards of Moblins patrolling the crater this very minute? Or maybe Ganondorf resurrected another evil beast from legend…I don't know. All I know is since Ganondorf has been here, there's a strong chance he's put some kind of creature out there to guard the Fire Temple. A bomb blast would just give them an invitation to come and kill us."

"So we were very lucky when that platform fell and nothing came to check it out?" Goron Link asked sheepishly.

"Exactly," Sheik answered. "Let's not tempt fate twice with a noise this close to the crater."

Link started grumbling again. "Fine, fine. We'll sneak around if we have to. So what do you propose we do? Push it?"

"It's about all we can do."

"Just in case you didn't hear this pipsqueak, that rock can only be pushed by the strongest Gorons…"

"I heard. I'm sure with all three of us pushing at the same time we can budge just enough to get past. It might take a while, I know, but it's the safest approach…"

"Curse it…let's just get this over and done with." Link then stormed over to the left side of the tall stone and started pushed it as hard as he could. "Quit wasting time and come help me with this."

Sighing, Sheik strolled over to Link's side and began pushing it along with the Hero of Time. Goron Link, oblivious to the callous attitude Link was displaying, joined in with his Goron muscle. The three pushed with all of their might, and it didn't take long before the stone started inching its way to the side.

They pushed for about a minute before Sheik stepped away to take a brief brake. He sat down on the floor, leaned against the wall and was just about to catch his breath when he heard a tiny voice whisper in his left ear.

"Sheik."

"Navi?" Sheik instinctively whispered back. "What's up?"

"Do you…mind if I ride with you for a while?"

"With me? Why? Don't you like Link's new hat or something…?"

"No, it's not that…the hat's fine. It's just that…I need to get away from Link for a little while."

Sheik's eyes widened through the holes in his mask. "Get away from him? Why would you want to get away from your charge? I thought fairies were supposed to remain with their charge until…"

"Yes, yes, I know. It pains me to actually say that I want to leave him. But it's just that…the way that Link's been acting…it's really starting to…to…to…"

"To what? What's wrong?"

"You know how fairies can see a person's energies radiating from their souls? The energies I see from Link's soul just…they just scare me. Those energies are from a soul different from the one I met in Kokiri Forest years ago. I don't want to abandon him…I just want to stay with you for a little while. Please? Even if I have to sit on your shoulder. I can tolerate the volcanic heat."

At first Sheik didn't know what to think. Had Link really changed so much that his own fairy didn't recognize him? And was it really a good idea to separate Navi from his charge like this, even for a little while? Then again, Navi sounded absolutely terrified. Maybe it would be best to give her some time to calm down…

"Okay, Navi, I'll let you stay with me for a bit. There's a pocket on my shirt's left breast. You can stay in there as long as you need to."

"Thanks, Sheik. I'll try not to be too much of a bother."

Without another word, the pink fay then slipped nimbly into the breast pocket on Sheik's tunic. As she did, Sheik sighed to himself and shook his head gently.

_"What's become of you, Link, that you can drive your own fairy away…?"_

"Sheik!"

Sheik's thoughts were interrupted by Link's powerful voice. The Sheikah immediately looked up and cried, "Yes, what is it?"

"This rock will move a lot faster if you get off you backside and help us push this stupid thing!"

It took several more minutes, but the Goron-esque stone had finally been moved enough so that everyone could squeeze into the entrance behind it. Link was the first to take a peak behind the statue; not surprisingly, the entrance was really another tunnel that led off into the distance. He couldn't see anything in the actual tunnel, but at the far end he could make out a faint red glow that seemed to flicker wildly in the distance.

"Do you see anything, Link?" Sheik asked.

"I think I see the glow of the crater at the far end of the tunnel," the Hero of Time answered. "Can't tell from here whether there's anything waiting for us, though."

"Then we'll have to move quietly. We don't know if Ganondorf may have found this tunnel and posted guards." The Sheikah then turned to Goron Link. "As for you…thanks for everything you've done for us, but this is as far as I want you to go with us. What we're about to face could be very dangerous."

Goron Link nodded without any hint of possible argument. "I understand. I'll just wait here for your return."

"Before we go, we're going to need the location of the Fire Temple," Link uttered as he removed his head from the tunnel.

"Certainly. The temple is located at the far end of the crater. To get there quickly, take the left branch; the right branch will take you to the top of the crater. The actual temple is located farther down in the crater's rock. There are two entrances you can use: the Goron entrance and the Hylian entrance, although I suggest you take the Hylian one, as the Goron one is a steep slope."

Sheik nodded. "Again I thank you for all of your help. Don't worry about us, we'll be just fine."

"I'll keep that in mind," Goron Link acknowledged before turning to the Hero of Time. "It was an honor to meet you, Link. I know you will save the Goron race and defeat that wretched worm Volvagia. I just know it."

"Actually, I'm not going to…" Link started as he raised his finger…before lowering his finger, ending his sentence with a sigh, and adding, "We'll see what happens."

Without another word, Link turned around and squeezed into the tunnel behind the Goron statue, leaving a happy-looking Goron Link and a perplexed Sheik and Navi staring after him.

"I thought he was going to tell the Goron he wasn't going to save his people," Navi whispered from the Sheikah's pocket as Sheik moved to follow the Hero of Time. "Maybe Link hasn't changed that much, after all."

"I hope you're right," Sheik agreed.

To call the crater enormous would do it a great disservice. Stretching across an area large enough to house roughly two Hyrule Castles, most of that area was dominated by the presence of a lake of molten lava, whose surface bubbled and burst in an almost rhythmic manner. A few of the bursts reached the level of the ground Link and Sheik were standing on, but none of the flares were close enough to reach them and burn them. Speaking of which, the heat inside the crater must've been enough to cause a regular person to faint within the first few seconds. But thanks to the heat-resistant clothing, most of the pair's bodies didn't much of the heat at all.

The Hero of Time and the Sheikah were standing upon a small platform at the exit to the tunnel they had just entered from Darunia's room. Just like Goron Link had indicated, the platform had two branches, one on either side. Goron Link's advice to take the left branch wasn't really necessary, as it was clearly visible the right branch wound around the crater's edge all the way to the top.

And, thankfully, there were no Moblins or any other creatures to be seen.

"It looks like the coast is clear," Sheik muttered as he gazed around the vast basin.

"Then let's not waste any time here talking about it," Link demanded. "I want that dragon's blood on my sword by the end of the day."

Before Sheik could say anything in response, Link darted down the left path that led to the Fire Temple. Shaking his head in disappointment, the Sheikah hurried after him.

The two of them walked along the edge of the crater for several minutes in silence, allowing the only sounds to be made by the bubbling natural cauldron of lava to their side. Occasionally a flare of magma would ignite close to them, but at most they merely hesitated before continuing on their march to the other side of the crater. Link was obviously focused on reaching the temple as quickly as possible, as he only kept his gaze affixed directly in front of him. Sheik, meanwhile, glanced in a different direction every few moments, sometimes pausing to watch the shadows on the crater's wall dance to the lava's intense heat.

By the time the duo had walked halfway around the side of the cavern, however, Sheik felt the need to break the silence with some words.

"Link…I want to talk to you."

"What is it now, Sheik?" Link asked curtly without stopping or even turning around.

"It's about the Gorons."

"What about them?"

"I know you couldn't guarantee that we would save them, but…I want you to make it into one."

That got Link's attention. "Come again?" he uttered, even though his tone of voice indicated he already knew what Sheik was asking.

"I want you to promise we will save the Gorons," Sheik stated as firmly as he could.

That was when Link stopped walking. He still didn't turn around to face the Sheikah, but Sheik could tell the Hero of Time was trying to contain his frustration. "We've been through this, Sheik. I will only save them if I feel I can. That was the deal we made…"

"Well, I want to change it," Sheik interrupted. "You saw how frightened and alone Goron Link was. If we don't save his friends, his family…his entire race, for the love of the Three Goddesses…he will be alone and miserable for the rest of his life. We can't sit back and give him that kind of fate."

Link tightened his hands into fists, but he still refused to turn and face the Sheikah. "Sheik…don't try my patience. I will not risk my life for them…"

"Well, you should!" Sheik cried out in an unexpected burst of anger. "You're the Hero of Time! It's what you're meant to do!"

"Sheik...be quiet…"

"No, I will not be quiet!" Sheik uttered loudly, the heatedness in his voice growing with every word. "Now you listen, Link. Your attitude is getting out of hand. This is not how the Hero of Time is supposed to act. You should know better that this is not right."

"Sheik…"

"The Hero of Time is meant to help everyone who needs it, even if it puts the life of the Hero of Time at risk. I'm not saying you should go on a suicide mission, but you should at least try. Plan something out, figure out a strategy…just do something other than say you won't do it because it's too dangerous!"

"Sheik…shut…up…"

"I never thought I'd say this, but you're acting like a coward. You're running away from your responsibilities as the Hero of Time, and that is completely unacceptable. It's amazing that the Master Sword still accepts you as its rightful owner."

"Sheik…I said…"

"You said you lost something precious to you because you became the Hero of Time. You said you never chose to be the Hero of Time and only took up the role against your will. Well, guess what, Link? You're going to have to deal with it. Just forget whatever you lost and…"

"_Shuuuuuut uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup_!"

The last word of Link's powerful scream echoed throughout the crater before everything seemed to go eerily silent. Sheik could feel his legs turn to rubber as his mind grew as blank as a starless night. How could he come up with a response to such an emotionally charged shriek?

All the Sheikah could do was stare at the Hero of Time, who still hadn't turned around but was straining to stop himself from doing something. His arms twitched nervously as his fists were now bent into cringing claws. Link's own breathing shuddered through his teeth as he struggled to breathe after releasing that yell. His legs appeared just as rubbery as Sheik's but somehow he found the strength to remain standing.

After what felt like an hour when it was really a minute, Sheik found the courage to speak. "Link, I…"

"Shut up, just shut up," Link interjected heatedly. "Shut up before I pick you up by your neck and throw you into that lava."

The seriousness in Link's tone was enough to tell Sheik that Link's warning was no joke; it was a real threat.

"Forget that something precious which I lost?" Link continued. "Ha! You make such a claim, and yet you've never gone through what I've gone through. Try experience what I've experienced before you preach to me with your idealisms. You expect too much out of me, Sheik. I'm the Hero of Time, not a god. You hear that? I'm not a bloody god!"

It was then that Sheik wished he hadn't gotten into such an impassioned mood. How could he have been so stupid, so abrupt, so…careless? Shouting at Link without warning wouldn't get him to change his attitude; in fact shouting may have just reinforced it, for all he knew. Any chance Sheik may have had of convincing Link to help the Gorons was now more than likely gone.

But something Link said resonated in Sheik's mind: "try going through what I've gone through." There were many ways to answer that question. The answer that first came to him – particularly because he still felt a little big angry – was to tell Link how Sheik _had_ experienced what he had gone through. Sheik had lost someone very important to him, someone whom he cared for dearly, and yet he managed to move on with his life to do what had to be done.

Luckily, however, Sheik knew that giving such a response now would only invoke another argument, and Link was obviously in no mood for such things. Maybe another time…but not now. All Sheik could do now was say one thing…

"I…I'm sorry, Link."

Link looked down at the ground, as if trying to find a good-enough response to such a simple statement. He then answered, "Just…leave me alone."

With that, the Hero of Time started moving again, this time at a snail's pace, towards where the Fire Temple was said to be located.

Sheik shook his head in frustration and sighed deeply. "Oh, by Farore's Wind, what have I done? Did I just do the stupidest thing I possibily could've done? Why did things have to turn out like…wait a minute…"

Sheik quickly stopped talking and moved all of his concentration to his sense of hearing. Did he just hear something in the distance, something he hadn't heard before? It could've been a rock falling into the lava from the other side of the cavern…no, wait, there it was again. It sounded like a soft clicking sound, but Sheik couldn't be sure…wait, there it was again…and again…and again…

Within a matter of seconds, Sheik heard a distant yet unmistakably audible succession of clicking sounds that eventually grew into an indistinguishable cluster of sound, as if many…no, a _great deal_ of small sources of the sound were together in a group. And they were getting louder…

Sheik rapidly looked around, searching for the possible source of the sounds. This didn't sound like something he could just shrug off…there, at the top of the crater! To Sheik's surprise and horror, he saw hundreds upon hundreds of small black shapes hovering just above the gaping mouth of the crater, hovering wildly in a bunch like giant dust particles caught in a spiraling wind. And those shapes were getting larger and more recognizable by the second, which could only mean they were moving in his direction at an alarming rate.

And Sheik didn't need to seem them up close to know what they were.

"Link!"

The Hero of Time, who had by now shuffled a short distance away from the Sheikah, turned his head slightly in Sheik's direction. "I told you to leave me alone, you…"

"Run!"

That was enough to get Link to turn all the way around to face Sheik, but by the time he did Sheik was already breaking into a sprint and just about to pass him.

"Sheik, what's going on…?" Link started as Sheik passed him before the Sheikah interrupted him.

"Keese! Now _run_!"

If Link had tried to talk to Sheik once again, the Sheikah would've been too far away, still running as fast as he could. So the only logical thing Link could do was start running after him. Interestingly, it didn't take much effort for Link to catch up and keep pace with the Sheikah, but Link couldn't be bothered by such a small detail right now. As soon as he was sprinting directly next to Sheik, Link turned his head and repeated his question:

"Sheik, what's going on? What in the name of the Three Goddesses is a Keese?"

"Turn around and see for yourself!"

The look of horror in Sheik's face was almost enough to make Link take the situation seriously. It was when he briefly glanced over his shoulder when he decided to take it seriously.

By now the black specks Sheik had seen hovering at the top of the crater were now close enough that they could easily be identified as some kind of bat-like creature. Link had seen hundreds of bats during his years spent in the Lost Woods, but none of them were this big…or looked this vicious. Because the "Keese" were flapping their wings so rapidly, the only distinguishable feature Link could make out were their bright yellow eyes…but that was all he needed to tell that these bats were after his blood. And that chirping noise they were making – the one he was only noticing now – sounded like a thousand thirsty jaws snapping ferociously at their soon-to-be prey.

Although Link wasn't as frightened by the Keese as Sheik apparently was, he understood why the Sheikah was in such a panic. If even one of these creatures, let alone a bunch of them, managed to sink its teeth into Link or Sheik's flesh, they could easily be overpowered, giving the rest ample time to finish them. Not even the Master Sword could defend against such an attack…

"Wonderful!" Link cried out for no particular reason.

"What was that?" Sheik asked.

"Nothing! Just follow your own advice and run!"

And the two of them did just that: run. It didn't take long before the blood pumping furiously through their ears masked all sounds save for the Keese's erratic clicking and the heavy clapping of their feet against the stone floor. Neither Sheik nor Link dared turn around again to see how close their pursuers were; instead they gauged the distance between them and the Keese via the shadows cast by upon the crater wall the boiling magma. Each time they glanced at the shadows they found the swarm gaining ground, which motivated them to run even faster.

But no matter how much effort they exerted, the hungry jaws of the Keese grew closer and closer…so close that Link was sure he could hear some of the bats snickering at the helplessness of their prey.

_"How much farther!" he screamed out in his mind. _"Where's the bloody entrance to the Fire…"__

Suddenly, Link felt something sharp scratch the back of his neck, trying to hook into his flesh. The Hero of Time didn't need to turn around to know that one of the Keese had managed to get close enough to attack. If that thing managed to grab him, it could easily make him stumble, giving the rest of the bloodsuckers the opportunity to join in. He had to get rid of it, but how…?

Without thinking or looking down, Link reached with his right hand for his belt and felt around for something – _anything_! – that would help him. His hand grabbed something hard and firm, and without checking to see what it was, Link drew it from his belt and whipped it around as hard as he could to where the bat had earlier attacked him…

_QUISH…_

The back of his neck grew warm as something moist sprinkled upon his skin. His curiosity overtaking his sense of urgency, Link reached down with his left hand and touched something damp and sticky. He pulled his hand into view to find a dark red substance clinging to his fingertips. He didn't need anything to tell him that it was blood. His own…? No, it wasn't his. Then was it the Keese's…?

_"What did I just do__?" he wondered before looking down at his right hand._

It was holding the hookshot, and the weapon's arrowhead was soaked in the same blood found on his neck.

_"The tip must've cut that thing when I swung it…all right! That should…"_

He quickly realized this was no time to gloat over killing one Keese. He could already hear more Keese getting closer and closer, ready to do what their brother had just failed to do. He could only imagine how close that cloud of bats was by now. If he didn't do something, both he and Sheik were goners…

"Link!" Sheik's voice abruptly screamed. "I see it! I see it! The entrance to the Fire Temple! It's just up ahead!"

Link looked up ahead and quickly spotted what Sheik was yelling about. While it was still quite a distance away, he could make out an alcove cut into the wall of the crater at the end of the path. In that alcove was what appeared to be a brick layering of some kind, probably the "human entrance" to the Fire Temple down below. And while it was a little faint because of the heat inside the crater, he could barely make out the outlining to what appeared to be a doorway in the wall. Was this the "Goron entrance" with the steep slope Goron Link had told them about…?

"Perfect! Now we just need to get there alive…" he started mumbling when his thoughts were interrupted by a flash of inspiration. He glanced down at his right hand to make sure he wasn't being stupid. He wasn't: their salvation lay in that very hand.

"Sheik!" he screamed to the Sheikah, who appeared as if he were about to collapse from exhaustion. "I have an idea! Grab my left hand!" 

"What…?"

"Just grab it, curse you!"

The Sheikah immediately reached out with his right hand and grabbed Link's left one.

"Good! Now hold on tight! This is going to be rough!"

As he felt Sheik's hand squeeze his own, Link held up his right hand containing the hookshot and squeezed the trigger to activate the target beam. To his surprise, however, the beam was nowhere to be seen. He tried wiggling the hookshot around to stimulate the ruby inside the contraption, but the target didn't appear.

_"Curses!__ All of this red heat is covering the target! Now how am I going to know where to shoot…?"_

The sudden prick of a Keese claw against his neck made him remember how much time he had left.

_"Got no choice, then.__ Got to just fire and hope it hits."_

Feeling a lump grow in his throat, Link hesitantly raised the hookshot to where he felt it should aim. He then made a quick prayer to the Three Goddesses, took a deep breath, and squeezed the trigger all the way down…

_KAPHUUUHT…_

The hookshot's arrowhead burst through the air with a loud bang, dragging the chain that will hopefully save Link and Sheik – not to mention Navi – from the vicious bats that were breathing down his neck. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as he watched the arrow sail through the volcanic winds towards the alcove where the entrance to the Fire Temple lay; he could almost hear himself scream that he could run faster than the arrowhead was moving…

_"Wait a minte…run…? What in the world am I doing? I don't need to do this! I can call up Farore's Wind and…"_

_CLAAAAANG…_

The very instant that the arrowhead sunk into the rocky wall of the crater was the same instant when Link felt the hookshot yank him off the ground and into the air. As his feet left the ground, he instinctively tightened his grip on Sheik's hand; a moment later, he felt the weight of the Sheikah stretch his arm as Sheik left the ground with him.

_"Too late now, I suppose."_

As the clickity-clackity of the retracting chain pounded his eardrums, Link turned around, half-expecting the Keese to still be right behind him despite the recoiling speed of the hookshot. To his relief, the swarm of bats behind them was giving ground and already shrinking away in the distance; the loud hisses he heard indicated the Keese themselves were not too pleased that their prey was getting away.

Link couldn't resist laughing in satisfaction at his pursuers. "Ha ha! Who's faster now, you flying rats? You can't catch us now! You…!"

"Link! Look out!"

Link quickly turned his head back around upon hearing Sheik's voice…and was just in time to watch the cavern wall slam directly into his face with a loud crack.

He blacked out upon impact, but not before his mind thought of one word and one word only:

_"Ow…"_


	46. Dances of Flame

**Chapter 46: Dances of Flame**

"So…the Hero of Time's magic has yet to fully mature?"

"That is correct. The one called Link may have awoken the incredible power within him, but he hasn't yet learned to fully tap into that power. He can only summon merely a fragment of that which he is capable."

"But surely he can learn to tap into that magic in time. All Mage-Bounds will eventually learn how to master it. And Link hasn't been using his powers for that long if you take into consideration his seven-year sleep…"

"But you forget, Old One, that the one called Link is a _Magi-Con with the power of the gods. There is nothing ordinary about this boy, Old One. The power his possesses cannot simply be controlled if he's to gain its full potential. He has to earn it."_

"Earn it? What are you talking about?"

"Every time that Link has used the power within him, he used it only with the intention of tapping into what he already could handle. Not once has he pushed himself farther with his power. Not once has he attempted to intensify the magic that lies within him. The power within him has no desire to be used by one not worthy of it. If he is to tap into the full strength of that power, he must push himself harder and farther than any _Magi-Con has ever gone with untrained magic. He must earn that power's respect and show it that he is worthy of its incredible might."_

"So what you're saying…is that Link must push himself to the breaking point at such an early stage in his magic training?"

"That is correct."

"But that could shatter his soul! Not even someone like Link can withstand such a strain! Even if he is a powerful _Magi-Con_, he is still flesh and blood. There must be another way for him to fully tap into that power…"

"There is no other way that I can foresee, and I fear it will be too late by the time I may foresee such a way. Link must tap into that power soon, or he will not survive the onslaught of the Evil King. Do you not remember the time Link actually tried to stand up to the Evil King with his magic?"

"Sadly…I do. The visions you've showed me weren't exactly encouraging…but still…"

"And do you not recall how such a simple spell from the Evil King quickly thwarted Link's attempt to block it with the spell shield? If Link were to face the Evil King with his strength of magic in such a state, he would not survive…"

"Yes, yes, I know. But…I'm still not comfortable with the idea of pushing him as hard as he can like that. Do we even know if he can survive being pushed that far?"

"Have you seen my recent visions of him?"

"Yes?"

"Then you already know how far he can be pushed."

"Hmmm…I suppose…but there's one key flaw in that idea."

"What's that, Old One?"

"I don't exactly like the end result…"

Link didn't know if it was the heat tickling his nostrils or the tender throbbing on his forehead that woke him up, but the first thing he did when he opened his eyes was reach for the spot where he believed he had collided with the crater wall. He couldn't see anything except a bright red glow before his eyes, indicating he was still somewhere inside the volcano. Maybe if he moved around a little he could…

Wait…something was moving. He could see a faint yet noticeable shadow moving in the redness that clouded his vision. It was moving towards him…

"Who's there?" Link barked out as he struggled to stand up. "Stay back! I'm armed…"

"Relax, Link, it's me."

Even though Link recognized Sheik's voice, it took him a few moments before he relaxed; couldn't be too careful, after all. Fortunately, his eyesight was already returning, and it wasn't long before the faint shadow transformed into the familiar figure of the Sheikah. The Hero of Time tried to say something to him as he got to his feet, but the pain in his head reminded him it was still there.

"Ooooooh…what happened…did we lose those bloody Keese?"

"If we hadn't, we'd probably be dead by now," Sheik sighed. "We're inside the Fire Temple."

"The Fire Temple?" Link repeated, surprisingly not very interested. "How in the world did we get here? All I remember was hitting the wall and blacking out…"

"Either by good luck or your good eye, your hookshot arrow sank into the wall of the Goron entrance to the Fire Temple. When we hit the wall, we fell right into it and ended up here. The ride down was, I admit, quite fun, but I won't be going down there again anytime soon. It's not exactly the smoothest slide I've ever been down."

"Oh, really," Link said sarcastically. "Since I hit my head and lost consciousness, maybe I should go down it again so I could give you _my opinion on it."_

Sheik shook his head. "I don't think the Keese will give you that chance…"

"Speaking of which," Link interrupted as he staggered his way towards the Sheikah, "since I've been formally introduced to those flying rats, mind giving me a little back-story on them? By the way you sounded out there, those things weren't exactly something you see every day. But I'll guess first that they have something to do with Ganondorf, am I right?"

Sheik nodded softly. "Like Moblins, Keese are creatures of Ganondorf's creation, but while they're small, they're arguably more dangerous than Moblins. One Keese can easily overpower an average soldier, and a whole flock of them are just deadly. They're very resistant to extreme temperature…which is probably why Ganondorf chose them to guard this place. When hunting, they not only drink their prey's blood but also devour their flesh. They're relentless and won't stop attacking unless every last one of their prey is killed. Luckily, however, they're also incredibly stupid and will get confused if they can't see their prey. We were lucky that we fell down that tunnel."

"But if they need to see us to attack us, then why did they come after us when they were at the top of the volcano?"

"They're not deaf. They must've heard your loud scream…" Sheik stopped himself when Link gave him a stern glare. "…I mean, _our _loud arguing, and thanks to the fact that craters like to echo…well, I'm sure you know."

Link didn't let up his glare; he glowered at the Sheikah for a moment longer before stating, "Just remember, _you were the one who started that stupid argument, not me. Now let's quit stalling. I've got a dragon to kill."_

Without another word, Link stormed past the silent Sheikah, who tried not to look directly into the Hero of Time's eyes, and down what appeared to be a tunnel laid with large square tiles on the floor. Link didn't pause to look at the corridor; he simply marched his way toward whatever lay on the other side.

Sheik quietly waited for Link to get out of earshot before looking down at his breast pocket.

"Navi…did I do the right thing back up there? Was I right to tell him off like that?"

"At this stage," the fay softly replied, "I honestly don't know.

The Temple of Fire reminded Link a lot of the Forest Temple; not surprising, really, considering they were more than likely built by the same architects. The large room he entered after leaving the corridor was very reminiscent of the lobby where he had fought those two Wolfos: massive in scale, decorative in every available piece of architecture, but empty of anything else. However, the kinds of decorations in this temple were quite different from the ones found in the Forest Temple. Rather than recreate the beauty of vibrant plant life, this temple's ornaments glorified the essence of fire. Most of the walls in the room were carved out of the crater wall itself, but the walls that weren't boasted carvings and etchings that almost seemed to dance like living flames in the heat of the volcano.

It was almost enough to make Link sweat underneath his heat-resistant clothing.

Outside of the ornamental walls and tiles, the only other things of notice in the room were stairs that led to a high platform at the end of the room. In the center of that platform sat three large carvings of faces in the wall. What they were faces of Link couldn't even begin to imagine, but their attraction lay in their mouths, which were gaping wide open with flames flickering wildly like tongues of…well, fire. At each end of the platform was what appeared to be a doorway, both directly facing the other one on each end and both large enough to allow a full-grown Goron through.

Unlike the Forest Temple, there was no sign of a door that bore the sign of the Door of Time, so the two doors on the platform were the only other exits in the room. And one of them led to Volvagia…

"Wonderful," Link muttered as he smiled to himself. "Now, which one is the right one…?"

"Which one is the right what, Link?"

Link didn't even turn around as Sheik crept up from behind him to stand by his side. "See those two doors on that platform?" Link asked rhetorically without pointing them out. "One of them leads to the dragon, the other who knows where. I just need to figure out which one is the right one."

"They both could lead to him, or maybe neither of them could lead to him…"

"No, I'm sure one of those doors leads to him. Call it a gut feeling or a hunch, but if choose the right door I'll wind up on the doorstep of that worm. And I won't even have to worry about the Gorons or anything."

Link's last statement made Sheik tense up. "Link…about the Gorons…"

Link quickly responded with a harsh snap and a scowl. "Don't start that again, Sheik. Despite your little exhibition back in the crater, I'm sticking with what I originally promised. You should be grateful I'm even doing that."

"Yes, but…"

"I don't even know why you're complaining. Once I kill the dragon, there will be plenty of time to save them. Both are problems are solved. I don't know why you can't see the logic in that."

"Evidently your logic needs some fine tuning. What about the chance that someone or something is guarding the Gorons wherever they may be? If they hear you fighting Volvagia, they might kill the Gorons as a precaution. Can you honestly take that chance?"

Link glanced at the Sheik but for a second. "As I've told you gods know how many times," he uttered angrily, "I am _not_ putting myself in harm's way unless circumstances are favorable. Don't make me repeat myself again or else I won't help at all."

"But…but…"

"Enough!" Link declared as he raised his right hand…which was still clutching the hookshot. The Hero of Time quickly noticed and lowered his hand to return the weapon to its place on his belt. "Was that thing still there? Anyway…I've had enough of your whining. I'm going to do my job and awaken the Sage of this stupid temple. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a door to choose."

Link then sharply turned is gaze towards the platform and headed for the set of stairs in order to climb them. Sheik wanted to stop him and try and reason with him, but he knew that he could no longer get through the stubbornness Link had developed over the matter. The only hope Sheik ever had now of saving the Gorons before Link faced Volvagia was that Link chose the correct door. There were only two doors, but Sheik somehow felt the odds were strongly against him.

_"Curse it, Link, why can't you quit being such a…such a…ugh! I can't even think it!"_

Sheik silently clenched his fist in gentle rage as he watched Link climb the noticeably relatively large steps up toward the platform. When the Hero of Time reached the top of the platform, he walked to the center of the stage and stopped for a brief moment before looking at both ends of the platform. He glanced in opposite directions several times before turning around to face the Sheikah.

"Okay, Sheik!" he called out. "I'll have to choose. Any suggestions?"

If Sheik had known where the Gorons were, he would've chosen that one…or the other door if it looked like Link would actually go for the other door just to be spiteful. But since Sheik didn't have that luxury, he could only guess…

"Right," Sheik called back. "I choose the right door."

Link smiled a smile so wide that even Sheik could see it from where he was standing. "Okay, then. Then I'll go for the…"

_CERAAAAAAK…_

Before Link could name his door of choice, a loud crash escaped from the right door of the room. The Hylian and the Sheikah jerked their gazes in that direction and were just in time to watch an enormous shape emerge from the remains of the wooden door that was within the stone doorway. Splinters flew in every direction as the shape staggered into the chamber, emitting loud groans that sounded like he was in pain. The…_thing staggered a few feet forward before collapsing on the floor with a lurid thud. It didn't move at all afterwards._

"What in the name of the Three Goddesses…?" Sheik started before Link interrupted in, unexpectedly, a concerned tone.

"Sheik, get here quickly! It's a Goron! And he appears hurt!"

The Hero of Time then rapidly hurried towards what was apparently a fallen grown Goron. Sheik was stunned by this sudden turn of events, but he quickly snapped out of it and hastened toward the platform and up the stars so he could join the Hero of Time.

By the time the Sheikah had gotten onto the platform, Link was already turning over the Goron, who had apparently fallen onto his stomach. Sheik rushed to Link's side to do whatever he could to help, but Link seemed to have everything under control. The Hero of Time was spreading the Goron's arms and legs out and straightening the creature's face to help it breathe more easily.

As Link tended to the creature, Sheik took the time to study the Goron a little more closely. The Goron looked quite different from most of the other Gorons he had seen in his lifetime. Its weight consisted more of muscle than fat, and its arms were enormous compared to the rest of its body. Its face was surrounded by a bushy mane that seemed dirty and tousled, and it certainly was taller than most Gorons. But that vigor it displayed seemed to be nothing more than a façade; it was panting heavily and could barely open its eyes, which were filled with tears of exhaustion. What's more, there were burn scars all over its body, some of them serious.

Sheik didn't want to even think about what this poor Goron had been through. What he did want to think about, however, was what it was doing here like this…

"Pity Link isn't here," Link said as he abruptly stood up.

"Link?" Sheik asked in puzzlement. "But you're right…"

"No, no, not me, the Goron. Goron Link. It's a shame he's not here, because we just found his dad."

Sheik's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait a minute…you mean that…?"

"Yep. Sheik, meet Darunia, the leader of the Gorons."

"Something else causing Link's madness as well? I don't understand."

"It's simple, Old One…and yet, perhaps it really isn't simple. Nothing is simple when it comes to this boy. The complex emotions that reside within him are fighting each other at this very moment, and he cannot control them as well as he needs to. In the same way, the conditions that have caused Link to evolve into how he is now are many. It is a combination of many things that have led to his current behavior."

"Combination of many things? Such as?"

"Destiny, for one. The path he walks as the Hero of Time leads him down what he must face lest he fail in saving Hyrule. But circumstance has played just as big a part in Link's transformation; events not even fate could foresee have molded this young man into who he is. Then there is Link himself and the war of thoughts and emotions being waged within him; to experience what he has experienced while attempting to make sense of it all is not an easy thing to do."

"But specifics. Can you please give me specifics?"

"There are too many for me to name at once, Old One."

"Then just give me a few. Or even one. Give me one thing that has contributed to Link's madness…other than the trauma of learning that he is not a Kokiri."

"Only one? There are so many to choose from…and yet there is one factor that stands out from the others…in fact, it's something I need to speak to the young Link about it so he may control it."

"So what is it? Please don't tease me."

"But you already know what it is, Old One. Remember when Link first came to this mountain? Remember when he fought the creatures known as the Lizalfos and grew passionate for killing? Remember that was when his powers were first beginning to develop, to awaken…in fact he first tapped into that power when he fought the King Dodongo?"

"Yes, but…"

"Remember when he again went mad with rage when he was inside the belly of Lord Jabu-Jabu, when he fought the parasite known as the Barinade? I believe he killed it again using the power within him. Remember when he visited the farm of the young girl Malon, when he snapped and nearly killed the man Ingo? Remember how there were burn marks left all over his face…?"

"I'm sorry, _Faria__ Garuia, but now you're almost speaking in riddles. Please, just tell me what exactly you're talking about."_

"Forgive me, Old One. The factor I'm talking about…is Link's power itself."

"But…what's Darunia doing here?" the Sheikah asked more to himself than to Link as he knelt beside the Goron to get a better look at Darunia. "How did he get here? Wasn't he captured with the other Gorons?"

Link's first reply to Sheik's question about the unconscious Goron leader was a scratch to his head as he searched for a proper answer. He still hadn't found one when he decided to speak. "I really don't know. But he obviously didn't escape unscathed. These burn marks look fresh. Something tried to stop him, I'll bet."

"Something tried to stop him?" Sheik repeated as he continued to examine the body of the Goron leader, which was stretched out comfortably as Darunia breathed slowly yet heavily. "Then he's lucky to be alive. A normal person…er, Goron probably wouldn't be able to take these kinds of burns. They're very deep." He then looked up at Link, who was staring quietly at the Goron's sleeping face. "Say…if Darunia's here, do you suppose…the other Gorons are somewhere close by?"

Link jerked his head in Sheik's direction, his eyes abruptly going from concerned back to the indifferent look he had before. "Sorry, Sheik, but Darunia here just made my decision a little easier." The Hero of Time then pointed to the door that Darunia had moments ago crashed through. "Since he came from this door, then that's a very good sign that Volvagia lies on the other side of the other door."

Sheik hesitated before he uttered regretfully, "I…I guess so."

Link then looked up and faced the door on the other side of the room, his lips widening into a pleased smirk. He then drew the Master Sword from its sheath, saved it around in the air for a bit to get used to the heat, and said, "Right, then. Wish me luck, Sheik. Here I go."

Sheik's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait a minute…you…you're just going to _abandon_ Darunia here …just so you can go kill the dragon?"

"Of course not, you idiot," Link snapped, all traces of worry in his voice completely gone. "You're going to stay with him. I may not be going out of my way to save the Gorons, but I'm not going to abandon those we've saved. Do you think I'm heartless or something?"

Sheik slowly lowered his head. He knew what he wanted to say, and he didn't want to look in Link's eyes when he said it. "Yes…yes, I do."

The Sheikah then waited for a response, expecting either a cry of anger or a bitter silence from the Hylian. But he never expected what Link did give him: the cold touch of the Master Sword's steel edge against the side of his neck. The blade wasn't pressed hard against his skin, but Sheik dared not look up or even move. Actually, he couldn't move even if he wanted to; he was in shock that Link was doing something like this…

"Look at me, Sheik," commanded Link.

Sheik halfheartedly obeyed the Hero of Time's order. The look he saw in Link's eyes was so remote and distant that he resembled nothing of the Kokiri he first met. Nothing…

"So you think I'm heartless?" Link asked calmly.

"Yes," Sheik replied, not wanting to lie to his face…or knowing if he even could lie to his face.

Link tilted his head to the side. "Then you're going to have to get used to it. This is how I do things. If you don't like it, then just stay out of my way. Do you understand?"

Sheik struggled to stop himself from shedding a tear as he muttered, "I…I understand, Link."

Link nodded slowly. "Good. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

Suddenly, something wrapped itself around Link's arm and yanked it away from Sheik's neck, taking the Master Sword with it. Sheik, just as surprised as Link, turned to see what had grabbed Link's arm. To his complete astonishment, it was Darunia! The Goron was awake, and he appeared to possess strength he didn't have when he had crashed through the door. His enormous hand was wrapped around Link's arm and pulling the Hero of Time close to his face.

The gaze in Darunia's eyes was so piercing that Sheik understood why Link wasn't saying anything…

"You…" Darunia abruptly uttered in a surprisingly powerful tone. "That man…he called you Link…did he not?"

The stunned Link could only nod in response.

A faint smile appeared on the Goron's mouth. "Then…then you're my long lost Sworn Brother.  You're the one…who saved my people. You've come back to me…thank the gods."

Link, still staggered by Darunia's abrupt awakening, managed to sputter, "Dar…Darunia…it's so…so…nice to see you…again…"

"Link…" Darunia interrupted. "I…I was being followed."

Link quickly found the strength to speak properly. "Followed? By whom?"

"By creatures…of fire. They weren't very far…behind me…please be careful…"

"Right behind you…? Wait right here."

Link jerked his arm backwards to release it from the grip of Darunia's massive hand, but the Goron loosed his hold for him. Link staggered backwards slightly because of it, but he quickly regained his balance and ran as fast as he could towards the shattered door, his boots cracking splinters beneath his feet. He then peered through the broken portal as Sheik watched silently by the Goron's side.

What Link saw made his eyes grow as big as his fists. He instantly turned around and dashed back towards Sheik and Darunia.

"Woah," he uttered almost eccentrically. "Incredible timing."

"What?" Sheik asked.

"Oh, you'll see…" Link answered teasingly before screaming out, "Incoming!"

Before Sheik could say anything more, a bright red and blue glow caught his eye. He turned his attention to the broken door and was just in time to see several glowing entities break their way through the doorway.

"By Din's Fire!" Sheik cried as he stood up hastily.

"Here they come!" Link cried nearly ecstatically as he pulled out his shield.

The first thing – or things, rather – to enter through the door, and thus the first things Sheik and Link could clearly make out were the creatures that were engulfed in the blue radiance of the glow. They were surprisingly small, about the size of Keese, but they were no less intimidating; in fact, they were more so. Why? They were skulls. Bleached, human-like flying skulls coated in blue flames with two, deep black bat wings on the top of their heads and a pair of deep red yet soulless eyes. There were five of them altogether, but their snapping jaws of rotting teeth indicated they were just as deadly alone as well as in a group.

But it was the owner of the bright red glow behind them that appeared the real threat. Just like the skulls, the monster was clothed in fire, this one burning a demonic red, but it was a lot bigger, almost Sheik's height. The beast's body was human in shape – arms, legs, head, all the necessary parts – but that was where the similarities ended. Every part of the creature's body save for its very center was made…not cloaked, _made – of flames. It had no face, no hands, not feet…just the necessary appendages to help it to move…no, wait. It wasn't moving. It was…__dancing. As he entered the chamber through the shattered door behind the flaming skulls, it moved as if it were in a ballet, its arms and legs carrying it to where it needs to kill._

"This looks like fun," Link smiled as the creatures emptied into the room and seemed to regroup by the door. "Navi, do you know anything about these things…? Navi…?"

"Link," Sheik quickly interjected, grabbing Link's attention but not his gaze, which was still fixed on the newly arrived creatures. "Those skulls…they're called Fire Bubbles. Don't let them bite you; their sting is said to be like fire burning directly into your flesh."

"Terrific," Link uttered. "And that big dancing thing? Any fancy name for that?"

"I…I don't know. I've never seen that beast before…"

"Never mind. I think it's about time I named something around here. I'll just call him…a Flare…Dancer. A Flare Dancer! How does that sound…? Actually, no…that sounds a little cheesy…"

"Link! Look out!"

Sheik's warning came just in time for Link to get out of his thoughts and back to reality, where he managed to avoid an abrupt attack by one of the skulls known as Fire Bubbles. The Fire Bubble soared past his left ear with a deafening snap of its jaw, its blue flame nearly singeing Link's cheek. The Hero of Time readied for another attack, but the beast arched around in the air back to its group of friends, where the rest of the Fire Bubbles and Link's so-called Flare Dancer were waiting patiently.

"Whew. Close one," Link uttered jokingly before he suddenly grew serious. "Sheik…how strong are you?"

"What kind of question is that?" the Sheikah asked.

"Can you carry Darunia?" Link spelled out slowly and frustratingly.

"Darunia…? No, but I think I can drag him…"

"Then get him as far away from here as you can. I'll distract these things until you can come help me."

"But that's insane! You can't fend off that many Fire Bubbles by yourself…"

"Hey! I've killed two Lizalfos, two Wolfos, and Keese by myself! I'm sure I can handle a bunch of floating skulls!"

"But…"

"Just get Darunia out of here! The more you argue, the less time you have to help me in case I _do_ need you! So just shut up and do it!"

Realizing he didn't have any say in the matter, Sheik nodded reluctantly and bolted towards the down Goron, who was struggling to sit up. But just as the Sheikah reached Darunia, Link added one final note.

"Oh, and one more thing, Sheik. I'd like my fairy back when this is over."

Sheik didn't have any kind of response for that statement. He simply hesitated for a brief second before slipping his shoulder underneath Darunia's right arm. The Goron, who was pain enough that he couldn't speak anymore, merely groaned as Sheik helped him to his feet. The two of them then started shuffling their way towards the other end of the room, towards the unbroken door.

Meanwhile, taking Sheik's silence as the Sheikah's reply, Link returned his interest towards the five Fire Bubbles and the Flare Dancer. The flying skulls were circling the fire man like gnats, and the dancer simply stared at the Hero of Time with its empty gaze. They were ready to strike; so was Link.

Twirling the Master Sword around his hand a couple of times – a move he had practiced on his return from the Lost Forest – Link stared down his enemy invitingly. _"The Flare Dancer seems to be the one that controls the Fire Bubbles," he thought as he readied himself for an attack. _"If I can kill that thing first, then the Fire Bubbles shouldn't be too much trouble; the best they can do is bite, apparently. I just wish I knew what kind of attack this stupid dancer does…."__

Link then gave a quick glance behind him at the retreating Goron. A faint smile formed on his mouth. "Make sure he's safe, Sheik," he whispered softly before turning back to his opponents and roaring, "I'm ready! Come and get me!"

The Flame Dancer answered Link's challenge by holding out his flame-licked arm and all five Fire Bubbles instantly charged, their jaws snapping almost as viciously as the Keese's.

_"Here we go."_

At first Link thought the Fire Bubbles were all going to rush him at once, but as he raised his shield to defend from such an attack the creatures abruptly changed their direction, each one heading off on a different course. Link quickly recognized the pattern: they were trying to surround him on all sides, leaving him more open. But he knew exactly how to cause this tactic to backfire; all he had to do was betray their expectations…

It didn't take long for him to be enclosed by the circling Fire Bubbles. Two were encircling him one direction, two in the other, and one was flying overhead. It was exactly what Link expected. Now he all he needed was for one to attack him from any direction. It didn't matter which one; they all looked stupid enough to fall for his trap. He just hoped the Flare Dancer was just as stupid…

There! One of the encircling ones suddenly left its enclosing path and made a lunge for Link's left arm from behind. Link could already see two other Fire Bubbles make motions to join their brother, but his concentration was on the first one. The Hero of Time shifted to the side just in time to slide away from the Fire Bubble's gnashing jaw. As soon as the creature has passed him, Link raised his sword into the air and brought it back down in a descending arch to the left. Upon entering the rise in the arc, the Master Sword found its target: the retreating Fire Bubble.

It was surprisingly fragile for a flying skull, shattering into several hundred fragments Link's mighty blade sliced through its fire-coated bone with a sickening clack. There was a brief scream of pain before it disappeared into the heated temple air, the blue fire vanishing with a soft plop. The fragments of the skull itself seemed to evaporate themselves before they struck the floor.

But Link had no time to celebrate this victory. He knew the Flare Dancer must've sacrificed one Fire Bubble so two could find their target; he wasn't going to let them accomplish that. He looked up and saw from where the next two were coming. They were attempting a two-front attack on either side of him.

A quick thrust of his feet pushed the Hylian backwards and out of the Fire Bubbles' paths. The Fire Bubbles, surprised by the Hero of Time's immediate response to their attack, tried to change directions, the left one attempting to rush Link while the right retreating the other way. But Link saw his opportunity. Slowing the momentum of the Master Sword's upward arc, he then used both his strength and gravity to swing the blade in another descending arch. The lower end of the blade collided with the skull and crushed it into ashes with a single powerful blow.

Two down, three to go.

With one of the remaining Fire Bubbles retreating, Link quickly glanced up; the one circling his head remained where it was. He sighed with relief, but he nearly gasped when he looked behind him: the third Fire Bubble was advancing near Link's left…and it was too close for Link to move out of the way or to use his sword. He had to do something quickly…

In a flash of inspiration, Link used his dainty footwork to spin him around to face the incoming Fire Bubble. Quick as a bolt of lightning, he then raised his shield…and leveled it parallel with his arm. Then, with a carefully timed drive, Link thrust the lower pointy end of the shield directly at the Fire Bubble. To his complete relief, the shield found exactly where Link was aiming for: the creature's snapping mouth. The shield plunged down the Fire Bubble's non-existing throat, like a wedge driven into a crack, but the beast didn't shatter like the first two.

Link decided to correct that.

Using the same momentum used to propel the shield into the Fire Bubble in the first place, Link aimed the shield downward and aimed the point into a crack in the brick-laid floor. As the shield sank into the floor, the fragile Fire Bubble shattered on the ground. The creature didn't even have a chance to scream as it collapsed into tiny fragments that scattered across the floor.

Three down, two to go.

Feeling pleased with himself, Link tried to pull his shield out of the ground…but to his surprise and horror the shield was wedged too tightly into the crack, too tightly for a few quick tugs to yank it free. Link quickly decided to abandon the shield and erected his posture, readying for attacks by the remaining Fire Bubbles. The one that had retreated was coming around for a second attack, and the one hovering above him looked poised to strike in case the other one failed.

And the one charging looked prepared to dodge any sword attack Link might attempt. And Link without his shield to protect him. He had to think fast…

…and he did. If he couldn't use his sword against the advancing Fire Bubble, maybe he could use it against the other one. But this would require perfect timing to work…yet he had no choice; Sheik was probably on the other side of the room by now. This was his only chance. Hopefully the Three Goddesses were smiling upon him right now…

Looking up only to aim, Link gripped the Master Sword with both hands…and threw it spinning into the air. The whirling blade seemed to whistle lightheartedly as it sailed through the warm air, straight for the target Link was aiming for…

_CRACK…_

Yes! It hit! The Master Sword had struck the hovering Fire Bubble, shattering it upon impact! Now there was only one Fire Bubble left to take care of, and although he didn't have his sword he knew exactly what to do with it.

Quick as a wink, Link used his strength to leap back as the remaining Fire Bubble closed in. As he flew through the air backwards, he reached for the hookshot on his belt and yanked it out with his right hand. Everything seemed to move in slow motion after that. His sweat-dripped locks floated in front of his eyes as he attempted to aim the hookshot's laser ruby at the Fire Bubble, but just like outside the Fire Temple the red heat of the volcano blurred the red target point. He would have to shoot blindly…again…

_"Please hit it!" Link cried out in his mind as he squeezed the hookshot's trigger. With a loud bang, the hookshot's arrowhead glided through the air to save his life once again from a flying menace. The power behind the firing of the hookshot would undoubtedly be enough to shatter the brittle Fire Bubble, as long as it hit…_

But it didn't.

_"What the…no! No! No! This can't be!"_

But it was. The hookshot missed the advancing Fire Bubble, not even coming close to grazing the skull's bleached cheek bone. The Fire Bubble, unfazed by Link's attack, continued its assault, its gnashing jaws ready to bite into Link's flesh. Link was still flying through the air as this happened, the look on his face changing from hopeful to horrified. He couldn't believe he had missed. He couldn't believe…

_CLAAAAAANG…_

That sound…it was the hookshot's head digging into the stone of the Fire Temple's wall. Any second now the chain will grow taut and the spring will reel him in. But the Fire Bubble was too close for him to avoid being bitten…unless…

Using all the strength he could find in his right arm, Link jerked the hookshot to the right as fast as he could, dragging the chain with it. As his wide eyes watched, the Fire Bubble moved in, its jaws ready to take the bite…before a loud crack echoed throughout the chamber as the chain of the hookshot flew through the air and collided with the flimsy Fire Bubble, splintering it into ashes. Link thought he could feel the flame of the Fire Bubble kiss his cheek before it dissipated into the air, leaving only a smell that melted with the heat.

His face quickly regained the look of satisfaction as the Hero of Time let go of the hookshot, deciding to let the hookshot fly on its own rather than drag his face into the wall again. As the hookshot disappeared from his hands, Link landed on his backside with a gentle thud, his mind seeing things in real time once more. He skidded a little ways backwards before coming to a stop, his heart racing and his skin covered his sweat.

"Link!" came Sheik's voice behind him. "Are you all right?"

"I'm just fine!" Link called back before remembering something. "Say…where's my sword…?"

_CAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNGGGGGG…_

As if in answer, the Master Sword finished its flight with its blade, like Link's shield, sinking into in a crack in the floor…directly between Link's barely open legs. Link's face understandably went pale.

"Link!" Sheik cried behind him; the accompanying footsteps indicated the Sheikah was running for the Hero of Time. "Link! Are you okay?"

"I told you…I'm just fine," Link barked mutedly, trying to hide his brief scare as he reached for the hilt of the Master Sword and used it to help him stand. As he made it to his feet, he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Is…Darunia safe?" he asked the Sheikah behind him as he pulled his blade from the ground with a quick tug.

"Safer than we are, at least," Sheik answered. "But…that was incredible. You killed five Fire Bubbles by yourself…without a burn mark on you, either."

Inside Link wanted to beam because of his accomplishment, but instead he shrugged. "They were pushovers. I've got a feeling the real challenge is going to be this Flare Dancer right here." He then pointed to the aforementioned creature, which hadn't moved or even reacted after Link had destroyed its swarm of Fire Bubbles. "Since you're here, you can help me with this thing. You have any weapons?"

"Of course," Sheik replied meekly before producing from under his sleeves a pair of large, curved daggers with a couple fast flips with his wrists. The Sheikah definitely seemed capable of taking care of himself.

"Good," Link replied satisfyingly before he started to whisper. "Now…take a good look at the Flare Dancer. See the center of his body?"

Sheik obliged and turned to face the Flare Dancer. He saw what Link was talking about immediately. "Yes," he whispered back. "It's black…and round…and not surrounded by any flames."

"I'm sure that's the creature's weak spot. If one of us can just hit that thing, we might kill it…or at least immobilize it. Any ideas?"

"I wish I did…but I've never seen the creature before, so I have no idea what it's capable of."

"Okay, then, _I'll_ come up with the plan. You distract it, and I'll sneak around it and see what I can do from there. How about that?"

"Sounds good to me. Just be careful. That thing doesn't look like it has ordinary eyes…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll be fine. Just do what you need to do."

"Okay." Sheik tightened the grip on his blades, their bowed blades glistening in the flames of some nearby fires. "Let's do this."

Taking a deep breath, Sheik took a few steps forward while Link readied the Master Sword for any possible offensive the Flare Dancer might pull – he wished he still had his shield. The Flare Dancer, noticing Sheik's motion to the fore, walked a few steps forward as well…actually, it seemed more to dance its way forward that walk, living up to the name Link had given it.

Sheik and the Flare Dancer stopped with a short distance between each other; the gap was large enough for the length of the Master Sword to barely squeeze through, if even that. Sheik then readied himself against his opponent, raising his daggers into a defensive position near his face. The Flare Dancer did nothing except stare at the Sheikah with its vacant gaze on its nonexistent face.

The pair glared at each other in silence for a minute longer before Sheik made the first move. But the Sheikah didn't attack; rather he shuffled. His feet started shuffling their way across the ground forward and to the right, almost in a circular direction; his daggers remained in their defensive positions. The Flare Dancer reacted to this movement by dancing slowly in the opposite direction, maintaining the same distance between itself and Sheik.

It didn't take long for Link to realize what Sheik was doing: forcing the Flare Dancer into a position for the Hero of Time to attack. If Sheik could compel the creature around, all Link would have to do is charge and swing his blade and that would be the end of it. He tried to keep calm as he watched the two adversaries encircle each other, waiting for just the right moment to strike. Maybe when the two had completely changed places…? No, the Flare Dancer would expect an attack from behind while being distracted at the front. Link needed to attack sometime before that. But when…?

By now, Sheik and the Flare Dancer had moved one fourth of a circle around each other, with Sheik on Link's left and the Flare Dancer on his right. They were still concentrating solely on each other while preserving the same distance between them, but the thickness in the air that couldn't be attributed to the volcanic heat indicated that both of them were ready to attack at the first opportunity moment…

_"Looks like the Flare Dancer's completely focused on Sheik," Link thought. _"If he'll just come around a little more…a little more…what the…?"__

All of a sudden, Sheik stopped shuffling; the Flare Dancer halted its movements as well. The Sheikah then lowered his posture slightly and knitted his eyes, indicating he was readying for an attack. The Flare Dancer, meanwhile, stood tall and erect in its body of flame without another motion.

Link couldn't believe his eyes. What was Sheik doing? Was he really going to attack the Flare Dancer…when all he was supposed to do was _distract it? Was Sheik out of his mind…?_

Just then, Link noticed something. Without looking away from the Flare Dancer, Sheik had lifted his right forefinger and was shaking it. A signal of some kind? But a signal for what…wait a minute…could this be part of the distraction? Link wasn't sure, but he readied himself just in case…

Suddenly, Sheik screamed as loud as he could and launched himself forward, his blades swinging wildly for the Flare Dancer. No wait, he wasn't heading straight for the creature…he was heading a little to the monster's right, giving the creature a little leeway to avoid the attack…by moving to the left…and straight towards…Link…

_"A ha!"_

Link recognized Sheik's spur of the moment plan and awaited the desired result. Just as he had figured, Sheik swung his blades to the creature's right, attempting to cut its allegedly vulnerable black abdomen from the side. The Flare Dancer reacted immediately by leaping in a ballet-like leap to the left, right where Link wanted him. The beast was obviously too alert on Sheik, so it wouldn't notice if Link attacked it from the other side once it landed…

No, he couldn't take that chance. He had to attack before it landed on the ground. With no battle cry or even a deep breath, Link threw himself forward in the direction of the Flare Dancer, raising the Master Sword and then bringing it down with all of his might, aiming for what he hoped was the creature's weak spot…

But to his complete surprise, the Flare Dancer dodged his swing while still in the air. Using agility Link didn't know the creature possessed, the monster curved its back rearward, moving its targeted black stomach out of Link's sword arc and thus out of harm's way. The Master Sword instead passed through the Flare Dancer's fiery appendages, which predictably didn't seem to hurt the creature in any way.

Both surprised and angry that the distraction had failed, Link struggled to move his legs out of the leaping dancer's path, just barely avoiding touching its flickering flames. He landed on the ground gently, but his temper was anything but gentle. Without thinking, he took the Master Sword and swung it around to the left, hoping to hit the creature's weak spot just as it also touched the ground.

But the speed of his blade wasn't fast enough to match the speed of the Flare Dancer. It just barely touched the Fire Temple's floor before it seemed to use hardly any strength to leap to the side, settling down near the temple wall. It flame-kissed face seemed to snicker as it stopped, but Link was not amused.

"Sheik! Get that thing!"

Sheik was already in the process of charging the creature, his blades ready to both cut down and pierce its black core, but the Flare Dancer saw the attack and reacted by jumping into the air moments before the Sheikah took a swipe at it. The creature vaulted over Link's head, landing on the Hylian's right. Link took the opportunity to attempt a diagonal downward slash, but the opportunity was wasted as the Flare Dancer dashed with seemingly little effort to the side. It sprinted for a short distance before turning back around, heading straight for the Hero of Time.

"You little bastard!" Link roared as he raised his sword for another swing. "Come back here!"

Link got his wish as the Flare Dancer raced passed him, giving Link no time to make an attempted strike. The Hero of Time, his once pale face now filled with heated blood, turned around and screamed, "I said come back here, curse you!"

Link once again got his wish – the Flare Dancer sped all the way to the wall before turning around once again – but this time he had a little trick up his sleeve that Link hadn't anticipated. Link was able to make an attempt at hitting the beast with a side-swipe of his sword, but the Flare Dancer avoided it by leaping over it. As it did, however, one of its fiery arms extended out like a whip and lashed out with blazing fervor. The tip of the flame whip struck the top of Link's right hand, sending a sharp sting down his arm and across his chest.

"Eeeeeeaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgh!" Link screamed in agony, not only falling to the ground but also dropping the Master Sword. His left hand clutched his right, trying to subdue the pain if at all possible, and his breathing grew rapid as it tried to time his breaths with the throbbing of the resulting burn mark.

"Link!" cried Sheik as he rushed to Link's side. "Link! Are you…?"

"Idiot!" Link bellowed to his comrade. "Concentrate on the Flare Dancer…!"

Before Link could finish his sentence, the Flare Dancer returned. The beast darted past Link and Sheik like a fiery arrow, but not before it used its whip-like arm again.  With three quick flips of its arm, the Flare Dancer flogged not only the top of Link's left knee but also the shin of Sheik's right leg and his upper left arm.

The consequential pain was so unexpected that Sheik didn't even know he had dropped his knives and he was clutching the burnt locales in pain until a second after. The Sheikah didn't scream like Link had, but he did start quivering all over body as he struggled to subdue the throbbing.

"Arrrrrrgh!" Link screamed more out of frustration than pain. "You idiot! Why did you take your eyes off it? Why…?"

"Link…lo…lo…look…!" Sheik stuttered through his trembling as he pointed to the other side of the room.

Link did look, and what he saw was something he hadn't expected. The Flare Dancer…had stopped moving. It was standing a distance away from the fallen pair, staring at them with its blank face, almost as if it were waiting for them to move again. Almost as if…it were mocking them…

Link, of course, didn't like to be mocked. "You…little…when I get…my hands…on you…"

That was when Link heard the Flare Dancer laugh. It was a maniacal laugh, a laugh Link expected from someone like Ganondorf, except this one had no personality or substance. It was the perfect laugh for the faceless Flare Dancer, which seemed to sway side to side as it released its hollow cackle.

"Wha…what's it doing?" Sheik asked.

"I don't know…" Link started before he received his answer.

The Flare Dancer spread it arms out to the sides and spread out its legs into a triangular shape. It then paused for a moment before abruptly sending itself into a wild spin upon its right leg, its left leg tucked underneath its black core and its arms keeping it balanced. As Link and Sheik watched, the flames surrounding the core started to grow in intensity; the creature's fiery appendages were increasing in size and flaming viciousness. That could only mean one thing…

"By the Three Goddesses…" Sheik uttered in shock. "That thing is preparing to kill us!"

"Over my dead body!" Link snarled as he struggled to pick up his sword through the burning pain on his hand. "I won't be killed by a bloody…_thing that dances! I won't!"_

But he quickly realized he couldn't even hold his sword properly; the stinging on his hand and knee was affecting his muscles too much for him to lift it. He tried biting his lower lip to suppress the pain, but it was too much.

"Curse it…I will…not…be defeated…like this…" he muttered as he strained to stand up, but he could see the Flare Dancer was already prepared to make its finishing move. Its whip-like arms were waving dangerously in the volcanic heat, ready to strike down a burning blow on the creature's opponents. As if anticipating its upcoming victory, the Flare Dancer released its evil laugh once more…

Then stopped.

And started screaming instead.

"What…the…?" Sheik uttered in disbelief. "What's going on…?"

"By Farore's Wind…Darunia!"

Just as Link had pointed out, it was Darunia. The Goron leader, who had been lying down somewhere at the other end of the room, had managed to sneak up behind the Flare Dancer and was now holding it in his powerful hands by the creature's core! The beast itself wasn't too happy; it screamed and shrieked in fury as it started lashing out at its captor with its arms, beating Darunia's arms as hard and as quickly as it could. Darunia, who didn't look too healthy before grabbing the Flare Dancer, winced with every strike laid upon him but somehow still found the strength to continue holding on.

"Darunia!" Link called out. "What are you doing? Get out of there!"

"Brother!" Darunia cried back, his voice laboring to even sound coherent. "I…I've got him…but I can't hold on…much longer! Finish him…before I let go!"

Link couldn't argue with that idea…but Darunia was so far away, and Link could barely stand up. Maybe if he threw his sword…no, the risk of accidentally piercing Darunia was too great. Even firing an arrow was too risky. Maybe if he had his hookshot, but that was stuck on a wall somewhere behind him. There was only one thing he could do…

Run. And hope he'd be in time.

"I'm coming…!" Link exclaimed as he forced his legs to take a few steps forward. "Just hold on!"

"Please hurry, brother! Please hurry!"

Hearing those words made Link force himself to move faster, but his speed was too slow. The burn mark on his knee pulsated with each step he took, and the mark on his hand made holding the Master Sword feel like carrying the weight of the world. Yet Link bore the pain, his teeth gritting down on each other in an attempt to muffle the stinging. He would not allow his Sworn Brother to die like this…not now, not ever.

But with each motion forward he made, Link was forced to listen to another grunt of pain from the Goron as he struggled to keep the vibrant Flare Dancer in his grasp. Each touch of the monster's arms seemed to nearly send the mighty Darunia to his knees, only he would withstand the pain to contain his captive for a moment longer. But Link knew that it wouldn't be long before the Flare Dancer would break free, or even worse…and Link would not reach him in time…

_TUNNNNNN…_

Suddenly, Link's right foot was caught in one of the floor's bigger cracks, and his delicate balance was thrown off; the sound of his boot getting trapped in the crack rang through his mind like a scream of death. As he collapsed to the floor, he somehow managed to look up and watch as the Flare Dancer struck the Goron yet again with its flaming arms. That was when Darunia released an earsplitting shriek of unimaginable torture.

Link couldn't help but scream out himself.

"Noooooooo…Darunia…."

"Link! Heads up!"

It was Sheik…

Link quickly glanced back, almost losing his hat in the process, and was just in time to see the Sheikah…he couldn't believe what he was seeing…the Sheikah was _running up the wall at the far side of the room! Whether it was by some magic or brute strength – with a burnt leg, on top of it – Sheik managed to race up the wall a little past the top of the shattered door before he crouched…and pushed himself into the air. He spread his body out like a mighty eagle's, and as he reached the pinnacle of his flying arc he extended both of his arms out in front of his face._

Link instantly recognized what he was holding in his hands.

"Sheik…!" Link started before the Sheikah interrupted him.

"Link! Get ready!"

Sheik didn't need to specify what he needed to get ready for; he already knew what his comrade was planning. Without another moment of wasting time, Link started getting ready. He rushed to his hands and knees and once again used the Master Sword to help him to stand. As he did, Sheik aimed and fired Link's hookshot.

Even though he had seen it fly so many times, Link had never seen the hookshot's arrowhead fly this painfully slow before. It passed over his head like a lazy insect, dragging its rickety chain behind it. Link watched every second of its seemingly sluggish flight, giving a quick prayer to the Three Goddesses that it would find its target…

_SCLIIIIIISH…_

Sheik's aim with the hookshot was obviously better than Link's earlier; the arrowhead drilled into the black core of the Flare Dancer with a loud crunch, causing the beast now to struggle not only to escape but in pain. The moment the arrow sunk into the creature, Sheik didn't wait for the chain to grow taut. While still in the air, the Sheikah pulled the hookshot with all of his might, yanking the Flare Dancer's core directly out of Darunia's hands.

Luckily the Goron didn't hold onto the core as tightly as he had before.

As the round black core was wrenched out of the Goron's hands, something else amazing happened: it didn't drag its flaming appendages with it! The beast's fiery body remained with Darunia, shedding itself from the core as if they were loose articles of clothes. But what did remain with the core was a loud shriek of anguish and anger, a cry slightly muffled by the hookshot's clanging chain beginning to be drawn back to the firing mechanism via the powerful spring.

Link saw the core being pulled towards Sheik above him, and he knew this could be his only chance. If he didn't do it now, the core might grow a new body and finish what it had started. He was not going to allow that.

Even though he wasn't standing up completely, he managed to find vigor in his leg muscles to launch himself into the air, directly in the path of the receding chain. He then raised the Master Sword with what strength he had left in his arms, aimed as carefully as he could, and swung…

_SHIIIIIING…_

As the blade of the Master Sword carved through the surprisingly soft core of the Flare Dancer, the core fell off the hookshot's arrow and began its descent to the ground. In two separate pieces. The silence that followed the metallic singing of the blade almost seemed to freeze Time itself as Link felt a rush of emotions flow through him. He could feel satisfaction; the Flare Dancer was finally dead. He could feel fatigue; the burn scars on his body had drained a lot of his strength. But above all, he could feel contentment in that he had saved the life of his Sworn Brother.

He had saved the life of Darunia.

A smile forming on his lips, Link didn't think much of his clumsy landing from his leap into the air. Instead he simply rolled himself onto his back so he could stare blankly at the high ceiling above him. He chuckled to himself when he heard a soft thud behind him, realizing it was Sheik also landing awkwardly from his incredible acrobatic stunt. He didn't know where the pieces of the destroyed Flame Dancer's core were, but he didn't care. He had done something he had to remind himself of again.

He had saved the life of Darunia.

"See, Old One? All hope is not lost. He can be saved."


	47. Playing with Fire

**Chapter 47: Playing with Fire**

"Are you guys…okay?"

An almost exhausted Link's weak cry was only answered by one of the two people he was expecting. Sheik first groaned as he raised himself onto the ball of his hands before reaching for the small of his back. He then groaned again.

"I'm okay," the Sheikah replied. "My back's a little out of place, but nothing I can't fix with a good stretch."

"How about you, Darunia?" Link called as he struggled to his feet, the burn marks not throbbing as badly as before. "Are you all right? Darunia…? Darunia…!"

"Don't worry, brother, I'm all right," quietly exclaimed the Goron in an unexpectedly soft tone. "I just feel…a little drained."

Link turned to face the other end of the room and saw the Goron sitting up, although his back was slouched forward and his face was panting heavily. Link couldn't see Darunia's hands or arms, but he didn't need to see them to know they were covered in burn marks. The Goron, while sounding assuring in his response, didn't look very cheerful sitting there; how could Link blame him, after what he had just been through?

Darunia had saved Link and Sheik's lives, for crying out loud…

"That's good to hear," Link uttered as he stood as securely as he could, his legs still feeling a little rubbery. "I thought you'd nearly killed yourself…by grabbing that thing. Thanks for saving us, Darunia."

"No thanks are necessary," Darunia replied with a deep breath as the Goron also struggled to stand up. "I couldn't just sit back and let a good friend die at the hands of one of those foul creatures."

"Excellent," Link smiled as he hobbled his way in the direction of the Goron. "Then that leaves only one person unaccounted for. Isn't that right…Navi?"

An uneasy silence settled over the room for a brief moment before a soft pink light emerged from Sheik's pocket, slowly drifting towards the Hero of Time before stopping halfway. "I…I'm fine, Link," she muttered nervously.

"I see," Link said without turning around as he still moved towards Darunia. "I can also see you're obviously fine enough not to be with me. Mind explaining…or will I not like the excuse you may have already thought up?"

"I…" the fairy stuttered, trying to find the right words. "I suppose…what I want to say…_could_ be an excuse, but…"

"Forget it," Link said almost forgivingly, even though there was an unmistakable tone of annoyance in his voice. "I'd rather spend my time getting this over and done with than arguing with you."

Link finished just as he reached Darunia, who was now standing on one foot and leaning on the other leg's knee. The Hero of Time placed his free hand on the Goron's shoulder and asked, "You're all right?"

"Yes," Darunia replied.

"So you can walk by yourself?"

"I'll…I'll manage."

"Good. Then you should be able to leave this place with Sheik."

Darunia's face jerked in surprise. "Wh…what? Leave this place? Are you serious?"

"Of course," Link uttered, as if confused by Darunia's own puzzlement. "We need to get you to safety while I take care of business here."

"But…but…but I can't leave!" Darunia objected as he fought to stand on both of his feet. "I have to help you! I can't let you do this alone! It's my responsibility, too!"

Link shook his head in amazement as he stroked the blade of the Master Sword in his hands. "I appreciate the help, but after the way you just got burned, I don't think you'll be able to help me as much as you'd like. I'm sorry…"

"Injured help is better than no help at all, is it not?" Darunia protested through the groans he made while trying to stay standing. "I cannot let you do this alone when I know I can help in _some_ way. Please don't deny me this, Link! I'm not as useless as I appear right now. I can overcome these burns in no time at all."

Link scratched the back of his head restlessly. "Yes, but there's a difference between providing a little bit of help and getting in the way. And when I'm facing Volvagia, I'm pretty sure you're going to just get in the way…"

"Wait a minute," Darunia interrupted; Link could almost swear he could hear the Goron's eyelids blink in surprise. "You're referring to fighting the dragon Volvagia?"

Link tilted his head in confusion. "Um….yes. What else would I be talking about?"

"So…you're not going to save my people from their imprisonment in this temple? You're not going to rescue them first?"

Link could feel his lips tighten – he didn't feel like having this argument again – but he managed to hide his agitation. "I'm afraid not. There's really no need to save them right now, not when I can just go and kill the dragon first."

A look of disbelief washed over Darunia's face. "You mean…you're just going to risk their lives senselessly like that?"

"Risk their lives? What are you talking about…?"

"Those monsters you just fought…there is a great deal of those things guarding my people at this very moment, and they've been instructed to kill any Goron who so much as tries to escape. If Volvagia is slain before my people are set free, then who's to say that those creatures won't kill all of the Gorons where they stand? Are you really willing to take that chance?"

Link's eyebrows knitted together into a baffled frown. "I don't understand. Why would those creatures kill the Gorons like that? There has to be a reason they're being kept alive in the first place, so why would the death of Volvagia…?"

"I'll tell you why! Ganondorf is planning on sacrificing the Goron race to Volvagia!"

Big Brother's voice echoed heavily throughout the chamber, as if to emphasize the Goron's point. Link tried to think up something to say, but it was the Sheikah suddenly shuffling his way next to the Hero of Time that first spoke.

"Sacrifice them to Volvagia…? Is _that_ why Ganondorf captured the entire Goron race? But for what purpose?"

"He plans to use the mass sacrifice as a warning to the rest of Hyrule," Darunia explained. "Few things can demoralize a resistance movement more than the destruction of an entire race. He also plans on using the sacrifice as a way to tame Volvagia. You see, the dragon was resurrected – or freed, or whatever – he was brought back by Ganondorf's evil magic, but the dragon's own ancient magic is too powerful for that evil man to penetrate. The beast lives on its own basic instinct and cannot be tamed easily. Ganondorf hopes to change that by offering it the entire Goron race."

"And should Ganondorf succeed, he'll have a weapon so powerful that he could bring the entire world to its knees," Sheik pointed out.

"All the more reason for me to kill it," Link added.

"But if you kill it first, there's the risk of my people being killed!" Darunia cried. "What use will they be to Ganondorf if there's no dragon to sacrifice them to?"

Link gave a stern glare in Darunia's direction. "And with all the possible commotion we could cause freeing your people, do we even know what Ganondorf' might do with the dragon? He might've left orders to release the dragon should we attempt to free your people. Do you honestly want that…_thing_ set loose in Hyrule?"

"Maybe so," Darunia fired back, "but the chances of that happening are smaller than the chances of my people being killed."

"Not to mention," Sheik added, "that fighting an untamed dragon would be easier than fighting one under Ganondorf's control."

"As if you know," Link spat harshly.

Ignoring the abrasive comment, Sheik continued, "However we look at it, Link, our best course of action is to save the Gorons before we kill the dragon. We can't…"

"We can't what?" Link snapped. "We can't go and do what we came here to do in the first place, which is awaking the Sage of the Fire Temple? Come to think of it, maybe awaking the Sage will actually be beneficial! He – or she – could help us free the Gorons after we kill Volvagia!"

"But that's still risky," Sheik pointed out. "The Sage might not be awakened in time to help us. We can't take that risk. We have to…"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait," Darunia abruptly cut in. "We're going around in circles here. The longer we stand here arguing over this, the less time we have. If we can't agree over the path we need to walk, then we'll have to walk both paths."

"Both paths? What are you talking about?" Link asked.

"We need to split up."

"Split up?" Sheik repeated, surprised.

"If we can't one before the other, we must do them both at once," Darunia explained. "You two can go and save my people, while I go and…"

"What…? Stop right there!" Sheik interjected. "You don't honestly think we're going to let you go and fight that dragon by yourself, do we? Not in the condition you're in…"

"Actually," Darunia answered, "I wasn't planning on fighting the dragon directly. I was thinking of sealing him in so he can't escape. I may not be strong enough to fight, but I have enough strength to seal any possible exit he might be able to use."

"Well, when you put it like that," Sheik uttered, "it does sound like a reasonable plan…"

"And if it sees you?" Link pointed out. "Then what?"

Trying to look as proud as he could, Darunia replied, "Then I'll have no choice but to confront him and hold him off until you two are done with your task."

"Forget it!" Link cried with almost no hesitation. "Talk about risky…you're plan's just as risky…and almost twice as foolish. You honestly think I'm going to let you just walk in there with him just so he can kill you? I think not. I'm the only one here that can fight this dragon alone. I'll go and fight Volvagia while you and Sheik go save your people."

"We can't do that," Darunia objected.

"Why not? Why the bloody not!" Link asked, getting irritated.

"The number of creatures guarding my people are too many for a capable Sheikah and a wounded Goron to take on…but a capable Sheikah and a capable Hylian should be a more formidable opponent."

_"Who are you calling 'capable'?"_ Link grumbled in his mind before uttering, "And a wounded Goron is better at defending himself against a dragon than someone like me?"

"If I manage to remain hidden…then yes."

Link scratched the back of his head for a moment, pondering Darunia's answer as he did. When he stopped, he cleared his throat, straightened his lip, and drew a deep breath. "No."

"No what?" both Sheik and Darunia asked.

"No as in 'no, I'm not going to let you do and face that dragon.' Instead, you're going with Sheik, _I'm_ going to kill the dragon. Simple as that."

Darunia's face lit up with disbelief, as did Sheik's eyes. "Wha…?" the Sheikah cried. "Have you not been listening at all? Can't you see that Darunia's idea works best in this situation? The risks are far fewer with his plan than…"

"Look at this!" Sheik bellowed before, with a flick of his wrist, whipped the Master Sword into view, its surface gleaming in the glow of the nearby flames. "Look at this! Look at this blade! This blade has the power to kill a dragon…and kill it quickly! And there will be plenty more power to help you two save the Gorons once I've slain Volvagia. That sounds a lot more reasonable than Darunia's plan."

"But…"

"Listen, who do you think would win against a dragon: a Goron who's been drained of almost all his strength, or the Hero of Time? I don't know about you, but I think the latter is far more…_capable_ than the former."

"But Link…this mission…is about more than just the dragon…" Sheik protested. "It's also about the Gorons…"

"And that," Link interrupted with a calm and almost cold tone, "is where I draw the line."

The Hero of Time then turned his back to both the Sheikah and Darunia. "You still have my hookshot, Sheik?"

"Yes, I do, but…"

"Use it when you're helping Darunia rescue his people. But I want it back when this is finished."

Link then started walking in the direction of the door where Darunia and the fire beasts had emerged. Sheik tried saying something to him, but he didn't respond. Instead he continued walking, not even glancing in the direction of Navi, who was still hovering exactly where Link had left her. Navi didn't say anything to him; the fierce look in her charge's eyes was enough of a warning for her.

The Hylian stopped in the place where his shield was wedged in the cracks of the temple floor. He bent down, grabbed its edge with his free hand, and gave it a firm tug; the shield slipped free of the floor's cracks with a soft pop. Nodding in satisfaction, Link slipped the shield on his back, sheathed the Master Sword, turned around once again, and headed towards the other door.

The door where he suspected Volvagia was.

As he passed his fairy again, he stopped again, although he didn't look at her. "Are you coming…or are you going to remain with Sheik again?"

Navi's color started shimmering with anxiety. "Well, I…I…I, uh…"

"I guess that answer's that."

Link started walking again, leaving his fairy to shudder as she tried holding back tears of both shame and fear.

He tried passing by Darunia and Sheik without looking at them either, but the Sheikah was a persistent one. "Link, please, listen to me! You can't do this! You have to think this through…!"

"Just shut up and leave me alone!" Link barked without locking gazes with the Sheikah. "I'm not in the mood for you! This is what you want, isn't it? To awaken the Sage? Anything else that happens should be of no concern."

"That…that's completely untrue and you know it!" Sheik accused.

"As if you know!" Link once again spat.

The Hero of Time only quickened his pace as he argued with Sheik; he reached the door at the end of the room just as Sheik had made his accusation. While giving his rebuke, he reached out and grabbed the door handle and turned it with a sharp jerk of the wrist. If he could just get through this door, he could get away from Sheik and his annoying pleas…

"Hold it."

Link felt a large and powerful hand fall on and grip his right shoulder. He turned around to see a not too pleased Darunia stare down at Link with his small black eyes. A little surprised, Link quickly found something to say to the Goron.

"Are you planning on stopping me by force, Darunia? I'm warning you, if you do, I will not go lightly on you…"

"I didn't want to do this, brother," Darunia cut it with his now dignified-sounding voice, "but you leave me no choice. I am invoking the oath you made seven years ago, and you _will_ uphold it."

Link blinked in puzzlement. "Oath? What oath? What are you talking about…?"

"The oath you made to become a Sworn Brother of the Goron race. The one you made after you saved the Gorons from the Dodongos."

"What? I don't know what you're…"

_I, with the gods as my witness, hereby swear that I shall become a Sworn Brother to the Goron race. I will answer any cry, any request, and any call to the best of my abilities so that I may give aid to my brothers in need. I will accept any assistance from my brothers should I require it. I will live with the knowledge that I have a family other than my immediate kin, and I shall find them if I have no one else to turn to and will always be embraced. I, with the gods as my witness, hereby swear that I am now a Sworn Brother to the Goron race._

The oath entered his mind like a late wind, halting his speech just as instantaneously as it arrived. Link's eyes went from puzzled and angry to discomfited and frustrated. He ran the oath through his head one more time, and he realized that that "melodramatic" verse he had uttered seven years ago had a lot of meaning behind it.

"Oh…_that _oath…" Link uttered under his breath, although Darunia could hear it.

"A young boy with a kind heart and a brave soul made that oath back then," the Goron continued. "So far, you've done quite a lot to convince me that you're not that same boy I admired. The boy who cared enough about a dying race to put his life on the line to save it. The boy after whom…I named my own son.

"If you truly are that boy, then you will uphold your oath. I, Darunia, am asking you, Link, my Sworn Brother, to save the Goron race in their time of greatest need. Will you uphold your oath?"

Link gritted his teeth as he tried to hold back the aggravation that was building up inside of him, wanting to lash out and hit something with his clenched fist. But he knew he couldn't do that, not when he knew that what Darunia said was right. Even so, was he really going to break the promise he made to himself to never be a puppet of anyone again?

But was he _really_ a puppet…?

"We don't have much time, Link," Darunia uttered calmly. "Uphold your oath…or forsake your brothers. Choose…"

&&&&&&&

The heavy scent of sulfur burned Link's nostrils as he crept closer towards the edge of the balcony, his head down and his belly almost touching the floor. He knew holding his hand over his face would be useless; he was so deep inside the volcano that he could almost taste the molten magma through his skin. Lucky for him, though, the heat-resistant garments were doing their job at keeping him cool; still, as he felt a few stray particles of the heat tickle his forehead, he did almost wish for a face mask like Sheik's…

"If Darunia is correct," Link whispered as he halted temporarily, "then the Gorons should be in the area below this balcony."

"As well as whatever's guarding them" added Sheik, who was also lying on his belly, directly next to the Hero of Time.

Link nodded. "Let's get a good look at the place before we do anything. We had a hard time with only a small handful of those creatures; we don't want a whole army on our backs."

"Good idea," Sheik murmured before smiling, "I'm glad you decided to do this, Link. You made the right choice."

Link knitted his eyebrows together into a scowl, but he resisted directing that look at Sheik. Instead he grumbled to himself, "Even so, it's still not _my_ choice…"

Deciding to leave it at that, Link started forward again, edging towards the balcony wall and raising his head to peek over it. As he did, he hummed to himself the tune that Sheik had taught him back in the temple's main hall, moments before he and Sheik parted with Darunia. It was the song he was going to have to play once the power of Fire Temple was awakened, just like he had done back in the Lost Woods. The song was a little bit deeper in both tone and mood than the Minuet of Forest, and it possessed some kind of subtle gloom within its unyielding melody.

A question crossed his mind as he raised his head: what would happen once he played the melody? In the Lost Woods, he had resurrected the spirit of the forest, which allowed the Great Deku Tree's son to finally sprout above ground. What would happen when he played the song after whatever he destroyed whatever was suppressing the temple's spirit? Would something happen to Death Mountain, or was there something else…?

_"Whoa!"_

Link's mind finished wandering when his eyes were peeking completely over the balcony, allowing him to see everything below him. What he saw made his heart leap into his throat.

The ground below him was enormous, spanning an area about the size of the highest floor of Goron City; the walls were nowhere as high as the city's walls, but their height somehow didn't diminish the overall size of the cavern. Etched all along the walls were hundreds upon thousands of decorative carving, most of them related in one way or another to fire. There were no torches anywhere; the light seemed to come from a single source, a wide stream of magma that flowed in a circular pattern in the middle of the room.

It was that circular pattern that drew Link's attention. The magma flowed in a manner that it encircled a large area in the middle of the room and allowed only one exit point in that circle. That one exit point was guarded by five…no, seven Flare Dancers with at least thirty Fire Bubbles leaping back and forth around them. Around the rest of the lava river on the outside were more Flare Dancers and Fire Bubbles, scattered around in a random fashion. They definitely looked to be guarding something, and Link could easily see what they were guarding.

Right inside the magma-encircled ring was what Link believed was the entire Goron race. The number of Gorons only seemed to number somewhere a little above a hundred – were there really that few Gorons, Link thought – but despite the sufficient amount of available space they weren't making much use of it. All the Gorons were huddled together in a single large clump in the center of the circle, their backs facing their guards. Although it could easily have been a trick of the heat, Link was sure many of the Gorons were shivering, probably out of fear. Link was also certain he could hear soft cries of sadness and pain and hunger coming from the cluster.

Link scanned the area a little bit longer before ducking back down. Sheik, who had crawled up next to him, was the first to speak.

"Well?" he whispered softly.

Link shook his head quietly. "This is going to be tough. Those creatures are all over the place, and in far too many numbers for us to handle."

"And the Gorons?"

"They're…alive, at least. That's probably the best I can say about their condition at the moment. They're all fenced in by a river of fire that's too wide for us to jump across, let alone them, and the only exit point is heavily guarded." Link spat to the side, though his saliva evaporated before reaching the ground. "Curses…one Flare Dancer was enough to nearly get us killed. How can we handle a whole flock of those things?"

Sheik shook his head quietly. "I don't know…here, let me have a look…"

Sheik then slowly stood up so he could peer over the balcony edge. Link stayed where he was, waiting for Sheik's silent gasps of disbelief at their situation. He bit his teeth down and swore under his breath. Why did he have to make that promise all those years ago, he wondered. All it did was shackle him to some ridiculous notion of brotherhood and make him go on a rescue mission when he could be freeing the Temple of Fire's spirit…

"Link! Link, get up here! Look at this!"

Startled by Sheik's soft yet hissing voice, Link quickly stood up so he could look over the gallery. "What? What's going on?"

"Look over there," Sheik whispered, pointing at the far end of the room with one of his fingers. "Do you see something interesting over there, in the wall?"

Link squinted so he could peer through the heat wave in the temple, but it took him a few moments before he finally saw what Sheik was talking about. Etched in the wall…no, _inserted_ in the wall was a huge slab of green stone, one that didn't match the rest of the temple's fiery decorations. A little surprised that he didn't catch that before, Link strained to get a better look, but he couldn't see anything special about it other than its incompatibility with the rest of the room's décor.

"I see…_something_," he acknowledged. "So what?"

"Take a look at what's _on_ that thing, Link. Does it look familiar?"

Growing a little confused, Link took another look at the slab. After a little bit of squinting, he thought he could finally make out a carving on the green stone. A carving that looked…eerily familiar…wait a minute! That carving was…was…

"That's…the mark of the Temple of Time!" Link exclaimed softly.

Sheik seemed to smile as Link finally recognized the familiar eye-like mark of the Temple of Time. "Yes, that's right. Which means that that slab is really a door."

Link could feel his excitement grow…before it was replaced by puzzlement. "But…how does that help us?" he inquired.

"If that's a door," Sheik uttered, keeping his eyes on the "door" on the far side of the room, "then that means we can control it directly with the Ocarina of Time."

"We can…? Oh, that's right," Link remarked, remembering his experience in the Forest Temple. "But still…how does that help us?"

"Well, I have a plan. It's a risky one, of course, but…if we can somehow lead all of the Flare Dancers and maybe some of the Fire Bubbles into that room and shut the door behind us, they'll be locked up and then we can dispose of the rest of the guards more easily." Sheik then shook his head gently. "Of course, that means we actually have to somehow lead them in there, and those things are so fast that they'll most likely catch up to us before we even get halfway across the room. If we can figure out how to lead them in there and get out fast enough…I think we might have a shot at it."

Link could feel his eyes blinking heavily in disbelief. Was Sheik out of his mind? Did he really think that such a ludicrous plan could actually work? Of _course_ the Flare Dancers were too fast for them. Of _course_ those beasts would catch them before they got halfway across the room. Neither of them could run as fast as those things…

…unless…

…no. Link shook his head. There were so many factors in this plan with the possibility of error, and just one fault would be disastrous. He slumped his back against the edge of the balcony and drooped his head against his clenched fist, sighing softly to himself.

"Something the matter, Link?" Sheik asked, noticing the Hero of Time's frustration.

Link shook his head. "Your plan…I'll admit it's probably the best we've got, but it's too risky. I can more than likely outrun those things, no problem, but after that we…"

Sheik blinked in gentle surprise. "Wait a minute…you can outrun those things?"

Link looked up at the Sheikah and nodded. "Oh, sure, of course I can."

Sheik tilted his head. "How, exactly?"

"A little trick I learned called Farore's Wind," Link answered with the same level of disappointment in his voice. "It's a magic I summon that allows me to run quite fast…fast enough to outrun those Flare Dancers, I'm sure. However, that's not going to…"

Sheik abruptly squealed in delight at a volume that almost had Link peering over the balcony to see if any of the creatures had heard it. The Hero of Time wasted no time in using his hand to quickly shush the suddenly giddy Sheikah. "Shhhh, you idiot! You want those things to discover us when we don't even have a plan of attack?"

Link was sure he could see Sheik's smile underneath the Sheikah's mask. "Oh, but we _do_ have a plan, Link. We do."

Link knitted his brows. "What? That vague outline of a plan you thought up moments ago? That plan has too many holes to…"

"Just listen," Sheik hissed patiently. "Now that we know you can outrun those things, I believe I've patched up all of those holes."

Although the feeling of skepticism was still in his mind, Link swallowed his pride and took a deep breath. "Go on," he insisted.

Sheik nodded. "Well, consider this. Before we even get down there, we kill a few of those creatures from where we are now. With that bow of yours, I'm sure we can hit at two or three of those Dancers before they even realize we're here. And then when they _do_ notice us, that's your signal to use your Farore's Wind or whatever you call it to head for that door. As you do, we'll play the Song of Time and open it. You lead them in and run around for a bit while we close it again. At the last moment, you rush out, leaving those beasts in the room behind you. Once the Dancers are out of the way, we can easily deal with the Fire Bubbles. How does that sound?"

"But there's still a couple problems," Link pointed out almost immediately with no hesitation in his voice. "First of all, there's the chance that not all of those Flare Dancers will follow me into that room. One or several might come after you. Then what? I doubt even I'll be fast enough to get to you in time…"

"Then I'll trade you."

Link blinked. "Trade me? What do you mean?"

"Just this." Sheik then reached behind his back and pulled something into view. It was Link's hookshot. "I'll trade you one weapon for the other. This hookshot for your bow and arrows. I should be able to hold out with those until you get back. And even if one of them does reach me…" Sheik's free hand suddenly gleaned with the blade of a knife. "…I'm not _completely_ defenseless."

Link nodded, albeit reluctantly. "That's true, but…these things are fast, and if there are more than one it'll be difficult for your eyes to find all of…Navi!"

The familiar light of the pink fay appeared from inside Sheik's pocket, fluttering into view. "Link?" she asked almost nervously.

"Looks like you actually have a purpose staying with Sheik," Link uttered. "You've been listening to our plan, right?"

Navi quietly nodded.

"Then you're going to be Sheik's second pair of eyes. You're going to watch out for any Flare Dancers or Fire Bubbles or whatever he can't see. Understand?"

Navi again only nodded softly.

Link gave a single firm nod at Navi's response. "Good. Then that's settled."

A brief silence followed before Sheik spoke up. "Okay, so that's the first problem of the plan taken care of. Is there another?"

Link turned to Sheik and nodded. "Only this…who is going to play the Ocarina of Time?"

Sheik's eyes grew wide with the question. "Why's that a problem?"

Link lowered his head. "Well…I certainly can't play it. I'll be running as fast as I can with those creatures all over me, so I won't have time to play the Song of Time."

Sheik smiled. "Then there's no problem here. I'll just play it."

Link's eyes suddenly glared at the Sheikah. "You sure about that?" he asked with a noticeable snarl in his voice.

Sheik could feel his body lean backwards in caution as he heard the scowl in the Hero of Time's voice. "Link…is something the matter?"

Link squinted his eyes as his lips curled up on one side. "I'll ask you again. Are you sure about that?"

"Sure about what…?" when Sheik suddenly realized what Link was talking about. "Link…you don't want to give me the Ocarina of Time, do you?"

The Hero of Time's hand abruptly reached for one of the pouches on his belt; it didn't take a genius to realize that that was where Link kept the precious musical instrument of the royal family. "I'm just a little…cautious, that's all. How do I know I can trust you with something this…valuable?"

Sheik sighed gently. "I guess you don't. So I take it you're unwilling to give the instrument to someone like me."

Link nodded, his grip squeezing the pouch containing the ocarina gently. "Maybe…I should play the Song of Time while you pick a few off with the bow and arrows. That way I don't…"

Sheik shook his head in calm disagreement. "We don't know how long we need to play the song for the door to open. If it takes too long, those monsters will be pouncing on us too quickly. No, the song has to be played while you're off and running; at least then you can double-back if the door hasn't opened in time."

Link snarled again as he almost curled up in protection of the precious item he possessed. "The Ocarina of Time was given to me by the Princess Zelda. She entrusted its protection to me. If you expect me to simply hand it over to someone I hardly know…I'm not that stupid."

Sheik simply nodded his head. "I see…if that's the case, then we have a small problem here, Link. It can only end if you take a leap of faith and decide to trust me."

Link continued to glare at the Sheikah, his hand not loosening its grip around the pouch containing the Ocarina of Time. "Trust you…? No offense, but I find it a little difficult to trust someone who hides his face all the time. Not that me seeing your face would change anything, but…you understand, I'm sure."

Sheik tilted his head forward a little, lowering his eyes. "I do…but that doesn't change the fact that we have a problem. You're going to have to make a choice here, Link. Trust me with the ocarina…or scrap the best plan we have right now."

Link already knew of the dilemma, but he still didn't have an answer. He glanced down at the pouch where he kept the ocarina, his eyes loosening up in concern, before he turned his gaze back to Sheik, where his brows knitted together once again. Without looking down again, Link carefully opened the pouch and reached inside with his hand; it emerged a moment later with the Ocarina of Time gripped firmly between his fingers.

Sheik's eyes widened in gentle surprise as the ocarina was brought into the open, and Link was sure the Sheikah's concealed mouth was open in slight gape. The Hero of Time held the instrument level to his neck, just out of Sheik's reach; his gaze was sharp and commanding, making sure that Sheik realized that Link understood the value of this instrument very, very well.

"Trust you…trust you…it just doesn't roll off my tongue that well at the moment. I know it's not exactly helping our situation, but…but…"

Link's clumsy attempt at words was gently interrupted when Sheik raised his hands and placed them delicately upon Link's hand that was holding the ocarina. Link nearly tensed up in defense, but he realized that Sheik's hands weren't touching the instrument. He looked up to meet Sheik's gaze, and found the Sheikah looking back at him with a completely unexpected gaze of tenderness.

As Sheik's fingers wrapped themselves lightly around Link's hand, Link felt himself…blush? "Sheik…what are you…doing…?" he asked almost nervously, almost as if he were talking to…to…

"I understand your apprehension, Link," Sheik uttered quietly. "Your desire to protect this sacred relic is noble…but your heart has hardened to where you're blinded by things you have no need to see. You have to find the courage to trust someone, to realize that you cannot get by on your own. I realize that recent events haven't made this easy for you anymore, but…you cannot let your pain control you like this."

Link could feel his eyes widened in confusion and awkwardness…before he abruptly turned his gaze away and spat out the side of his mouth. "Feh. What do you know?" he asked.

"More than you realize," was the answer he received.

Link's gaze snapped back to face Sheik's eyes. In the volcanic heat of the temple, Sheik's light brown eyes seemed to glow a fiery red, a color that Link couldn't help but associate with determination. Sheik's resolve had before annoyed Link to no end, but now it felt calmer, sincerer, more…reasonable. That look, along with Sheik's cryptic words, formed an image in Link's mind, an image he hadn't recalled for a while now.

An image of a certain princess he had yet to meet in this terrible, torn world…

Had Link really hardened his heart to the point where he was being blinded by his own stubbornness? He still refused to believe he had made the wrong choice back when he made his vow…but kneeling here before Sheik, their hands wrapped around one another, it was hard to argue with the Sheikah's points.

"So what'll it be, Link?" Sheik asked as gently as he could. "Will you give me the Ocarina of Time?"

Link grinded his teeth together as he struggled to make his decision…

&&&&&&&

"Ready?"

"Ready."

"Then here we go."

_THWACK…THWACK…THWACK…_

With trained speed and deadly accuracy, several arrows sailed from the bow in Sheik's hands straight for their intended targets: the closest of the Flare Dancers. The loud plucks of the bowstring echoed like a dampened thunderclap throughout the chamber, alerting the blazing beasts to the presence of outsiders, but before they could react in time the arrows found their marks. Much like the hookshot did before, the arrows pierced the soft black body orbs of the Flare Dancers and swiftly carried them away from their fiery appendages. Several loud screams of pain could be heard as the arrows sank into the creatures' soft flesh, and five arrows had already found their target before the other Flare Dancers even knew what was going on.

Sheik managed to fire off three more arrows before one of the Flare Dancers spotted him up on the balcony, crying out a signal that alerted all the other beasts in the chamber. Undeterred by being discovered, Sheik continued to fire off arrows with pinpoint precision, but he only managed to kill one more Flare Dancer before the other Dancers began moving towards him…and they were moving far too quickly for Sheik to get a clean shot.

Now it was the Hero of Time's turn.

"They're heading this way!" Sheik cried out as he tried and failed to hit another Flare Dancer.

"Right! Here goes nothing!"

Leaping out from behind the balcony, Link catapulted himself completely over the edge of the gallery, sending his body falling directly to the ground beneath him, where the Flare Dancers were already beginning to gather. Luckily for Link, the distance between the ground and the balcony wasn't too great; he landed on his feet within a matter of moments after jumping. But he didn't waste time looking around; any hesitation could give the Flare Dancers enough time to strike.

With the fiery creatures already heading in his direction, Link drew the Master Sword from its sheath. He then took a deep breath before pushing himself forward, his mind focusing all of his energy on conjuring the one thing that would help him match wits with these monsters. It took only an instant for his speed to increase from a mad sprint to the pace of a mighty gust; to his relief, he had summoned the spell he called Farore's Wind.

_"Now to lead those bastards away from Sheik,"_ he thought as he gripped the Master Sword firmly with both hands and positioned it to his side.

At first the Flare Dancers appeared confused at Link's increase in speed…so confused, in fact, that by the time they snapped back to attention Link was already running past them. But Link didn't just simply sprint past them; as steadily as he could, he swung his mighty blade at a couple of the creatures, the jagged edge sinking into their blackened flesh and cutting them apart at the core. However, at the speed he was moving, he didn't really know if he killed the beasts or not. Still, the shrieks of pain and anger were enough for him; even if they weren't dead, they wouldn't pose much of a threat and might even be picked off by Sheik.

Speaking of Sheik…

_"Time to play that song, Sheik…"_ he thought hastily as he sliced up one more Flare Dancer's core with his sword before he found himself leaving the group of creatures behind him. He could've doubled back and cut up a few more, but at the speed he was going he knew they would be chasing him before he could even turn around safely.

Besides, he still had the Fire Bubbles to contend with…

The Fire Bubbles were obviously more stupid than the Flare Dancers, as most of them were bouncing all over the chamber in random patterns. If Link's first battle with the Fire Bubbles was any indication, they could be controlled by the Flare Dancers, so then why weren't the Dancers using the Fire Bubbles to corner Link? Were they just as stupid as the Bubbles…or were they too angry to even think about tactical advantages at the moment…?

Link had no time to ponder these casual thoughts when he ran into a heard of Fire Bubbles that happened to notice him. They flew as fast as their fiery bodies could, diving straight for Link with their jaws snapping viciously. But Link was simply too fast for most of them, and the few Bubbles that were in range were dealt with quickly via quick slashes from the broadside of Link's sword. He escaped the swarm of skulls easily enough, and to his relief there were no other Bubbles anywhere near where he was heading.

Smiling to himself, Link stole a quick glance behind him…and locked gazes with the hollow flame eyes of a Flare Dancer, running a mere arm's length behind him. And behind that Dancer, Link could make out the blazing silhouettes of several more of the creatures. The Hero of Time quickly realized that the Flare Dancers were already closing in on him, and their speed was enough to match paces with that of Farore's Wind.

He had to get over to that door and quickly…

Just then, he heard something familiar…

_"The Song of Time…"_

Even running at such high speeds, Link could easily make out the now familiar notes of the Song of Time, played with the notes of the Ocarina of Time. The song echoed throughout the chamber clearly and loudly; Link was sure he'd even be able to hear the song this sharply from all the way at the other end of the chamber. And that meant that door would also hear it…

Despite the fact that he had several fire-based creatures breathing down his neck, Link couldn't help but smile to himself. _"Now for the fun part…"_

Now it was simply a race to the other end of the chamber, with Link in the lead followed closely by some angry Flare Dancers. The Fire Bubbles were no longer a problem – they were all left behind encircling the circle of lava that guarded the Gorons, who were probably wondering just what was going on at the moment – and the path to the door was completely clear. Yes, Link still had a long ways to run, even at the speed of Farore's Wind…but at least he didn't have any obstacles to deal with.

Or so he thought.

Even before he had passed the lava flow containment area, he could feel himself beginning to strain keeping the power of Farore's Wind flowing through his body. Link was a little surprised by this tension; when he faced the Barinade in Lord Jabu-Jabu, he couldn't remember feeling anything remotely like this before. The sensation almost felt like pulling a muscle, flexing it to its breaking point; even now, he could feel his legs beginning to burn as though he had been running nonstop for several days.

First the failure of Nayru's Love when he encountered Ganondorf, and now this. Why wasn't his magic working for him properly…?

Link didn't have time to think about this when the corner of his eye caught sight of a flame-kissed whip bearing down on his right shoulder. He quickly sidestepped to avoid the attack's painful burn, only to step into the path of another Flare Dancer. The beast thrashed its blazing arm towards Link's left arm, which was defenseless without his shield.

Link quickly forgot about his fatigue as he swung his sword down in a circular arc to meet the attack. As he did, he called upon the energy that flowed through him, the energy he used to defeat the Poe Sisters back in the Temple of the Forest. This time, however, another energy accompanied the Light Temple's energy, a new force he had gained since Saria had become a Sage: the energy of the Forest Temple.

As he called forth these energies to strengthen him, his mind focused them towards where he needed them most. His memories recalled how he had killed the blue Poe Sister, and if his hunch was correct then this was what he needed to fend off the Flare Dancer's attack. He had better be right, because if he wasn't, then he was about to feel a great deal of pain…

_SHIIIIING…_

Like hardened sap from a rubber tree, the burning whip of the Flare Dancer bounced off the blade of the Master Sword with a bright flash of light, sending the beast into a screaming fit. Link's eye drifted for a split second to the Master Sword's blade, which to his amazement was glowing a soft yet noticeable white. He smiled to himself as he returned his concentration back to defending himself while running.

His hunch had been correct after all: the temple energies that flowed through him also flowed through his blade. That's why he had been able to defeat the Poe Sister with the Master Sword instead of touching them directly. However, in this case the energies didn't kill his adversary, just merely block his attack. Why…?

As with his other thoughts, Link had no time to think about it when the Flare Dancers were on the offensive once more. Two of the creatures surrounded him on either side, their blazing whips poised to strike the Hero of Time from both directions. But Link was ready for them. His left arm was now bearing his shield, which effectively blocked the left Flare Dancer's attack with a loud hiss; the Master Sword in his right hand, meanwhile, swung in a perfect arc to meet the right Dancer's assault, producing another flash of light.

Several more attacks from the two Dancers were blocked in this fashion, but Link could feel a third creature easing its way behind him, ready to deal a blow when he was distracted. He patiently awaited the incoming strike, fending off the other two in the meantime, until the corner of his eye saw the flames approach the back of his neck. With timed accuracy, Link threw all of his weight onto his right foot and thrust himself to the left.

The Flare Dancers were instantly confused by Link's sudden change of direction, but it didn't take long for them to follow suite and head after him. But by the time they realized what had happened, Link had already done what he wanted, which was take a moment to listen without distraction. He discovered that Sheik was still playing the Song of Time, which could only mean one thing: the door was still closed.

_"Come on, curse it!"_ Link demanded in his mind, his teeth biting down on one another. _"Get that door open or this whole plan is shot to…"_

Just then, a low rumbling noise was heard over the sad notes of the Song of Time. Link quickly stole a glance in the direction of the noise. To his relief, he saw exactly what he wanted to see: the door was sliding open, the enormous slab with the mark of the Temple of Time rising upward like a cavernous mouth. Satisfied, Link now knew he had to get over there and lead the Flare Dancers inside.

But first he had to turn back around, which was easier said than done. His abrupt change of direction was leading him straight towards a solid wall, and he was sure there were more than just three Dancers behind him. Even though he wasn't that far away from the door, hanging direction again could lead him directly into the creatures' burning grasps…

Just then, Link had an idea. A crazy, if not stupid idea, but an idea, nevertheless. Quietly yet quickly, he slid the Master Sword back into its sheath and removed the hookshot from his belt.

_"Link, what in the name of the Three Goddesses are you doing…?"_

But it was too late to turn back now. He was just a few steps away from the wall, and he could already feel the hollow gazes of the Flare Dancers bearing down on him. This was the only plan he had, and if it didn't work, then…well, now was not the time to think about that, was it?

With Farore's Wind flowing almost agonizingly through his veins, Link waited until he was a mere step away from the wall of the cavern before he executed his plan. Calling upon the energies of the Light and Forest Temples, he felt his strength and stamina swell within him, giving him the power he needed. With a deep and loud grunt, Link carried his momentum forward…and started running up the wall!

But this was different than when Sheik had run up the wall earlier; Link needed to get higher if his plan was to work, meaning he needed quite a bit of energy to get there. His muscles quivered with weariness as his legs struggled to dig into the wall's carvings, using them as footholds to lift the Hero of Time higher above the ground. His fire-resistant clothing could do nothing to stop the sweat from his exhausting climb.

Somewhere in Link's mind, Link knew there was a fragment of doubt that he would ever reach the necessary height. But that doubt was shattered when, to his relief, he did reach where he needed to be. Still, this gave him the time neither to celebrate or relax. His head quickly twisted around, scanning the room around him. Below, the Flare Dancers were looking up at him with malicious glares, waving their burning arms around in fury. Several stone's throws away stood the door he and Sheik had sought to open. And, within arm's reach above his head, was the cavern's stone ceiling.

"Only one chance…" he muttered to himself as he raised the hookshot and aimed above and to the left…

_KAPLAAAGH…_

As the hookshot was sent sailing through the air, Link bent his knees and pushed himself forward, sending him flying into a freefall. Now it was all up to his aim and the hookshot. If either one were off, then Link would land right in the midst of an angry crowd of Flare Dancers calling for his charred carcass…

_KLAAANG…_

Link didn't even need to look up to know that the hookshot's arrowhead had sunk into the ceiling. His heart racing in excitement, Link waited for the weapon's spring to recoil the chain…

"_Yaaaaaaaaaaaahoooooooooooooo_!"

Link's scream somehow seemed appropriate as the hookshot's chain grew taut and started to retract, sending him swinging across the room from the ceiling like a Kokiri swinging across the Lost Woods from a tree vine. The Flare Dancers below looked on in surprise and anger as their opponent sailed over them, sending them into a frenzy as they snapped out of their astonishment to pursue him. As he swerved around the chin in a circle, Link's eyes gazed upon the room with the opening door, awaiting the right moment to release the hookshot. His aim needed to be perfect or else he could lose precious time.

Wait for it…wait for it…

_"There!"_

With one sharp clack, Link pressed the button to release the hookshot. The arrowhead popped free from the rock and snapped back to the weapon's firing mechanism, leaving Link in freefall once more. But this time, Link didn't have any Flare Dancers in his landing path towards the door. However, he needed something to cushion his fall, and luckily for him he had that "something" prepared.

With fast reflexes, Link tucked the hookshot away and slid his shield off his arm. He then tucked the shield under his legs, inserting his feet into the shield's arm braces to secure it properly. Aiming his legs downward at the right angle, Link watched as the ground grew closer and closer at a seemingly faster rate. In a matter of moments, he would find out if his plan had been all for naught…

_CHING….CHING…CHHHHHHHHHHHH…_

Not even Link could believe it when the shield landed perfectly on the ground, bouncing a couple times before it started skidding across the floor like a piece of driftwood in a river. The shield's smooth surface glided across the stone slabs perfectly, sending showers of orange sparks flying behind it as it carried the Hero of Time forward. All Link had to do was keep his balance, and he was doing that with surprising ease. He knew he wasn't going as fast as he was with Farore's Wind, but he was going fast enough to get to the door before the Flare Dancers could catch up to him, and that was all he needed.

Throwing one hand triumphantly into the air, he looked back at the mob of Dancers struggling to catch him and cried out, "Ha! Ha! How's that? You can't catch me, you stupid beasts! I'm invincible! I'm the Hero of Time! I'm…oh, bugger."

Link's last words came as he turned his gaze forward again, just in time to see that he was heading straight for the door…_which hadn't finished opening yet_. Amazingly, the slab hadn't moved that far; the space it had created for Link to pass through was only about as high as Link's waist. In other words, Link was about to land face first into a stone wall.

Link's eyes widened in shock as he instinctively leaned backwards, causing his shield to tilt to the side. That tilt resulted in one of the back corners to catch one of the floor's cracks, sending the shield flying briefly into the air. But that was all it took for Link to lose his balance. He flailed his arms about madly trying to steady himself, but it did him no good. He landed on his back with a loud thump, causing him to glide across the ground along with his shield. Even though his clothes he could feel every crack scrape across his skin, every bump dig into his bones. All he could do was prevent himself from going into a neck-breaking tumble as his momentum carried him straight towards the door, the friction from the floor hardly' slowing him down.

First to go was his shield, which whistled underneath the stone floor and disappeared into the blackness. Link followed closely, ducking his head enough so that he wouldn't be knocked out by the still-opening slab above him. But even as he passed that obstacle, he encountered something completely unexpected.

The moment he disappeared into the darkness, he realized that there was no more ground beneath him. How, he did not know, but he was freefalling once again. This time, however, he had no control over it, and he knew not where he was going to end up. He was powerless to do anything except fall through the inky gloom that surrounded him.

He didn't scream. He didn't even pray.


	48. Striking the Red Hot Iron

**Chapter 48: Striking the Red Hot Iron**

"Sheik! Behind you! Another one!"

Sheik responded to Navi's warning just in time to send his dagger through a sharply angled arc, cleaving through a Fire Bubble that had managed to sneak behind him. The skull shattered upon impact, breaking into a thousand pieces that dissipated in the volcanic heat of the chamber.

The ambushing Bubble taken care of, Sheik returned his attention to the several Fire Bubbles that he could see without Navi's help. Luckily for him, they hadn't attempted an attack while he had been momentarily distracted, but two of them did approach the Sheikah when his gaze was affixed upon them once more. Those creatures were easily dealt with thanks to a couple slices from Sheik's blade.

Fortunately for Sheik, the number of Fire Bubbles attacking him were small; most of them were hovering like an angry swarm of flies over the Gorons' prison, most likely to keep them safe from anyone who might attempt to break them free. However, all of the Flare Dancers that hadn't followed Link were standing below the balcony, watching their controlled Fire Bubbles attack the intruder, and they looked eager to finish off Sheik themselves if they could reach him. And despite the small flock of Fire Bubbles attacking him, there still appeared to be no end to them; for every one that Sheik destroyed, two more seemed to appear to take its place.

Two Fire Bubbles attempted to attack Sheik from either side. The Sheikah, with practiced reflexes, dealt with them with a swing of his dagger and a twist of the end of the bow. His moves were less flamboyant than the ones Link had used to dispatch the five Fire Bubbles earlier, but Sheik could afford less lurid techniques – the Flare Dancers obviously couldn't coordinate an attack that well when their quarry was virtually hidden by a balcony high above them.

Still, Sheik knew he couldn't keep this up forever. He was already growing tired from all the Fire Bubble's attacks, and he knew he was lucky that he wasn't facing all of them. The plan he had formulated started to look less and less like a good idea…

"Sheik! Above you!"

Navi's cry gave Sheik enough time to respond by thrusting his dagger upward, shattering another Fire Bubble trying to attack directly from above. The creature was destroyed instantly, but not before it managed to sink its teeth partially into Sheik's hand, sending a burning sensation down his hand. The Sheikah winced at the pain, but chose to tolerate it as he brought the dagger down to slice apart a Bubble attacking from behind.

"Thanks for the heads up, Navi!" he called out as he dodged the gnashing teeth of a Bubble too fast for him to pick off.

"Sheik…we can't keep this up forever," Navi pointed out, her pink light flickering wildly in concern. "There are just too many of these things, and if even one of them cripples you then we're finished."

"I know that…" Sheik answered back as he swung the bow out in a long arc, knocking down several Fire Bubbles at once before ducking to avoid one from the left. "But we have to hold our defenses until Link returns. With the way I played the Song of Time, that door should begin closing not long after it finishes opening. If he can trap the Flare Dancers that followed him inside, then he can come help us."

"I sure hope you're right…Sheik, behind you!"

Once again Sheik avoided a Fire Bubble's attack thanks to Navi, though Sheik's attempt to destroy it missed, showing the fatigue was already getting to him. As he tried focusing his attention on the swarm of Bubbles surrounding him, he couldn't help but steal a glance at the door at the far end of the room, which was still opening slowly. He hadn't seen Link enter the room, but he did hear a loud cry of excitement…which was then cut off, followed by silence. He hoped Link was all right…

"Oh, no!" Navi suddenly cried.

"What's wrong? What's going on?" Sheik demanded hastily.

"Look! The Flare Dancers!"

Sheik had to dodge and destroy three Fire Bubbles before he could even take a quick peek down the balcony, but what he saw made his heart sink. Most of the Flare Dancers were still looking up at him with their empty gazes, but a few of them were heading out towards a corridor a short distance away. It didn't take a genius to figure out that those Dancers were probably trying to find a way up the balcony, either to coordinate the Fire Bubbles more effectively or take care of Sheik personally.

The endurance test had just become a race against the clock.

_"Link…by the Three Goddesses…please hurry…we need you…"_

_

* * *

_

Link didn't know when he had blacked out from his fall or how long he had been unconscious, but when he awoke he naturally realized that the fall hadn't killed him. He was also surprised that he could make out a faint source of light coming from somewhere in the inky blackness, though his vision was still a bit too hazy for him to see clearly.

Groaning a little, Link tried to sit up…and found himself rocking back and forth upon a floor that felt as stable as a leaf in the wind. A little surprised, Link clenched his fist and punched the floor; it deformed against his blow. He raised his foot and kicked the ground with his heel, a move which again rocked the ground noticeably. Thinking he knew what was going on, Link opened his fist and stroked the malleable ground with his fingertips; he confirmed his suspicion when he felt the soft yet firm touch of cloth against his skin. And the moment he regained his vision, his eyes further verified it despite the little light available in the darkness.

Link was sitting on some kind of tapestry stretched outward by a set of support poles in the wall, creating a canopy similar to the ones Link had seen in the Market Place in Hyrule New City seven year ago. And through sheer luck, it had been right it needed to be in order to break Link's fall.

"I wonder if one of the Hero of Time's powers is dumb luck?" he mumbled as he straightened out his back and tried crawling his way off the fabric canopy.

As he reached the edge of the tapestry and dangled his legs over the edge, Link got the chance to look around the rest of the room…or at least as much as the little accessible light allowed. The room appeared to be a storage room of some sorts, housing things from life-sized stone statues of Gorons to weapons and armory that resembled those of the Hylian guards. Some of the items looked very valuable, while others seemed like they contained sentimental value more than anything.

But before Link had the chance to explore the room further, his ears picked up a soft rumbling sound that had, in fact, been going on for a while now. He looked around sharply, trying to find the source of the sound, when he realized that the light source was getting bigger…

Just then, everything came back to Link. That light source was the door with the mark of the Temple of Time, and it was still opening! And the reason the door wasn't flooding the entire room in light was because it was at the top of a flight of stairs – thus the reason why Link freefell to begin with was explained. And he didn't need to be reminded of what was following him only moments ago…

_"Curse it!"_ Link thought as he jumped down onto the ground, drawing the Master Sword from its sheath. He looked around frantically for his shield, but it was nowhere to be seen, and the decorative shields placed around the room were all too big for him. Unable to find his shield, Link looked around for a way out or at least a good place to hide, but the room wasn't as large as he needed it to be.

He was stuck. The only way out was the way he came in.

_"Maybe if I use Farore's Wind, I can make it in time…"_

But a glowing silhouette that abruptly appeared at the top of the staircase, blocking some of the light entering the room, destroyed that thought quickly. Link didn't need to see the shape clearly to know that it was a Flare Dancer, and he was willing to be that the rest of them were not to far behind.

With nothing else to do, Link took a couple steps back, standing under the canopy tapestry that had saved his life, and gripped his sword firmly in both hands, ready for whatever assault the Flare Dancers might attempt.

But to Link's surprise, the Flare Dancers didn't attack immediately. Instead, they started streaming into the room one by one at their typical blazing speeds and positioned themselves around the room so that they were facing the Hero of Time. Within a matter of moments, Link was completely surrounded by a semi-circle of Flare Dancers in all possible directions, each one staring at him quietly with their hollow gazes.

_"What's this?"_ Link thought curiously. _"Why don't they attack? Are they being cautious? Maybe my little runaround with them is making them a bit more careful? Or maybe they want to make sure that there is no possible way for me to escape…"_

Whatever the reason, that didn't change the fact that Link was in trouble. Even with Farore's Wind and the temple energies, he couldn't last long against so many of these beasts in such a confined space. He had to reach the exit…

_GRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNN…_

At first Link didn't know what that loud rumble meant, but his heart leapt into his throat when he realized that the door to the room was _closing_! Did it even finish opening…maybe it did, he didn't know, but that didn't matter. What _did_ matter was that his only escape route was being cut off, and the Flare Dancers, either through strategy or unfortunate coincidence, were not going to let him past their enclosure.

Link felt his teeth grip against one another more and more tightly with each hair's width the door inched downward, the light from the enormous chamber being replaced by the naturally radiating flames of the Flare Dancers. Inexplicably, for Link the door both seemed to close faster than it had opened and feel like the process was lasting an eternity. In a matter of moments – or was it a few years? – the slab would be completely down, leaving Link trapped with gods knew how much Dancers out for his blood.

_"Why did I agree to this plan?"_ he thought as he watched the last traces of light from the door disappear from view. _"It was a stupid plan. A stupid, _stupid _plan. I can't believe I let Sheik talk me into this! What in the name of the Three Goddesses was he thinking…? Then again, it's not like there was any alternative. I was going to fight these things against the odds no matter what. Sheik's plan gave me a chance to avoid that, but it looks like that wasn't meant to be, was it?"_

The rumbling of the door seemed to grow louder during its final moments, but Link ignored it as he straightened his posture and took a deep breath. _"Can't be helped, I suppose. Looks like, once again, I've got no say in the matter. And as much as I _hate_ that…no point in complaining about it now, eh?"_

With those final words, a final loud groan signaled that the door had finished closing, trapping Link inside the room with his numerous adversaries. The Flare Dancers still refused to make a move and continued watching him quietly and silently, awaiting the perfect time to attack.

But Link wasn't about to give them a perfect time to attack.

Slowly yet distinctly, a luminous white light emerged in the room to mix with the orange glow of the Flare Dancer's flames. The Master Sword glimmered menacingly in Link's hands, the blade almost humming with anticipation at the upcoming battle.

_"You wanna dance?"_

Link twirled the Master Sword around in the air above his head for a few moments before he again locked it in the proper ready position, his eyes filled with a glaring spirit more brilliant than his blade's.

_"Let's dance…"_

_

* * *

_

The loud thud that echoed throughout the chamber made Sheik's sink; Link had not emerged from the room beyond the door. Did he not have enough time, or did the Flare Dancers prevent him from leaving? His chest tightened in panic as the thought of his plan resulting in the death of the Hero of Time crossed his mind over and over. He didn't even notice a Fire Bubble slinking its way from above until it bit his right hand, causing him to drop his knife in pain.

_"Eeeeaaiiiiiiii!"_ Sheik screamed in his mind as he tried focusing on the Fire Bubbles once again. Despite the burning sting in his hand, he leapt backwards and used his right palm to perform a somersault as he swung the bow in his left hand to deflect the attack of two Fire Bubbles charging from behind.

It wasn't until Sheik was back on his feet that he heard Navi's voice, but it wasn't a warning about an incoming Bubble. "Oh, no…Sheik, Link hasn't…!"

"I know, Navi! I know!" Sheik cried urgently. With practiced precision, the Sheikah slipped his foot underneath his dropped dagger and tossed it into the air, grabbing it with his still throbbing right hand. As he used the reacquired blade to shatter another attacking Bubble, he added. "We have to get out of here and find Darunia!"

But Sheik knew that idea wasn't a good one even before he said it. Darunia may not have healed completely yet, meaning he wouldn't be that useful in a fight. And besides, he was too far away; there was no possible way he and Navi could find him without being caught by the Fire Bubbles and Flare Dancers.

Speaking of which…

"By the gods…"

Sheik's whisper of horror came just as his eyes rested upon the entrance to the gallery. Even far down the corridor, he could make out the shapes of fast-approaching Flare Dancers – they had found their way to the balcony. And once they reached the balcony, the Fire Bubbles would become coordinates, fast, and deadly.

_"Link…I know you're all right… we need you more than ever…"_

_

* * *

_

A pincer attack by two Flare Dancers from either side attempted to trap Link into an even more confined space. The Hero of Time, however, saw the attack and nimbly dodged it by bounding his way backwards. He landed on the ground easily, but he wasted no time in jumping back again, this time to plant his feet firmly on the wall behind him. With a soft grunt, he propelled himself forward, the Master Sword ready to strike.

_"Hmm…that felt a little shaky…"_

He almost seemed to fly as he soared over the heads of the two Dancers that tried to trap him. With one clean cut, Link's blade sliced through both black cores of the two Flare Dancers; two high-pitched screams of agony followed as their flaming appendages dissipated. But Link had no time to regain his composure as he landed, for _five_ Flare Dancers moved in for the kill.

His senses saturated with the power of the temple energies, Link saw each attacking coming and quickly calculated their trajectories. Using agility he never knew he possessed, he ducked one attack, sidestepped another, deflected two with his blade, and sent the fifth one off balance with a last-minute evasion. With two of the Dancers thrown back because of the repelling energy radiating through the Master Sword, Link only had two creatures to destroy before they could attack again.

One creature was dealt with thanks to a powerful diagonal slice through its core, but the other one made another lunge for the Hero of Time before Link could kill it as well. Unable to destroy its heart, Link instead blocked the attack, sending the Flare Dancer toppling backwards. Link didn't let up and instead sent his blade crashing down on the equivalent of what would be the creature's neck, sending the Dancer flying through the air and into the crowd.

Deciding not to give the Dancers another attempt at surrounding him, Link called forth Farore's Wind and headed down a wedge in the crowd opened up by some of the creatures that had charged him. Some of the Dancers reacted by trying to cut him apart with their blazing whips, but he nimbly dodged them, even managing to puncture one Dancer's core as he passed it.

Within a matter of moments, Link had gotten passed the mob of Dancers, but he knew they would be coming after him. His eyes gazed around the room lit by the beasts' shimmering flames, and he immediately spotted the shields hanging on the wall. Without hesitating, Link grabbed one shield off the wall. Just as he had suspected earlier, it was too heavy for him to use properly in a fight that required nimbleness.

Using his momentum to his advantage, Link spun around on the balls of his feet several times before abruptly releasing the shield, sending it sailing through the air like a missile. The projectile found its target, sinking into the black flesh of one of the Flare Dancer's cores and killing one more of the beasts. As the shield fell to the floor with a loud clang, the remaining Dancers seemed to grow furious as they witnessed a mere Hylian easily killing them off one by one.

Two Flare Dancers made a forward rush for Link, their arms waving around wildly. Link quickly raised his sword to meet their fiery whips. His weapon collided with both their scorching weapons simultaneously, creating the now familiar flashes of light, but unlike before these Dancers didn't rebound as strongly. It seems they were growing more aware of Link's tricks…

Link was now caught in a game of survival, twisting his sword in various directions and angles just to prevent from being hit. With each blow the Dancers attempted, Link was forced to take a step back, which only seemed to encourage the two attacking creatures further. Link kept one eye out for another other possible attacks from other Dancers, but they seemed to be content with letting these two finish off the Hero of Time…or at least wear him down.

As Link was pushed closer and closer towards the wall at the end of the room, he realized he had to come up with a plan. He glanced feverishly around the room at every available opportunity, trying to formulate an idea to surviving these beasts…when he noticed a statue of what appeared to be a baby Goron standing a short distance away. Unlike the other statues in the room, this one was made out of stone instead of wood. Of course, in the extreme temperatures of the volcano, it was undoubtedly covered with some kind of chemical to protect it from the heat and prevent it from degrading or catching on fire.

But it was made of wood, nevertheless…

Deciding that crazy idea had more or less worked for him thus far, Link waited for the right opportunity to put his plan into action. Then, just as he deflected attacks from both Flare Dancers at the same time, Link again called forth Farore's Wind and sprinted his way towards the statue. The Flare Dancers followed him an instant later.

As Link reached the statue, he took a deep breath. He then used his strength to propel him into a jump that sent him flying over the statue. As he landed on the other side of the figure, he didn't hesitate. He sharply spun around, sending the Master Sword into a deadly circular slice. Just as he had hoped, the blade cut through the core of one of the Flare Dancers as it tried to move around the statue. The other Dancer was trying to round the statue from the other direction, but it didn't matter – the Master Sword cleaved through the wooden statue like a stone thrown through air and found the second Dancer's core against its jagged edge.

A stunned silence followed the subsequent screams of agony from the two Flare Dancers, then came a hollow thud as the top half of the carved statue crashed to the ground. The remaining Dancers in the room couldn't believe what had happened to their comrades, and their fires only seemed to grow more intense with hatred because of it. As Link readied the Master Sword in a defensive stance yet again, he realized the creatures were only going to get more hostile from here on out.

Just then, Link's foot brushed against something. He glanced down to see his Hylian shield lying at his feet! How it got there he didn't know, but he didn't care. He quickly scooped it up and inserted it into his arm, now feeling better equipped to handle the upcoming onslaught.

But the Flare Dancers weren't dispirited in the least. Their hollow eyes filled with a seething odium, their arms thrashed around in the air violently as all of them rushed towards the Hero of Time, screaming cries of rage. Link's reassurance abruptly changed into alarm as he recognized he couldn't fight _all_ of them at once…

Using the only option he had left to him, Link quickly pulled out his hookshot with his shield hand and aimed it at a point above the Flare Dancer mob. The hook couldn't leave the firing mechanism fast enough as it soared above the fiery creatures and sank in the ceiling. The recoil came just moments later, and Link flew through the air an instant before a Dancer attempted to cut down his legs with its whip-like arm.

Because the beasts were too blinded by their ire, it took most of them a few moments to even realize that Link had escaped over their very heads. However, one of them near the back of the crowd _did_ notice, and it wasn't about to let its quarry get away…

As Link landed firmly on the ground, the retracted hookshot firmly in his hand, he turned around just in time to see the lone Flare Dancer who had noticed his escape lunge for him. In a panic, Link raised the Master Sword and tried summoning enough temple energy to counter the attack, but it wasn't enough. As the Dancer's arm struck Link's blade, it was the Master Sword that recoiled sharply from the assault. Link immediately found himself stumbling backwards, trying to maintain his balance. He staggered all the way back in front of the draped tapestry that had saved his life before he could stand properly again, but his troubles were not over.

The Flare Dancer was charging again, this time for a deadly sideswipe. Unable to raise the Master Sword in time, Link instead raised his shield…

_THUUUUUUNNNNNN…_

Link had no idea that Flare Dancers were capable of such powerful blows, but the force in the creature's attack more than demonstrated that. Link felt his feet leave the ground as he was sent hurling through the air under the space of the tapestry canopy. Everything happened so fast that Link didn't even have time to brace himself as he flew into the wall…

…no, not _into _the wall…_through_ the wall!

If Link had cared, he wouldn't noticed the bricks to the wall with which he collided shattered upon impact as if it were parchment, scattering in every direction with a vacant thud. But he didn't care; he was still in shock from the Dancer's powerful strike as he entered a second, smaller room adjacent to the storage room. His journey through the air was then unexpectedly halted when he collided with something behind him, sending it crashing to the ground with a thunderous clang.

He landed on his back just in front of whatever had collided with, the resulting pain only made worse by the fatigue coursing through his every bone. His ears rang with the echo of whatever he had struck, and flashes of light danced in front of his face, blurring his vision. Even though he knew how urgently he had to get up, his muscles were stiff and stinging from using so much magic at once. But he knew he had to get up and defend himself…

_"My sword! I've lost the Master Sword!"_

Link's fingers flexed in his empty hand several times before they were convinced that he had dropped the Master Sword. Life suddenly returned to his joints as he frantically scanned around the new chamber he was in for the blade, but he had very little light and about all he could make out were what appeared to be the remainder of a weapon stand now lying in pieces behind him…

Suddenly, the room seemed to fill with a demonic radiance as the luminescent figure of the Flare Dancer that had struck him stepped into the room. Link's eyes quickly darted in the creature's direction, his breath shortening with each heave of his chest in panic. Even with his shield, he knew he couldn't defeat this beast without a weapon, and the Master Sword wasn't anywhere nearby.

If he could get his hands on something to wield as a club, maybe he could swipe the beast's core away from its fiery limbs. But where could he get…of course! The shattered weapon stand behind him! Surely it had broken apart into something he could use. Not taking his eyes off the Dancer, Link's hands rapidly darted behind him, feeling around for a useable piece of the stand.

To his completely amazement, he found more than he bargained for. His hands found what appeared to be the hilt of a sword. It didn't feel like the Master Sword's hilt, but any sword was as good enough for him at this point…

Without warning, the Flare Dancer charged. Wrapping both his hands around the sword's hilt, Link waited for the right moment…and then lifted the blade into the air, aiming for the Dancer's vulnerable core…

_"What the…?"_

To Link's surprise, the sword didn't move through the air as quickly as he had hoped. Was he swinging it with the broadside facing the arc…no, even then the blade wouldn't move as slowly as this. So what was going on…?

All at once, just as the weapon rounded the peak of its arc, the Flare Dancer stepped to the side, moving out of the sword's path. It was then that Link got to see for himself the sword he was holding…and when he saw what it was he felt his heart skip a beat in dismay. The sword was anything but, and even at that instant he knew he was in trouble. The weapon was too heavy for him to change its direction, and it was about to crash into the ground.

And the Flare Dancer was already raising its whip-like arm to strike Link down where he lay.

_"Dear gods…not now…don't let me die now…"_

_

* * *

_

"_Iiiiiiieeeeeeeeeaaaaaaarrrgh_!"

Sheik's scream couldn't have been more ear-piercing as a Fire Bubble sank its teeth deep into his knife hand, burning its mark into his flesh and snapping his dagger's blade in two. The Sheikah didn't even have time to recover as another Bubble came from above and bit into Sheik's arm, sending him into a spastic fit from the pain.

"Sheik, no!"

Navi's words seemed but a distant cry as Sheik's world was filled with blinding agony, which was only amplified as yet another Fire Bubble took a bite of Sheik's left shin, sending his left leg into the air and almost throwing the Sheikah off balance. The third bite did, however, cause his eyes to spring open instantly, and luckily for him they were facing the four Flare Dancers on the balcony that were now coordinating the Fire Bubbles in an effective attack.

To Sheik's horror, one of the Dancers was zipping straight for him, arm raised to give the final blow.

His strength waning but his determination still willing, Sheik struggled to collect all his strength into one twist of his body. As his back arched its way backwards, the Flare Dancer's fiery whip sailed over him, just barely missing his head. But Sheik had no time to celebrate. His dodging had destroyed what little stability he had managed to garner, and with only one leg to stand on he couldn't reclaim it.

Unable to stop himself, Sheik started tumbling backwards…and plunged over the edge of the balcony.

"_Sheeeeeeiiiiiiik_!" Navi cried.

With no energy left even to scream, the Sheikah plummeted from the gallery to the ground below, his body flailing through the air like a rag doll. The Flare Dancers below watched in apathetic silence as Sheik landed on the stone floor with a soft crunch, his limp legs cushioning his fall only slightly. His body then remained still, lying calmly and quietly at the feet of his adversaries.

"Sheik! Sheik! No!" The little fey, her pink light guttering in panic, rushed from the gallery down to the lower floor, where she hovered in frantic circles around the Sheikah's immobile body. "Sheik! Please! Say something! Sheik! Wake up! You can't be dead! You just can't be! Please, wake up! Sheik! Sheik! Shie…!"

Just then, as she rounded near the Sheikah's face, she noticed a faint twitch on Sheik's nose. Her heart racing, Navi turned her attention to Sheik's chest – it was rising and falling in shallow but noticeable breaths.

_"Sheik…thank the Three Goddesses you're alive…"_

But when Navi looked up, she noticed that she wasn't the only one who had noticed. The Flare Dancers had encircled Sheik's limp body completely, and they were moving in to finish off their opponent before he had a chance to regain consciousness. The fairy shuddered in terror as they closed in.

_"No…no…this can't be happening…Link…Link, where are you? Sheik needs you! He needs you now!"_

One by one, the Flare Dancers raised their burning arms. The little fay was on the verge of tears as she closed her eyes in silent prayer.

_"Link…Link…_Link…Link…Link…_!"_

Seemingly at once, the Dancers brought their arms down.

"_Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiink_!"

_DUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM…_

When Navi screamed her heart out in calling for Link, she never imagined that something would happen because of it. But when she opened her eyes, she discovered that both she and Sheik were still alive. The Flare Dancers' blows had stopped, and they were all looking at something on the far side of the room. Her heart racing furiously, Navi flew a little higher so she could get a better look.

Strangely enough, she couldn't see anything…

_DUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM…_

That rumbling sound again…wait a minute! The door with the mark of the Temple of Time! Whatever that sound was, it was coming from behind that door…

_DUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM…_

There it was again, only this time more powerful. Even from this distance, Navi could see that the door itself was _shaking_. Could it be…?

_DUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM…DUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM…_

Yes, it was! Whatever was creating those thuds was trying to break through the door! Was it the Flare Dancers that had followed Link inside the room…?

_DUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM…_

Navi nearly leapt backwards as a large crack emerged on the door, spreading diagonally across the slab. The fairy's eyes couldn't have grown any wider. Could Flare Dancers, even in large numbers, really do something like that…?

_DUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM…DUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM…DUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM…_

The crack on the door began spreading out in all directions, creating a chaotic web of fissures that soon engulfed the Temple of Time seal. Navi could tell that even the Flare Dancers were starting to get a little edgy; whatever was behind that door, they certainly didn't think it was friendly. But even as Navi's focused her attention on the door, she couldn't help but worry about Sheik, who was still unconscious.

And what happened to Link…?

_KADOOOOOOOOOPHHHHH…_

With a thundering snap that echoed across the chamber like a thunderclap, the door seemed to explode as it shattered into a thousands pieces that scattered across the floor. The Flare Dancers remained deadly still as they kept their gazes transfixed on the scene, but Navi felt her heart race even faster as she waited for the dust to clear and for whatever had destroyed the door to finally show itself.

As the dust began to settle at an almost agonizingly slow pace, a lone shadow seemed to "emerge" from the cloud. At first Navi couldn't make out who or what it was, but as the figure stepped out of the cloud and into the light of cavern's lava lake, her heart leapt with joy as she recognized the figure, weapon held firmly in one hand and a smug grin on his face.

"Link!"

Her cry of delight couldn't begin to describe how relieved and happy she felt at that moment. In fact, she was so ecstatic at seeing her charge again that it took her a while for her to even question how he had managed to break through the door, as well as notice something very different about him. He wasn't holding the Master Sword in his hands – the blade seemed to be in its scabbard on his back, along with his shield – but a hammer.

And the hammer looked nothing like the wooden mallets Navi was accustomed to seeing used by the Kokiri for spring renovations; this one was _huge_, with the main head almost the size of Link's head. The head appeared to be made out of a metal of some kind, while the hilt was crafted from a very tough-looking wood. Navi was surprised that Link was even able to lift the thing because it looked so heavy, but he held it in one hand as it if were a bag of nut-berries.

It was then that Navi noticed Link was holding something else in his other hand. She strained her eyesight so she could get a better look. When she realized what it was, she nearly gasped twice. It was a Flare Dancer core, and judging by the way it was pulsing in Link's hand it was still alive.

_"What's Link doing with a Flare Dancer core in his hand…?"_

As if to answer her question, Link raised the core high above his head. Then, with a sneer and a look in his eyes that even far away made Navi's spine shiver, Link's fingers closed around the core and crushed it in his hands, spraying its vile juices in every direction and killing the beast instantly. Link then threw the core to the ground and, without hesitation, stepped on it, squashing the remaining pulp beneath his heel.

That certainly got the attention of the other Flare Dancers.

_"Link…what in the name of the Three Goddesses are you doing?"_

Navi had no time to ponder that question when simultaneously the Flare Dancers shrieked in anger, their arms whipping around in random directions furiously at the sadistic death of one of their own. Completely forgetting about Sheik at their feet, the Dancers started sprinting their way towards Link, continuing to scream their cries of rage. Even the Dancers up on the balcony were affected by the offending action; they dove off the balcony onto the ground floor and followed their comrades, leaving the Fire Bubbles swarming on the gallery.

Terror once again filled Navi's voice. "Link! Link! Run! Run away!"

But Link didn't run; he simply stood where he was, his smug look not faltering in the least. Navi started to panic, thinking that either Link was oblivious to the approaching Dancers and couldn't hear her, or knew they were coming and was…waiting for them for some reason. Even though she knew she couldn't match the speed of the Flare Dancers, she started hurrying towards the Hero of Time, her tiny shrill voice crying out as loud as she can.

"Link! Look out! Run away! Link! Can you hear me? Link! Run…!"

But Link didn't run away. He stood his ground, the metallic surface of the hammer glistening in the radiant heat of the volcanic stream. By now Navi could tell that Link knew that the Flare Dancers were heading straight for him, and his seemed to be looking at them eagerly, as if waiting for them to arrive!

Link's strange behavior only made Navi fly even faster.

"Link! Please, listen to me! You have to run away! Link! Please! Can you hear me? Link! _Link_!"

Finally, Link did move, but not to run away. Instead, he smiled to himself as he gripped the hammer with both his hands and readied it into a position as if it were a sword. The Flare Dancers were almost upon him, their shrieks of anger now replaced by a chilling silence that they wanted to break with the spilling of the Hero of Time's blood. They would not stop until they had killed him quickly and painfully and burned his corpse beyond recognition.

Link's smirk only seemed to widen as he raised the hammer above his head, keeping a watchful gaze upon the approaching mob. Then, just moments before the creatures were upon him, Link brought the hammer down as hard as he could, landing the head directly against the ground between him and the leading Dancer.

_DUUUUUUUUMMMMM…_

A familiar thud echoed throughout the chamber as the ground beneath the Hero of Time seemed to shake with a violent force. A shockwave of air rippled from the hammer's point of impact, spreading out in a widening circle. The approaching mob of Flare Dancers saw this and again screeched, only this time in alarm. They immediately tried scattering in various directions, but the shockwave was faster.

The wall of air washed over the Flare Dancers like an ocean surge, trapping them in a cage of thrashing winds. Then, one by one, the fiery bodies of the Dancers began to disintegrate, their once threatening flames dissolving like salt in a glass of water. The helpless Dancers screamed and flayed as hard as they could, but their strength could not save them from the tremors that held them captive.

Within a matter of seconds, not a single flickering appendage could be seen. All that remained of the terrifying Flare Dancers were their cores, which promptly fell to the ground with sickening thumps. The cores themselves were still alive – they throbbed and pulsed with shock and anger at their adversary's surprise attack – but now they were more than vulnerable.

And Link was swift to take advantage of this.

Summoning Farore's Wind once more, Link drew the Master Sword and proceeded to run around the field of hapless cores, slicing each one open with the tip of his blade. Each one burst open with a nauseating gush of juices, spewing their dark blood in several coughing fits before they finally stopped moving. Several of the cores seemed to try and run, but even had Link not summoned Farore's Wind they would've been easy prey for his sword.

Soon, all of the Flare Dancer cores were dead, lying in a shallow pool of their own blood. Link stood at the edge of that pool admiring his handiwork, the Master Sword in his right hand and the mysterious hammer in his left. Juices coated the Master Sword's magnificent blade like a fungus and dripped down towards the tip at a slow, almost poisonous pace. His hands were clenched tightly around his weapons and his eyes were wide with excitement, while his mouth curved into an almost vicious sneer.

Navi should've been happy that Link was safe and sound and that he had killed the creatures so easily, but as the fay drew closer and closer towards him she found it incredibly hard to feel anything but horrified. She didn't need to see Link's face to know how he was feeling; as a fairy, she could tell that Link was not only proud of what he did…he was _relishing_ it!

"Link…"

"_What_?" Link bellowed almost rancorously as he spun around to face his fairy, his eyes narrowly tense and callous.

Navi at first couldn't find the words to reply to Link's harsh roar, but she knew what she had to do and dug up the courage to speak. "It…It's Sheik. He's been bitten all over, and he's taken a fall from the balcony. He's still alive, but…he needs help."

At those words, Link's eyes suddenly softened, his face changing from one of resentment to one of concern. He nodded at Navi without a word before he started running across the room towards the gallery, using Farore's Wind to quicken his pace.

As Navi watched Link head towards the fallen Sheikah, she pondered again over Link's shocking transformation. How could he have gone from someone so gentle and kind to someone who takes pleasure in the death of other creatures? Surely his separation from Saria couldn't have done that by itself…

Just then, Navi's ears picked up a familiar snapping sound. She quickly remembered something.

"The Fire Bubbles! Link, the Fire Bubbles are still ali…!"

But she cut her own words short when she realized _why_ the Fire Bubbles were snapping. To her amazement, the swarm of Fire Bubbles over the balcony and over the holding pen for the Gorons were _fighting each other_. She couldn't believe it at first, but the skull creatures were attacking one another and tearing each other apart. Some of the Bubbles collided with other Bubbles and shattered upon impact, while others used their jaws to rip off their tiny wings and splinter their fragile bodies.

_"But…why are they attacking each other? Could it be that the Flare Dancers were controlling the Fire Bubbles' basic instincts? And now that the Dancers are dead…"_

Navi had found a reason to smile again…

* * *

"Sheik…Sheik, are you all right?"

The Hero of Time bent down on his knees to carefully turn the unconscious Sheikah over onto his back and carefully lifted his head up. Sheik's chest was moving slowly and methodically now, but there was no response to Link's question; his eyes remained closed and his arms remained limp, dangling by his side uselessly.

"We need to get you out of here…" Link started, knowing that it was too dangerous to remain in the Fire Temple, when his eyes drifted over Sheik's mask.

Despite all the help that Link had received from Sheik, he was still a little suspicious of the Sheikah, if only because he refused to show his face. Looking down at Sheik in his heat-resistant mask, Link could see the vague curves of Sheik poke through, tempting him with the Sheikah's true identity. And with Sheik unconscious, all Link had to do was reach down and pull the silly mask off…

He could feel his breath shorten as a quivering hand gently moved down and slid its fingers underneath the mask's rim. Then, holding his breath, he started to slowly and carefully slip the mask's edge upward…

_Trust me…_

Link managed to pull the mask up to Sheik's chin before he stopped and quickly returned the mask to its former position. Sheik's words continued running through his mind, like a bell that reminded him of something he wanted to forget. Sighing to himself, he looked into Sheik's closed eyes and twisted his mouth into an uncomfortable frown.

"I'll trust you, Sheik…for now…"

"Link!"

Navi's voice made Link twist his head around so fast he nearly pulled a muscle. "What is it? What is it, Navi?"

The fey fluttered in front of Link's face with practiced style. "How's Sheik? Is he all right?"

Link nodded as he turned his attention back to Sheik. "Yeah…Sheik's fine, at least for the moment. But he needs medical attention, though I have no idea where we can find anything like that around here…"

"Link…you're Link?"

The soft yet deep voice seemed to come out of nowhere, and yet Link could tell it came from somewhere behind him. He quickly spun his entire body around, though he made sure to keep Sheik's body steady, to get a better look. What he saw nearly made his jaw drop.

Gathering around him and the Sheikah was the entire Goron race, forming a semicircle from wall to wall. From children to adults, big Gorons to small Gorons, all forms of the Goron race were represented in the crowd. As Link looked around in awe, he saw that each and every Goron had some kind of injury. Most of them were mild burn marks, but several Gorons' burns looked serious and some of them looked almost crippled. However, they all had one other thing in common: their small, black eyes were looking directly at Link with a sense of admiration and astonishment.

Before he could say anything, a lone Goron stepped from the crowd, shuffling his way because of what appeared to be a broken foot. At first Link didn't recognize him, but when the Goron drew close he blinked in surprise.

"Malatite?"

A faint smile spread across the Goron's lips. "So you remember me, do you?"

"Link's gasp of amazement turned to a smile of cheerfulness. "Of course I remember you! How can I forget someone like you?"

Malatite somehow found the energy to chuckle. "It's pretty easy when you're as boring as I am." He then grew serious. "But, in any case…you are Link, right? The young boy who saved the Goron race seven years ago when you saved us from the Dodongos?"

Link nodded firmly. "You're not convinced?"

The Goron smiled as he took a few steps closer. "I am now." The Goron's gaze then drifted onto the Sheikah in Link's arms, and a look of worry drifted across his face. "Oh, dear me. Is this the poor unfortunate soul that fell off the balcony just now?"

Link suddenly remembered Sheik and again nodded. "Yes, it is. He needs help, Malatite. Do you think you can help him…?"

"Link, I'm a doctor, remember? Of course I can help him, and I will help him."

Link could feel a great weight lift from his heart. "Thank you, Malatite. I'm forever in your debt."

"As we are in yours…for the second time, it seems," Malatite replied.

The Goron's gaze then drifted again, this time to rest upon an item that Link had set aside so he could cradle Sheik. It was the hammer he had used to easily dispatch the Flare Dancers. Malatite's eyes widened in wonderment, and the rest of the Gorons, who had remained quiet during Link's talk with the doctor, were beginning to whisper loudly amongst themselves.

Link noticed this and asked, "What's going on here…?"

"I never thought I'd ever see it in my lifetime," Malatite said quietly, "but the fact that it is here before my very eyes is proof enough. And such an amazing demonstration you gave with it as well. Such power confined in such a relatively small instrument…"

"Malatite, what are you talking about?"

Malatite blinked several times before he understood. "Forgive me, my boy. I just couldn't help myself. You see, that item you possess right there is the legendary Megaton Hammer."

"Megaton…Hammer…?" Link stammered before he remembered the story told to him. "Oh, I remember. I think I was told about it by another Goron…"

Malatite's eyes widened unexpectedly. "Another Goron…does that mean…have you met Big Brother? Is he alive?"

Link was about to state that it was Goron Link who had told him the story when he abruptly remembered Darunia. "Darunia? Yes, he's alive." A loud sigh seemed to echo across the chamber at those words. "But he went on ahead to seal up the dragon Volvagia so he can't escape."

All at once the faces of every Goron changed from a look of relief to a look of horror. Malatite's face was just as shocked by the news. "Big Brother is facing Volvagia? By the Three Goddesses…how could he do such a thing, especially in his condition and without the Megaton Hammer?"

"I don't know, but it's what he wanted," Link stated, making sure to keep his displeasure at the decision to himself.

Despite his obviously painful foot, Malatite reached downward and grabbed Link's shoulders firmly. "Then you must help him. You must help Big Brother. I know this is a lot to ask of you, especially after all you've done for us, but I'm begging you to please help Big Brother."

As if on cue, other Gorons in the crowd started to shout their own pleas at the Hero of Time. Others joined quickly joined in, and soon every Goron face was in some way or another beseeching Link to save their beloved Big Brother from the dreaded dragon.

Link felt something stir inside his heart. He vividly remembered how he had no desire to save these people because they were too out of his way, but looking at the scene before him made him feel sliver a guilt trickle inside his soul. Maybe he shouldn't have been so heartless. Maybe he should listen to Sheik's advice and be the Hero of Time that _others_ considered him to be rather than what _he_ considered the Hero of Time to be.

But then…why did his heart still feel so empty…?

Casting those thoughts aside, Link stiffened his facial expression into a look of seriousness. Then, with his free hand, he reached down and grabbed the Megaton Hammer and held it high above his head. Almost instantly, the crowd fell silent, giving Link a chance to speak.

"My fellow Gorons. I have heard your cries. I swear, upon this sacred artifact that you know as the Megaton Hammer, that I will bring your Big Brother back to you alive and well. You have my word as the Hero of Time."

Upon hearing those words, the Gorons started cheering their hearts out, hugging one another and smiling happily knowing that their Big Brother would be returned to them. Only Link seemed to blush at his own words. _"The more melodramatic, the better it is, I suppose…"_

Link then looked up at Malatite, who had an enormous grin of gratitude on his face. "Malatite, I think I know where Volvagia is, so I'm going to head there this instant. You'll take good care of Sheik for me, right?"

Malatite nodded sincerely. "You have my word as a Goron and as a doctor that your friend will be given the best of care I can provide."

Link nodded. "Excellent. Then that settles that. Come Navi, we need to…"

Just then, Link felt a hand gently tug his shirt. He looked down and, to his surprise, saw Sheik staring back up at him. The Sheikah's eyes were only barely open, but the fact that he was moving made Link smile with relief.

"Sheik…"

"Link…" the Sheikah quietly interrupted. "I'm…I'm sorry I was of no use to you…and I'm sorry that my plan nearly got you killed…I'm sorry…"

"What are you talking about?" Link interjected. "Your plan may have been crazy, but it was the best plan we had. And you've been more than useful to me. I couldn't have done any of this without you. Don't beat yourself up just because you fell off a balcony. I nearly fell off a mountain once."

Amazingly, the Sheikah seemed to giggle softly at Link's little joke. Link chuckled a little himself before continuing, "Listen, the Goron here is called Malatite. He's a doctor. He's going to take very good care of you while I go take care of Volvagia. Can you wait for me until then, Sheik?"

Sheik nodded gently and said, "I'll manage. But before you go, there is something I need to return to you…"

"My bow and arrows?" Link interrupted. "I'm not sure what use they'll be, but all right, I'll take them…"

"No, not that…I meant the Ocarina of Time."

Link's body grew rigid as Sheik uttered that name. He had completely forgotten about the ocarina and his little bout with Sheik over lending it to him. He took several deep breaths before he nodded and said, "Yes, that's right. Where is the ocarina, Sheik?"

"In my pouch. Please take it. You'll need it once you've unsealed the power of the Temple of Fire, remember."

Link didn't need a reason to retrieve the Ocarina of Time; to him, it was more precious than the Master Sword. He located the pouch and dipped his hand inside, moments later producing the fabled instrument in his clenched fist. He quickly returned the ocarina to his pouch, next to the ocarina Saria had given him, before he returned his gaze to Sheik.

"Sheik, I…" he stuttered before swallowing his pride and uttering, "Thank you…for all your help."

The creases in Sheik's mask suggested a faint smile. "No…thank you, Link…for trusting me."

* * *

As Link hurried down the corridor that led to the main hall of the Fire Temple, and thus towards the second door that he was sure led to Volvagia's lair, Sheik's words ran through his mind over and over.

_Thank you, Link…for trusting me._

He still didn't trust the Sheikah as much as Sheik thought he did, but at least now he trusted him more than he did not too long ago. However, Link really wanted to know what Sheik was hiding. Why did Sheik hide his face all the time? He could still remember, back in Goron City, when he joked that Sheik's body was covered in scars. The Sheikah's response?

_Don't…say that…_

Was Sheik really horribly disfigured, or was there some other reason that he couldn't think of…?

In any case, that wasn't the important thing right now. Making sure his bow and quiver of arrows were securely on his person, he looked down again at his left hand. The silvery surface of the Megaton Hammer seemed to wink at him in the temple's volcanic heat, teasing him with a hint of its awesome power.

Link was still a little amazed at how easily he had dispatched the Flare Dancers with just one single blow from the hammer…or how lucky he was to have found it at all. It was pure luck that he had broken through the wall into the chamber where Darunia's family had hidden it for generations. It was luck that, of all the pieces of the hammer's broken display stand, he had picked up the hammer itself. And it was luck that he had missed the Flare Dancer that had nearly killed him, causing it to land on the ground and release its true power.

Still, those were Flare Dancers, whose bodies were made of fire and thus were easily destroyed by the Megaton Hammer's shockwaves. If he was going to use this thing against a dragon, he would have to make a direct blow. And how in all of Hyrule was he going to accomplish that…?

"Link…are you all right?"

Navi's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked up at the pink fey, who was fluttering near his left shoulder. "Yeah…I'm fine, Navi. Just a little anxious, that's all."

A brief silence followed before Navi sheepishly continued, "Link? I'm…I'm sorry I abandoned you like that. I'm sorry I just…left you without explaining why. I…I…"

"Forget it, Navi."

Those simple words could've meant anything from "let's forget about the whole thing" or "we'll deal with that matter later", but either way, they lifted a burden off Navi's shoulders. Those words also allowed Link to relax a little. He didn't know why his fairy abandoned him, but he was sure she had a pretty good reason, and one she didn't like to talk about. Besides, this was no time to deal with small things like that.

Link had a dragon to kill, and a Big Brother…no, a _Sworn_ Brother to save.

Twirling the hammer around in his hands a couple times, Link picked up the pace…


	49. Day of the Dragon

**Chapter 49: Day of the Dragon**

_I don't like this. I don't like being a puppet._

_But are you really a puppet? Could you just be blowing all of this out of proportion?_

_No, that's not possible…not after what I've gone through._

_But is that still an excuse for how you've been acting? Did you really need to act so coldly towards everyone like that? Did you really need to act like a…a jerk?_

_Maybe I did…I had the right. I don't need excuses after what happened to me. I have the right to make the choices that I feel are right!_

_Maybe so…but are the decisions that you feel are right really the choices you need to make?_

_That I need to make…what are you talking about?_

_Don't you get it? You could end up making the wrong choice while thinking that it's the right one, all thanks to your blind anger. Do you really want that kind of burden on your shoulders?_

_Do I want that kind of…of course I don't! But don't you think that I'm capable of making those kinds of decisions?_

_No._

That single word echoed inside his mind several times. He never thought he would lose an argument with himself, but that's exactly what happened. As he tried to think up something to counter such a direct remark, he couldn't help but ponder the possibility that maybe, just maybe, he had been wrong all along…

But now was not the time for philosophical and moral arguments, which he had only brought up to pass the time. Only one thing really mattered at the moment, and that was finding Darunia.

Returning his thoughts to the back of his mind, Link quickly gauged his surroundings. He must've been walking a lot faster than he realized, because he was now standing in the entrance hall of the Fire Temple, the room where he first fought a Flare Dancer and its flock of Fire Bubbles. The fires emanating from their many decorative sources across the room burned as brightly as ever, but now they all seemed to focus on a particular spot in the room, as if anticipating where Link would go next.

And that spot happened to be the door at the other end of the room, the room that most likely led to Volvagia.

Link continued his march across the room until he stopped about halfway towards the door. He didn't know why he stopped, but he couldn't help but suspect it had something to do with his conflicting emotions. Here he was, about to finally get the chance to slay the dragon, but only after he did what he was fervently against doing: saving the Gorons. He didn't want to admit that Sheik may have been right, but there didn't seem to be any alternative.

His eyes gazed sternly at the portal, his brow wrinkling deep in thought. Normally his breath would quicken and his heart would race, but instead he simply strengthened his grip on the Megaton Hammer in his hands. He could heard himself telling himself to remain calm, even though he already felt very relaxed. Maybe this was the calm before the storm, the storm he knew he was about to walk straight into…

"Navi…you ready?"

"Yes…ready when you are," a soft voice uttered from beneath his hat.

Nodding gently, Link took a deep breath. "Right, then. Let's go slay a dragon."

Holding his breath for the first couple steps, Link shuffled his way towards the door. Upon reaching the entry, the Hero of Time hesitated for only a moment before he reached out with one hand and grabbed the door handle firmly. With a quick motion of his wrist, he unlocked the door and gently yanked it open. The loud creak of the hinges that followed rattled in his brain like a bad dream trying in vain to discourage him.

For some reason, Link half-expected Volvagia to be waiting for him on the other side of the door, but instead he found himself standing before a long, dark passageway that seemed to lead deep into the mountain. The volcanic light in the main hall only illuminated a small portion of the tunnel before the rest was cloaked in darkness – there were no sources of light to be seen anywhere within the passage.

Deciding action would be better than a self-narrated assurance, Link began marching his way slowly yet firmly down the tunnel. The volcanic light behind him grew dimmer and dimmer with each step until he finally turned a corner and the light disappeared completely, leaving the Hero of Time in the dark.

Using one of his hands to guide him along the walls of the tunnel, Link pressed on. It didn't take him long before he realized that the tunnel was sloping downwards and curving around, most likely twisting towards the base of Death Mountain's crater. As he continued on, a thought crossed his mind: wouldn't Navi's fairy light be useful here to guide him down the passage? Of course, maybe he should only call her when he really needed her…

Then again…after the way he treated her, maybe at the moment she needed him more than he needed her …

"Um…Navi?" Link said as he came to a stop.

"Link?"

"Could you…come out here, please?" Link then attempted a half-hearted chuckle. "I can't see a bloody thing in this darkness. I could really use your help."

It took a moment before Navi finally emerged from Link's hat, almost as if she was reluctant to grant Link's request. She fluttered around Link's head a couple times, seemingly making sure of something, before her pinkish glow suddenly seemed to explode with vigor.

"Well, why didn't you call me out here sooner, you numbskull? Where will you be without me?"

The fairy then dashed a little bit in front of Link, using her wings to motion Link on. "Come on, we don't have all day, now do we?"

Link couldn't help but smile a little inside, because despite Navi's abrupt firm attitude, he could detect a hint of softness, almost relief in her voice. Nodding, the Hero of Time continued moving again.

With Navi's light guiding him, Link could now navigate the tunnel without using his hand. However, that didn't mean there was anything interesting to see; in fact, the tunnel was downright boring, the only monotony-breaking moments coming whenever the tunnel would bend slightly differently or slope downward a little bit more. Nevertheless, Link managed to ignore this tedium and instead focus on possible strategies on defeating Volvagia.

Sure, he had the Megaton Hammer in his possession, but did that mean he was actually going to use it? Did he really need to use the mythical weapon of the Goron race, or would the Master Sword more than suffice? He wouldn't know until he was standing face to face with the dragon, so…

"Link…there's something up ahead!" Navi's shrill voice suddenly cried.

The Hero of Time skidded to a halt. "Something up ahead? What?"

"I…don't know, but it looks alive. It's just lying there in the tunnel, and it…by the Three Goddesses, it's Darunia!"

"What? Darunia?"

Despite being unable to see that far into the gloominess, Link sprinted forward without thinking. Navi, however, anticipated Link's actions and fluttered at a faster pace, illuminating the way for the Hylian. It didn't take long before the fairy came to rest and hovered above a large, almost motionless yet familiar mass leaning against one of the walls of the tunnel. Even in the fay's dim light Link could see blood escaping from nasty-looking wounds, and the look in the Goron's eyes suggested the pain was beyond excruciating.

"Darunia!" Link called out as he rushed to the Goron's side, kneeling next to him upon reaching him. "Are you all right? What happened?"

Up close, Link realized that Darunia's bleeding wasn't coming from wounds inflicted by claws or teeth; rather, they were coming from some of the deepest burn marks Link had ever seen. One of the Goron's arms had been completely singed to the bone marrow, and the other arm's hand was drenched in his blood from attempts to stop the bleeding all over. One of Link's hands inadvertently touched a patch of burnt skin, and Darunia immediately winced in pain.

"Sorry…" Link apologized. "Are you okay, Darunia?"

The Goron took several deep breaths to subdue the pain before he managed a response. "I would…love to say that…yes, I am okay…but alas…as you can see, my…my arm is telling me otherwise."

"How did this happen?" Link asked, concerned. "Was it Volvagia?"

"Yes…" Darunia grunted as he moved his hand to cover another bloody patch of his scalded skin. "The dragon awoke from its slumber as I was…sealing off the…only possible…exit and… he noticed me. He managed…to hit me with…one of his breaths of fire…before I ducked back inside…here."

Link's ears pricked at a few key words. "Wait…so you managed to seal up Volvagia?"

Darunia nodded, even though the movement caused his arm to flare up. "I did…and I'm thankful I was able…to do that much. I made sure…he won't be getting out…of that place…anytime soon."

Link's face grew serious as he smiled. "Fantastic, Darunia. I don't know what I would do without you."

Darunia turned to look at Link and managed a weak smile of his own. "You're…welcome, my…Brother…" His eyes then wandered down slightly, catching sight of the object gripped firmly in one of Link's hands. The Goron's mouth gaped wide open in disbelief as he recognized the object. "By Din's Fire…the Megaton Hammer…"

Link suddenly remembered the hammer and glanced down at the tool, nodding his head to confirm Darunia's statement. "That's right. It helped me out quite a bit with those pesky Flare Dancers while rescuing your people."

Darunia's eyes lit up instantly. "My people…you've saved them?"

With the best smile he could muster at that moment, Link replied, "I did. Your people are safe, Darunia. They're heading back to Goron City even as we speak."

Even with the pain in his arm, Darunia ignored it all as his eyes began to fill with tears. "My people…they're safe. I…I don't know how to thank you for this. My heart cannot contain all the happiness I am feeling right now…"

"Well, maybe you can use that happiness of yours to keep yourself alive," Link uttered, trying to forget that Darunia had to invoke an oath to actually get Link to save the Gorons in the first place. "Your people love you very much, and I'm sure they'd hate to see you die in such a manner."

Through the tears, Darunia's eyes began glowing with a fierce determination. "Yes…you're right. I cannot leave my people…not now. I will return to them…when this is all over. I shall live to see their faces…once again…"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait…" Navi abruptly cut in. "What do you mean, 'when this is all over'? Don't tell me you're…"

"That's right," Darunia groaned. "I still…have to help you…fight and destroy…Volvagia. I will not rest…until that dragon's bones…are buried forever within Death Mountain's fires…"

As he said this, Darunia tried to stand up. But before he could erect himself properly, the heel of his foot slipped on a pool of his own blood, causing him to lose his balance. Because he didn't have enough strength to stabilize himself, the Goron went crashing to the ground, sending vibrations into his sensitive arm and stimulating the bleeding.

As the Goron bit his teeth to withstand the new onslaught of tenderness, Link placed a hand on the Goron's shoulder, being careful not to touch the singed skin. The Hero of Time then took a deep breath before saying, "Listen, Darunia…you're not going anywhere _near_ Volvagia…not in that condition."

"But…" the Goron protested. "But this is my responsibility…I must protect my people…from this wicked creature. I cannot sit by idly…while I know I can do something to stop it…"

"But look at yourself," Link calmly pointed out. "You're in no condition to fight. Forget those burns you got before – the one you got from Volvagia nearly took your arm off! If you push yourself too far, you could collapse!"

"I…don't care…" Darunia grunted through his teeth. "I will not…allow something like this…to prevent me from doing…what I know I need to do. Now please…help me up…"

"Darunia, listen to me…"

But Darunia wouldn't listen to Link. Instead he tried getting up again, with or without Link's aid. Making sure he didn't slip this time, the Goron managed to stand properly and use his legs to support his weight this time. Sadly, the effect only lasted a few seconds. Without warning, Darunia's legs "caved in" and sent the Goron flying against the tunnel wall, which didn't prop him up for long – he quickly slid his way back down to the ground, his breath heavy and forced.

Despite Darunia's admirable resolve, Link quietly shook his head in disapproval. "See what I mean? You can't do much in this state. I know how much this means to you, but…you just can't do this. Trust me when I tell say this, Darunia: you're in no condition to fight."

"But…"

"No, not another word," Link insisted, making sure the Goron didn't say anything more. "I promised your people you would be rescued, and I'm not going to break my word just because you got yourself killed. No, you're getting out of here." Link then turned to his fairy. "Navi, I want you to fly back up the tunnel and find the Gorons. Tell them that Darunia is down here and needs some help. Tell them he's in really bad shape."

The fairy's light started to flicker violently. "But…what about the dragon? Don't you need my help…?"

"Yes, I do," Link calmly interrupted as he twirled the Megaton Hammer around in his hands a couple times. "I need you to help me get Darunia back to his people safely. You're the one who can get to them quickly from here."

"Are you sure?" Navi asked, noticeably concerned.

Link smiled warmly, which caught the fairy off guard, since it had been a while since she had seen him smile this genuinely. "Don't worry about me, Navi. I can take care of myself. Please, just do this for me, all right?"

Navi seemed to begin to object, but she then abruptly stopped, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. "Okay, Link. I understand. I'll be back before you know it."

The smile on Link's lips seemed to widen slightly. "Thank you, Navi."

With that appreciation, Navi jittered a bit in midair before she sped off like an arrow back down the corridor, disappearing behind one of the tunnel's many curves. Now Link was left in the dark once more, this time with an injured Darunia at his feet. But luckily, Link didn't need Navi's light to know where his Sworn Brother was. Kneelng down and reaching out into the darkness as if guided by instinct, he placed an assuring hand on the Goron's shoulder.

"Navi will be back shortly with help, Darunia. I want you to stay here until they arrive. Can you do that?"

The Goron grunted softly in the dark before replying with a question of his own. "Link…will you not reconsider me helping you?"

Link wavered slightly at answering Darunia's question, but he promptly responded with the best answer he could find. "I can't."

The Hero of Time then stood up once more. "Take care, Darunia. May we see each other again after this."

"Link, wait…Link…!"

But it was too late. The Hero of Time had disappeared down the corridor.

* * *

The smell of sulfur and burnt rock caught Link off guard, drifting through his nostrils with its bitter-tasting fumes. Link nearly gagged as the odor overwhelmed his senses, but he quickly regained his poise and pushed on. With each step he took down the dark tunnel, the stench grew stronger and stronger, letting the Hylian know that he was nearly his goal.

Then he turned a corner and, seemingly from nowhere, there it was.

The end of the tunnel had no door, so Link could see inside the volcanic crater even before he entered it. But it was only when he stepped into the vast basin inside Death Mountain that he truly grasped what he saw. The cavern was enormous, easily rivaling the chamber that housed all of Goron City. A dome-like surface coated the ceiling, giving the impression Link was standing in the top half of a giant egg. Sporadically dotted across the ceiling and the walls were stalactites of every shape and size, and in one far corner of the room stood an enormous, almost incongruous pile of rocks that seemed to be blocking some kind of passageway behind it.

_"Darunia's handiwork…?"_ Link thought to himself.

Most of the floor was composted of charred, volcanic rock, but right in the middle of the chamber was a vast lake of molten lava. Large chunks of rock floated upon the lava's thick surface, bobbing up and down teasingly in the deadly lagoon. All of the light in the chamber seemed to be coming directly from the lake's glowing surface; there were no other sources of light to be seen anywhere.

Or, for that matter, any signs of a dragon.

_"Is this the right place?"_ Link asked himself as he took several steps into the chamber, leaving the tunnel. _"This place is enormous, but there don't appear to be any places for a dragon to hide. Did the tunnel branch off and did I go down the wrong one?"_

Looking around the chamber thoroughly for several minutes, Link decided there was only one way to find out. Readying the Megaton Hammer, he took a deep breath…

"_Volvagiaaaaaaaaaa_!"

His voice bounced off the walls of the immense cavern several times, creating a vivid echo that didn't seem to lose its luster even after it faded away. Link scoured the chamber for the dragon during the echoes, but saw nothing respond to his call. Feeling a little miffed, Link took several more steps forward before trying again.

"Volvagia! Here I am! If you want me, come and get me!"

The echoes weren't as intense this time, but they were strong enough to bounce off the wall several times. His frustration growing, Link took one more step deeper into the cavern.

"Volvagia…!" he started when, without warning, he felt something.

It was a rumbling beneath his feet, as if something underneath the ground was stirring. It didn't take long for the rumbles to morph into small but violent quakes, their vibrations forcing Link to focus on maintaining his balance. He quickly realized that something was trying to push itself to the surface, and he had a pretty good guess of what that "something" was.

He scanned the cavern hurriedly, looking for any signs that indicated something was trying to burrow through the surface from beneath the ground, but he couldn't see anything. Yet the vibrations continued, and with each passing second they were growing stronger and stronger; whatever was tunneling through the ground was nearing the surface at a rapid pace…

Just then, he saw it. The breach point…

_"The lava lake!"_

As Link watched, the center of the thick, bubbly surface of the lava lake surged upward into a massive bubble, the force hidden underneath it threatening to shatter it with explosive force. Link cautiously took a step back as he watched, amazed but alert, prepared for anything. The bubble seemed to stagnate for a moment, the soupy magma dribbling down its surface slothfully, before one final heave pushed it beyond the lake's reaches, causing the bubble to burst with a loud bang…

…no, a loud _roar_?

_"By Nayru's Love…"_

As the bubble ruptured, it revealed the creature hiding within its core. Flying upward into the air with the greatest of ease was a massive, worm-like monster that could only be the dragon called Volvagia. Covered from head to tip upon its back in molten-rock scales, the creature's body seemed to glow a fierce crimson with its own body heat. The beast possessed no hind legs, but the forefront of its snake-like body boasted a set of robust arms, each possessing three-fingered hands that were tipped with powerful-looking claws.

The focal point of the dragon's body had to be its face, where its upper skull was protected by a green-blue exoskeleton from which protruded two coiled horns. As the dragon soared into the air, trails of fire dangled from its head like loose bits of hair, waving through the air wildly. From behind the exoskeleton peered a set of small yet powerful eyes, which had no doubt seen the Hero of Time standing defiantly in the dragon's domain. As if to confirm this suspicion, Volvagia opened his mouth and screamed a scratchy, soul-cutting screech.

The first thing Link noticed about Volvagia's long jaws were that they boasted a deadly looking beak, similar to an eagle's. But Link quickly learned that this hooked bill wasn't the dragon's deadliest weapon, as a stream of fire spewed from Volvagia's howling mouth, flying all the way to the ceiling before dissipating. As the roar rang across the chamber, the walls themselves seemed to shake in fear. It was then that Link realized that the vibrations he had felt in the ground earlier weren't from Volvagia burrowing to the surface – they were caused by Volvagia's cries.

Link positioned himself into a battle-ready stance, his eyes fixed firmly on Volvagia, who was now flying around in circles in the air, as if practicing a bizarre ritual. The Hero of Time had no idea how the dragon was able to fly without the aid of wings, but that was hardly the most important issue at the moment. Volvagia had been summoned. Volvagia was ready to kill.

Well…so was Link

The dragon seemed to twist around in the air several times before it finally turned to face the Hylian who had dared enter its lair. It didn't even both to hover in the air to contemplate its next move; it simply straightened out its worm-like body and charged through the air towards its prey, its mouth gaping open in a sinister grin. Link responded by running, heading in the direction lateral to Volvagia's charge. The dragon recognized Link's movements and snarled as he turned. A soft glow emanated from within Volvagia's throat and flickered for a moment before a thick tongue of flame shot from the beast's jaws in Link's direction.

The Hero of Time managed to jump to the side just at the right moment, avoiding a repeat of what had happened during his confrontation with King Dodongo. Maintaining his momentum, Link again tried to lateral the dragon, but Volvagia's movements were too quick. As the beast again turned to face his prey, another breath of fire aimed at the Hylian emerged from the dragon's jaws.

Unable to jump in time, Link ducked and rolled forward, allowing the deadly flames to pass above and behind him harmlessly. Link then quickly took this opportunity to make an attempted attack against the dragon with the Megaton Hammer.

But before he could even reach the dragon, Volvagia abruptly turned upward, his snake-like body twisted upward to avoid the Hero of Time's assault. Determined not to let Volvagia get away, Link leapt into the air and swung the Hammer at his foe. The instrument's powerful head struck the beast's gritty scales with full force, sending a thundering clang echoing across the chamber.

But the hit seemed to do nothing more than send the flying dragon off balance for a mere moment. A crack emerged in the creature's armor where the Hammer had struck, but Volvagia didn't seem to be bothered by it in the least. Instead he twisted himself up and back, preparing for another dive.

Amazed but unfazed, Link readied the Megaton Hammer for another attack. The dragon was definitely fast in the air, but with the right timing Link could cripple or at least seriously injure Volvagia with one blow. He just needed the right moment and the right means. Luckily, he had the means. Now all he needed was the moment…

As Volvagia corrected himself upward and began bearing down for another direct attack, Link saw the flickering in the dragon's mouth that signaled another breath of fire. He waited until Volvagia had reached the right height before he started moving laterally once again. The dragon saw this and changed direction appropriately before spitting its deadly flames once again.

Link instantly reversed his direction at the last moment, missing the fires by fractions of a second. Then, propelling himself forward, he called forth Farore's Wind and raced at blistering speeds towards his opponent, the Megaton Hammer raised above his head. Volvagia saw the attack and tried to avoid it by pulling up, but this time it was Link who was too fast.

_"Got you!"_ Link screamed in his mind as he brought the hammer down against the monster's underbelly, landing the head in between Volvagia's arms, right where his heart should've been.

Yet the expected crippling of Volvagia's body didn't come. Instead, the dragon simply screamed, but out of irritation rather than pain. The beast's body did snake backwards because of the blow, and a noticeable impression was left in the soft underbelly's flesh, but Volvagia continued climbing as if the blow had had no effect at all.

Link was, to say the least, stunned. _"But…why? I thought this hammer defeated this guy the first time! Why isn't it working now?"_

While trying to answer his own question, Link readied himself for another attack…but Volvagia didn't ready himself for a third assault. Instead, the dragon continued climbing, flying closer and closer to the ridiculously high ceiling above.

"What's he up to?" Link asked himself aloud.

The response came soon enough. As the dragon reached the top of the chamber, he turned completely around and seemed to head back down…before he leveled off just as his tail was pointing towards the ceiling. Volvagia then roared its abrasive screech before his tail started striking the ceiling! As Link watched in silence, Volvagia whacked the ceiling as hard as he could as quickly as he could, holding nothing back in the unusual assault.

"What the…?" Link started when he felt a rumbling.

It was a different rumbling than the one caused by Volvagia's introduction. This one was a rumbling in the air, and Link could even pinpoint where the reverberating was coming from: the area where Volvagia was smacking with his tail. But Link only really understood what was going on when he saw for himself was Volvagia was doing.

One by one, several of the stalactites hanging on the chamber's ceiling came loose and began plummeting down towards the ground. Following close behind were large chunks of rock torn apart by the vibrations caused by Volvagia. There was only one reason why these things were falling: to kill whatever stood underneath them.

"Holy…!" Link screamed before he jumped backwards just in time to miss being skewered by a stalactite almost twice his size.

But his problems weren't over yet. Sharp rocks and stalactites were raining down in every conceivable direction, and it was a very good bet that Link would be impaled if he remained still. With no other choice, Link quickly turned and ran, summoning Farore's Wind as he did. In a matter of seconds he was sprinting at peak speed towards the heart of the chamber as the hailstorm of rocks approached.

_CRACK…BAAAANG…KLOFFF…KABLUGH…_

Even with the increased speed, Link still had to concentrate on dodging the debris falling all around him. Several times he had to change direction completely to avoid being crushed or pierced, and even his speed couldn't prevent bits and pieces of fast-flying rock remnants from cutting his skin. As he ran and darted between the falling rock chunks, he quietly wondered what Volvagia was doing. Was the dragon still up near the ceiling, creating another avalanche with his tail, or was he…?

Just then, at the last minute Link caught sight of a falling boulder to his right, threatening to flatten him. Panicking, Link took the Megaton Hammer and swung it as hard as he could in the boulder's direction, hoping to deflect it. The Hammer's head barely grazed the boulder but, whether by chance or miracle, managed to bounce it to the side enough to miss the Hero of Time. Unfortunately, a side effect of the deflection was causing Link to miss seeing a relatively small stalactite half-buried in the ground in front of him. Before he could see it, Link's foot was caught by the buried pillar, sending him flying at neck-breaking speed.

He landed on the ground with a sharp thud and seemed to skid across the ground for what seemed like forever. When he finally came to a stop, the burning in the scratches in his skin caused by the skidding were already beginning to flare up. But the pain meant nothing to Link; he shrugged it off as he stood up to regain his bearings, expecting to see more falling rocks heading in his direction.

To his surprise, the avalanche had subsided – all that was falling now were tiny pebbles and thick dust clouds that hid all traces of the rockslide. As he looked around for signs of Volvagia, he quickly discovered where he was: a stone's throw away behind him stood the lava lake in the center of the cavern. Had he really run that far…?

_"But where's that cursed dragon?"_

Link had reason to worry. There were no signs of Volvagia anywhere. Had the dragon disappeared into the lava lake again, or had it managed to break open the blocked tunnel…no, the tunnel was still blocked. And why would it go into the lake again? There was no reason to…

Suddenly, Link saw a now-familiar flickering in the dust clouds. He leapt to the side moments before a tongue of flames emerged from the haze, barely missing him. Moments later, the snaking body of Volvagia soared into sight from the dust, his beady eyes glaring hungrily at Link and his beaked jaw preparing another blast.

"Bloody sneak!" Link yelled, as if offended by Volvagia's tactic.

But the dragon didn't seem to care about Link's comment. Instead it generated another flare from its throat, aimed directly at the Hero of Time. Link snarled as he readied to leap or roll out of the way…

…but Volvagia seemed to hesitate, seemed to refrain from shooting its blast. Link grew puzzled for an instant, wondering what the dragon was doing, but he quickly focused when Volvagia finished hesitating and released its fire in his direction…no, wait a minute! The blast was a little off-center; it was forcing Link to move in only one direction! Did that mean the dragon was planning something…?

Link had no time to ponder this idea before he was forced to dodge to the right. As the blast passed by safely, he looked up to face Volvagia…and saw his worst fear realized. Volvagia _was_ planning something: the dragon was lifting itself slightly into the air before dipping back down in Link's direction, its right arm raised to strike Link down. The attack was too close to dodge, so Link did the only thing he could do, which was raise the Megaton Hammer in self-defense…

_CLAAAAANNNNNG…_

Link was lucky that the beast's mighty claws didn't tear his hands apart, but another kind of damage was done. Volvagia's swipe caught the Megaton Hammer within its claws and sent the weapon flying through the air into a furious spin, sailing high above the chamber floor. As Link watched, the Hammer reached the pinnacle of its arc only just as it slammed with a loud thud into the room's wall, burying its head into the rock. And that was where the Hammer remained, remaining trapped high above the ground in the cavern's stone and way out of reach.

At first, Link was shocked that he had both lost the Megaton Hammer and had come incredibly close to being cut down by a swipe with enough power to send the weapon flying that far. But his shock didn't last very long.

_"Can't say I'm complaining – that thing hasn't exactly helped me out that much in this fight. Whoever wrote the legend of the Megaton Hammer must've been drunk or something. Time to fight _my_ way!"_

With that thought, Link reached behind and pulled free both the Master Sword and his shield. He then readied himself into a familiar stance, ready to fight the dragon head on with the weapons with which he was more familiar. Fortunately, Volvagia's swipe had been the only one he attempted, and right now the dragon was swinging around in an arch to lead another charge towards the Hero of Time.

_"Here he comes…"_

And came Volvagia did. Without a moment of faltering, the dragon leveled itself just above the ground before he aimed straight for Link and zoomed towards his prey faster than an arrow. Link expected Volvagia to prepare another blast of fire, but amazingly the monster kept its jaw firmly shut, suggesting he was going to try another strike with its claws.

Sure enough, Volvagia turned moments before reaching Link, and took another swipe with one of its powerful arms. Unable to find an opening to attack, Link raised his shield in defense. Sparks flew as the dragon's claws scraped across the metallic surface, and the sheer force behind the dragon's assault was enough to push the Hero of Time back. But he quickly recovered and began thinking.

_"Standing around like is making me too much of a target. I'd better move if I'm going to get a clean shot at his heart."_

With that tactic in mind, Link began moving. Keeping his shield raised and the Master Sword held behind his back, the Hylian rushed along several complex directions, making sure his destination was never certain. He was hoping he could confuse Volvagia enough to open up an opportunity to sink his blade into the creature's chest…

…and now was the time to find out. Volvagia was leveling himself along the ground once more and heading straight for Link. The Hero of Time smirked as he dashed one way and then the other, only allowing the dragon guesses to his movements. Then, when Volvagia again nearly reached Link, the dragon turned left and lashed out with its right arm…

_"Gotcha!"_

With practiced ease, Link rolled forward, getting himself clear of the dragon's claws. His roll landed him directly beneath Volvagia's chest, which was exactly where he wanted to be! Victory in sight, Link twisted the Master Sword around and sent it spiraling in a downward arch aimed at where he suspected the creature's heart lay…

_"What the…oh, no…!"_

To Link's horror, Volvagia hadn't fallen for the trick. As Link's sword came down, he spotted Volvagia's _left_ arm swinging upward, trying to slice the Hero of Time into shreds with an uppercut motion. All Link could do was force the Master Sword out of its arch and into a countering motion…

_KELAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNG…_

The blow was so violent that Link nearly landed on his back; instead, however, he merely stumbled backwards for several steps before he regained his balance. The moment he did, he glanced worriedly at the Master Sword, seeing if it had been damaged – after all, it had just taken a direct blow against Volvagia's powerful claws. To his relief, the blade was still in one piece, the only result of the swipe being the resulting frightening ringing sound of the metal.

But the unscathed Master Sword didn't comfort Link for that long. Volvagia obviously had the upper hand in this battle. The Megaton Hammer had failed to live up to its legend, and Volvagia was too quick for Link's sword attack. He could use Farore's Wind to speed up his movements again, but he was already growing tired from using his magic for so long…

Suddenly, he realized he was feeling heat nearby, enough heat to overcome his heat-resistant clothing. He looked behind him…and saw he was only two steps away from the edge of the lava pool! Link's face went pale as he realized how close he was to being toasted. He quickly decided to get to a better spot and turned back around…

…only to see Volvagia once again charging straight at him.

_"By the Three Goddesses…"_

There was nothing Link could do. Even with Farore's Wind, there was no way he could put a safe distance between himself and the lava pool. All he could while running was defend, and Volvagia's powerful attacks would more than suffice in pushing the helpless Hylian into the lava. As the dragon approached closer and closer at impossible speeds, Link thought he saw his life flash before his eyes…

"_Brotheeeeeeeer_!"

That voice…could it be…?

A large brown mass came rolling out of the almost settled dust clouds caused by the avalanche. Link didn't need confirmation to know that the mass was none other than his Sworn Brother Darunia, rolling along the ground in a ball. But it wasn't that Darunia had appeared or that Darunia was rolling along the ground that surprised Link; it was how _fast_ Darunia was rolling! He was moving so fast that…he was matching and even besting the speed of Volvagia!

"Darunia…!" Link called out, almost forgetting about the charging dragon. "What do you think you're doing?"

Darunia didn't reply, but instead continued his rolling, inching closer and closer towards the dragon that didn't seem to notice the Goron creeping up behind him. Then, just as the gap between the dragon and the Goron narrowed to within arm's length, Darunia broke free of his curled up position and launched himself forward. With a loud, war-like cry, he wrapped his massive hands around Volvagia's tail, and when his felt landed on the ground, he dug his heels firmly into the hard soil.

What happened next was nothing short of remarkable. Volvagia, who had Link and only Link in his sights, roared his abrasive roar when he realized his progress was being halted by someone behind him. But there was nothing the dragon could do about it; too stunned by the surprise attack, Volvagia was forced to a complete stop by Darunia's determined grip. With a loud thud, Volvagia's snake-like body lost its flying ability and flopped onto the ground, his head being the last to collapse.

The pain in Darunia's eyes as he held the beast by its tail was unmistakable. The wounds on his burnt arm obviously hadn't healed yet, and blood was still dripping down onto his hands. But he managed to fight the pain to scream out a vital message to the Hero of Time:

"Link! Kill him! Now!"

Snapping out of his amazement, Link nodded towards his Sworn Brother. "Right!"

His steadfastness returning and the Master Sword raised high, Link charged straight towards the dragon, who was starting to raise its head off the ground. Volvagia definitely looked non too pleased at being caught off guard like this, and though he wasn't flying anymore that didn't mean he was defenseless. One quick cut with his claws or one blast of his breath and Darunia would be dead.

Which is why Link had to hurry…

"Die, you piece of filth!"

As the dragon's upper body lifted himself into the air with his arms, Volvagia's underbelly was exposed. Without blinking, Link leapt forward and brought the Master Sword down with all his might.

"_Eeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggghhh_!"

_KLIIIIIISSSSSHHH…_

The sword sank deep into the beast's belly, carving a clean path deep into the dragon's pulpy skin before slowing down and stopping altogether, wedged in tightly. Volvagia paused briefly before he raised his head into the air and screamed a cry of pain and fury, his arms thrashing around uncontrollably. Link knew not whether he had struck the beast's heart, but he felt certain that the blow was enough to kill. To make sure of it, he thrust the lodged blade as hard as he could into the creature's body several times, each lunge firmer than the last.

Smiling comfortably for the first time in a while, Link relaxed his grip on the Master Sword. "Finally…it's all over…"

"Link! Look out!"

Link's jerked his head up upon hearing Darunia's warning…and his face couldn't contain all of the surprise and shock he felt when he saw Volvagia, still very much alive, staring down at him viciously. The dragon snarled his grating scream once more before he opened his mouth, aiming it directly at the Hero of Time.

"Dear gods…!" Link cried out as he saw the familiar flickering in the dragon's throat.

Seconds later, Volvagia released a rain of fire down upon the Hero of Time. Luckily, however, Link was fast enough to counter the attack. He quickly withdrew the Master Sword from the beast's belly and raised his shield above his head. The fiery blast struck the shield dead-on, forcing Link to kneel against the strength of the discharge. The shield grew increasingly hot and started burning Link's hands, but he forced himself to remain as still as possible, knowing anything less would result in him being charred.

The second Link no longer felt the blast pushing him down, Link wasted no time in getting away from the dragon. Volvagia, likewise, wasted no time in getting moving. Leaning his upper bodyweight upon his muscular arms, he pushed himself into the air, using his mysterious flying abilities to soar once again. Darunia, despite his best efforts, could not hold onto the dragon's tail; it slipped free from the Goron's hands with a soft click.

With Volvagia off the ground, Link swiftly rushed to the side of Darunia, who was relearning that his arm was horribly burned and sitting crookedly on the ground, grasping the bloody appendage where the bleeding was most severe.

"What are you doing here?" Link demanded as he knelt down beside the Goron. "I thought I told you to wait in the tunnel!"

The Goron looked up into Link's eyes and smiled weakly. "I…I know, but…I just couldn't bear leaving you to fight Volvagia alone. I remember…seven years ago…I allowed you to enter the Dodongo's Cavern alone…without offering my help. I regretted that decision. Consider this…my way of…making up for it."

Link wanted to retort, but he couldn't find the words. Instead, he smiled. "Well…you did save my life back there, which I'm thankful for. However, we've got other problems to worry about." He then looked up into the sky, where Volvagia was twisted and turning and…

Link's face instantly grew wide with horror. "Darunia! Get up! Now!"

"Why…?" the Goron muttered through the pain. "What's going…?"

"Volvagia's going to bring the roof down again!" the Hylian stated, pointing anxiously upward.

Darunia quickly looked up and was just in time to witness Volvagia begin rapidly whipping his tail against the ceiling. Moments later, the low rumbling of large chunks of stone coming loose started to reverberate in the air. The Goron's eyes widened in terror as he somehow found the strength to stand up.

"We've got to get out of here!" he stated.

"I know!" Link pointed out as he frantically looked around the chamber. "There! Over there!"

Darunia quickly saw what Link was pointing out. In the area of the previous rockslide, now cluttered with boulders and stalactites, one large boulder stood out. Part of the base of the rock was missing, leaving a depression in the boulder big enough for both Link and Darunia to crawl underneath.

"Hurry!" Link cried as he grabbed Darunia's hand. "We haven't much time!"

Darunia needed no more convincing as both the Hylian and the Goron ran as fast as they could towards the boulder, the rumblings in the air growing more and more profound. They reached the enormous piece of rock just as loud thuds – undoubtedly debris from Vovlagia's new avalanche – started sounding behind them, and they ducked under the crevasse in time to avoid being skewered by a tall stalactite.

As the rockslide worsened and kicked volcanic dust into the air, Link prayed quietly that the rock ceiling above their heads would hold. Several loud bangs indicated that large pieces of stone were colliding with their shelter, and one crash was enough to even cause the boulder to shift slightly. But to the Hylian's relief, the boulder remained standing, refusing to give way.

Feeling a bit safer, Link turned to the Goron, who was taking several deep breaths to tolerate the pain in his arm but otherwise was managing to remain awake.

"You all right?" the Hero of Time asked. "Are you holding up with your arm?"

Darunia nodded softly. "Yeah…I'm fine. My arm…it hurts, but…I'll manage."

Link nods. "That's good, because we may need to get out of here when the opportunity presents itself."

"Why's that?" Darunia asked, a note of concern in his voice.

"Because we need to come up with a better strategy than the one I've been using. This dragon is turning out to be quite a pain. Not even the Master Sword could…"

It was then that Link looked down at the Master Sword in his hands…and he was surprised by what he saw. After all that the sword had done to the dragon's underbelly, the blade looked remarkably clean – there was no a spot of blood anywhere on the sword's surface! Had he missed the heart completely?

"Curses! This is worse than I thought!" Link mumbled angrily. "It did barely anything at all…"

At that moment, Darunia looked down at Link's hand and noticed something as well. "Link…where's the Megaton Hammer? I thought you were using that against Volvagia."

"I did," Link admitted, "but it did nothing but barely crack his armor. Not even a direct blow to his chest seemed to do anything. His heart must be well protected or something…"

"No, no, Brother!" Darunia interjected frantically. "Oh, dear…I should've told you this before you came here! Volvagia _has_ no heart!"

Link's jaw dropped. "Wh…whaaaa…? What are you talking about? All living things, especially something that size, must have a heart…"

"Not Volvagia…" Darunia grunted as he leaned against the wall of the crevasse. "Volvagia is a creature created in the days of old by twisted magic. Whatever mage or sorcerer gave birth to this hideous monster designed Volvagia to be as foul and wicked as possible, and the only way to accomplish this was to give him a heart of stone. This dragon, in essence, has no heart. He has no blood. He is a creature driven by evil instincts, and he cannot be slain by removing a heart he does not possess…"

Suddenly, a loud roar erupted from somewhere above the cavern. Link looked out to see that the avalanche had ceased and the dust clouds were beginning to clear. The roar seemed to be one of anger, meaning that Volvagia had lost sight of his prey. But there still existed the possibility that the dragon could still smell them, meaning their hiding place wouldn't hold out for long.

"Great!" Link growled, almost throwing the Master Sword to the ground. "Just bloody great. So how in Hael are we supposed to defeat something like that?"

Darunia, despite the pain, managed to find the strength to speak calmly. "There is a way, Link. It's the only way. Volvagia may not have a heart, but he can still be killed. His weakness lies in his head."

"His head?" Link parroted. "You mean cut it off or something?"

"No. Cutting off his head won't do anything. All of Volvagia's life energy stems from within his mind. To slay Volvagia, you have to shatter his brain."

Link nodded, strangely understanding what Darunia was telling him. But there was still one problem. "Easier said than done. That dragon's skull is protected by some kind of bone structure. I doubt anything can penetrate that…"

"Except the Megaton Hammer."

Darunia's words struck Link almost as hard as the Megaton Hammer itself. "Okay, now this is starting to make sense. So _that's_ why the Hammer is needed. It's the only thing that can break through Volvagia's protective bone."

Darunia nodded. "Exactly. So if we can lure him in, we can use the power of the Megaton Hammer to strike him down. Quickly, Link, where's the Hammer?"

A sheepish look crept into Link's face as he revealed the location of the Megaton. A horrified look on Darunia's face followed almost instantly.

"This is terrible! We can't defeat Volvagia without the Hammer! We have to get it back!"

"I know, I know…" Link assured when, all of a sudden, he was interrupted by a loud hiss. Seconds later, a tongue of flame collided with the boulder under which Link and Darunia were hiding, barely missing the groove in which they were wedged. But even this near-escape didn't allow the Hylian and Goron much time to relax when the boulder itself was rocked by a robust clang.

"What's going on?" Link spluttered when he heard a familiar roar. "Volvagia…oh, bugger, he's found us!"

Link didn't need to look outside to know that Volvagia had struck the boulder with his talons in an attempt to drive Link and Darunia out. Link braced himself for another attack, expecting the dragon to beat the rock several more times and shatter it…

…but the subsequent blows didn't come. Link was surprised, to say the least. Why wasn't Volvagia whacking away at the boulder relentlessly? Did the dragon not know where they were and was searching for them in the rubble…no, that didn't sound right. Volvagia wasn't that stupid. Something wasn't making sense…

Just then, another powerful blow shook the rock, followed by another roar. Volvagia obviously knew where they were…but Link now _knew_ something wasn't right.

"Darunia, stay here for a moment," the Hero of Time cautioned as he carefully edged towards one end of the wedge under the boulder. Prepared to retreat just in case, Link quickly stuck his head outside and took a look around.

To his amazement, he saw Volvagia circling upwards, making an orbit that ultimately led to the boulder on the ground. Volvagia arched around through the air rapidly until the dragon reached the rock upon completing the circle. Link quickly ducked back under the boulder before Volvagia could see him; a few seconds later, the boulder again shuddered with the cuff of the dragon's claws.

"What's wrong, Link?" Darunia asked when he noticed a puzzled expression on Link's face.

"It's Volvagia…he's trying to weed us out, but…he's doing it in waves. I don't understand…wait a minute…"

It was then that Link realized something about Volvagia. From the instant the dragon appeared to when Darunia forced him to the ground, Volvavia had always kept moving; not once had he ever stood still. Link thought Volvagia could at least hover in the air, but even during the dragon's swipes he hadn't seen any evidence of Volvagia doing so.

Was Volvagia incapable of hovering? If that was the case, then…could…?

"Darunia, I've got an idea," Link stated as a smile formed on his lips.

"An idea? For what…?"

"To get that Hammer back," he replied as he, amazingly, returned both his sword and shield to their holding places upon his back. "It's a little risky, but it's the only option we have. Are you all right with that?"

Despite the unsure look in his eyes, Darunia didn't hesitate. "Yes, of course. If it's the only way, then I'll do it…"

"Good. Now, I want you to run out with me the moment you feel this rock shake. All right?"

Darunia quietly nodded.

"Then get ready…"

The pair under the boulder waited for Volvagia to strike the rock once again. Seconds later, another violent shock clouted the rock, followed by another roar.

"Go! Go now!"

With his Sworn Brother's hand in his own, Link pulled the Goron out from under the boulder and into the open, running as fast as he could without losing his scarred friend. The two of them ran for about five seconds before they stopped, Darunia the first to catch his breath.

"Okay…now what…?" he asked between breaths.

"Now…I want you to stand right here, right next to me, and wait."

"Wait for what?"

"You'll see."

Without another word, Link looked up. Darunia, too in pain to ask anything further, could only follow Link's gaze. Their gazes clearly centered on Volvagia who was still encircling in the air for another attack on the boulder. But just before the worm could strike the rock again, his small eyes noticed the Hylian and Goron standing out in the open, staring back at him.

In a scream of surprise and fervor, Volvagia twisted his massive snake-like body several times before leveling off along the ground, executing another arrow-straight assault. Volvagia's eyes were completely focused on the two figures standing quietly in the middle of the chamber, and those same eyes were filled with a burning hatred and a sinister hunger.

"Wait for it…" Link whispered to his friend.

"For what?" Darunia asked again, growing a little nervous.

"Wait for iiiiiit…" Link repeated, not hearing the Goron's question.

The dragon was closing in rapidly, and Darunia instinctively took a step to the side. Link quickly reached out and held the Goron to where they stood.

"Um…Link?" Darunia uttered anxiously.

"Waaaiiiiiit…"

Then, just as Volvagia soared within throwing distance of the pair, his beaked jaws opened to reveal the accustomed flickering.

"Now! Jump!"

The Goron didn't need Link's prodding or pushing to follow Link's order; Darunia threw his weight to the side and curled up into a ball, using his momentum to carry him away from the tongue of flame that escaped from Volvagia's throat. Link, too, leapt to the side to avoid being burned to a crisp, but unlike Darunia he kept his eye on Volvagia, who was about to turn direction upward to ready another frontal assault.

Exactly what Link wanted.

Just as the dragon's head turned upward, Link reached for his belt and withdrew his hookshot. Because he was by now used to aiming the device without the ruby target light, all Link did was raise the weapon, point, and release the metallic hook within the span of a heartbeat. The arrowhead sailed through the volcanic heat seemingly faster than Volvagia could ever dream to fly, and several moments later the hookshot sank into just what Link had aimed at.

Volvagia's soft underbelly.

Once again, the piercing of the dragon's flesh resulted in nothing save a scream of annoyance from Volvagia, but the point of the action wasn't to kill or maim the dragon. Instead it was…

_VFOOOOOOOF…_

Before he could even blink, the hookshot's spring recoiled, pulling Link clear off the ground and into the air. Link merely braced himself as the chain dragged him higher and higher towards an already ascending Volvagia. He struck the dragon's snake-like body with a soft thump, and instinctively reached out and wrapped his arms around the worm's body, though he did make sure to return the hookshot to his belt first.

_"So…this is what it's like to fly on a dragon,"_ Link thought as he watched the ground briskly move farther and farther away, his sweat-filled locks dangling in front of his eyes and flapping violently in the air.

It didn't take Volvagia long to realize that he had a "passenger" on his body, and he screamed another abrasive roar, this time in anger. He twisted his worm-like upper body downward to attempt biting the unwelcome traveler off, but Link was already one step ahead and managed to climb onto Volvagia's back using the dragon's tough scales. Enraged further, Volvagia tried using his powerful arms to scrape the intruder off, but his arms couldn't bend far down enough to reach the Hero of Time.

Snarling in fury, Volvagia then began doing the only thing it could do: whip and buckle its body aggressively in hopes of throwing the rider off his back.

But Link managed to hold on. Volvagia's stone-like scales were rough enough to form natural, graspable reins, and amazingly Link had enough energy to avoid being tossed off the dragon's back. He made sure he was comfortable riding the wild and infuriated dragon before he started inching his way up Volvagia's back, making his way slowly and carefully towards the head.

Growing angrier and angrier with each passing moment, Volvagia tried twisting his body in every conceivable direction and performing acrobatic stunts of every possible variety to rid himself of the pest on his back. But Link refused to be removed; even as Volvagia's hair-like locks of fire brushed dangerously close to Link's face, the Hero of Time continued his crawl towards the dragon's head.

Finally, after going through a ride that would make any normal man sick, Link found himself sitting right on top of what he believed was Volvagia's neck. The dragon was just as relentless as ever in trying to throw him off, but Link was too close to lose now. Making sure his legs were firmly straddling the dragon's body, Link let go of Volvagia's scales with his right hand and reached behind his back, drawing the Master Sword once again.

He then quickly slammed his stomach against the dragon's scales, still holding tight with his legs, and slipped the Master Sword underneath Volvagia's body, placing the edge directly against the dragon's throat. He then used his left hand to grab the tip of the blade, making sure he didn't cut himself, before he took a deep breath and, with a great heave, tugged the Master Sword's blade up into Volvagia's flesh, pushing it up as far as he could until it reached the dragon's thick neck bones.

Volvagia naturally howled in pain and rage as he felt his throat being cut by his opponent's weapon. He tried again to buckle and throw off his foe, but Link now had a firm anchor to keep himself on the dragon. Of course, if Link's guess was right, the Master Sword was now something other than an anchor…

_"Let's try it out…"_

With a loud grunt, Link turned the sword to the right. With Volvagia's head lodged on the blade, it turned with the sword. And as the dragon's head turned, so did the dragon's body and direction. Encouraged, Link pulled the Master Sword upward. Both Volvagia's head and body followed. Now grinning from ear to ear, Link pushed the sword downward, causing Volvagia to dive.

_"It works! It works! It…woah!"_

Link's thoughts were interrupted by an unusually sharp buckle from Volvagia. The dragon was obviously not very pleased at being treated like a horse, and his determination to throw off the Hero of Time had just been increased twofold. But Link's grip on the Master Sword held firm, even though the dragon's ferocious movements were causing the blade to slip and cut his left hand.

Gritting his teeth to numb the pain in his hand, he muttered to himself, "Okay…now to get back what you knocked away from me, you miserable worm."

With a firm heave of his hands, Link twisted the dragon's head around, forcing Volvagia to turn towards the wall of the cavern. His mind briefly considered the possibility of directing the dragon to crash into the wall, but he realized the collision would more likely kill Link instead of the dragon, so he scrapped that plan. Instead he compelled the dragon to fly near and around the cavern's walls in search of the Megaton Hammer lodged within the stone.

Link spotted the Hammer a few moments into his search, and he nodded approvingly as he directed the dragon towards it. Volvagia was by now too furious to grow any more heated, but he still tried and tried to rid himself of the Hylian forcing him to fly at knifepoint. The buckling were so powerful that Link could feel his grip slowly yet gradually weaken.

But he didn't mind. He wasn't going to stay there that much longer anyway…

_"Just a little bit closer…closer…_there_!"_

At the last moment, just before reaching the spot in the wall where the Hammer was wedged, Link forced Volvagia upward, sending the dragon towards the ceiling. An instant later, Link let go of the Master Sword with his left hand and pulled it free from Volvagia's flesh with his right, ignoring the bloodless squelch that resulted. He then aimed for the wall just above the Hammer, took a deep breath…

…and jumped off Volvagia's back.

"_Wa__-ha_!" he screamed almost excitedly as he watched the cavern wall rush towards him.

Wasting no time, he positioned his body so his bent legs would collide first with the wall. He then gripped the Master Sword's hilt in both hands and waited for the right moment…

"Hya!"

As hard as he could, just as he feet rammed into the wall, Link plunged the Master Sword's blade into the rock. The steel sank into the stone halfway, and Link's momentum caused the blade's sharp edges to begin carving their way through the rock downward, carrying the Hero of Time with it. Performing a delicate balance act with maintaining his poise against the wall and grip on the sword hilt, Link concentrated as he slid down the wall using his sword as a means of transportation. But his eyes were fixed on one thing and one thing only, and it didn't take long before his little ride brought him right next to exactly what he was after.

Without even bothering to halt his progress, Link quickly reached out with one hand and grabbed the handle of the Megaton Hammer. Because the instrument was wedged firmly in the stone wall, Link's grip on the Hammer's hilt instantly stopped his downward slide. Now hanging on the cavern's wall by both the Master Sword and the Megaton Hammer, Link took a brief moment to collect his breath.

_"Phew…what a ride…"_

The Hero of Time then focused on the buried Hammer and tried freeing it from the wall. The weapon's head was firmly lodged inside the rock, but that only encouraged Link to yank the handle even harder. Then, with one powerful tug, the Hammer's head suddenly snapped free, and Link found himself dangling above the ground by only one hand via the Master Sword. But he didn't care, because he held the freed Megaton Hammer in his other hand, which he held up high above his head.

"All right! Darunia! I've got it! I've got the Megaton Hammer! I…Darunia? Darunia…? Darunia!"

Link spotted Darunia down on the cavern floor, curled up into a ball once again and rolling madly across the ground; closely following behind him was Volvagia, snapping his jaws maliciously at his prey. The distance between the two was enough to prevent Darunia from being burnt by the dragon's breath or torn apart by the beast's claws, but it was painfully obvious that Volvagia was closing the gap with every second. Darunia couldn't last much longer in his injured state. Eventually he was going to become food for the irate dragon…if he didn't die of exhaustion first…

_"Curse it! I forgot to tell Darunia to hide! Why didn't that bloody dragon come after me?"_

As he watched the scene play out before him in horror, Link felt something burn inside of him. It was a burning anger beginning to flow through his veins, an almost vile desire to see Volvagia dead. He remembered feeling this way when he saw Saria threatened by those Wolfos, and now he was witnessing Darunia, his Sworn Brother, being threatened by a demon worm.

His knuckles whitened as his grip on both the Master Sword and the Megaton Hammer tightened, and his teeth gritted together in growing fury. Even though Volvagia's attention was fully occupied with the tumbling Goron, Link snarled in the dragon's direction anyway. Volvagia was going to die. Right here. Right now…

Without a second thought, Link pulled the Master Sword from the rock. He started falling to the ground an instant later.

_"Here I come, you bastard…"_

The fact that Link had been clinging to the wall at a height that would've killed him in a fall didn't cross his mind even once. He just quietly and calmly watched as the ground came roaring towards him, threatening to flatten him upon impact. Then, moments before he reached the ground, Link smiled boldly and did the only thing he could do at that moment.

He summoned the energies of both Temples – Light and Forest – within him.

Almost instantly, his body surged with additional strength and vigor – the Master Sword reflected that surge as the blade started glowing a faint yet noticeable mix of white and green hues. His body purged of all doubt, Link then bent his knees inward before he thrust his legs outward, landing his feet squarely against the side of the cavern wall. The force of his push was strong enough to overcome a lot of the gravitational force pulling him downward…and still had enough to spare to impel the Hero of Time forward, allowing him to land safely.

But Link didn't just land – he twisted his body around, touched the ground, and immediately started running. The moment his feet touched the ground, he propelled himself forward into a sprint, calling forth Farore's Wind. Soon he was but a blur heading towards his Sworn Brother and the dragon of legend, his hands swinging two mighty weapons and ready to use either of them.

Halfway towards the chase scene ahead, Link raised his voice and called out as loud as he could, "Darunia! Come towards me! Come this way!"

Link didn't know if Darunia had seen him or not, but the Goron definitely heard him. Gradually yet swiftly, the rolling Darunia changed his direction and started moving in the direction of the speedily running Hero of Time, Volvagia in hot pursuit. Link smiled as he saw that Volvagia's anger was still blinding him to everything but Darunia…

_"…meaning he won't see me until it's too late,"_ Link smirked.

With Volvagia and Darunia on a collision course with Link, the Hero of Time readied his weapons, twirling them around several times in the air. He increased his speed with Farore's Wind just to be safe, but his confidence in his plan was too high to disillusion him now. As he ran closer and closer towards his snake-like adversary, his mind danced with images and thoughts of seeing Volvagia dead by his own hand. He sneered proudly, ready to cast the final blow upon his foe.

Yes, Volvagia will die here and now at the hands of the Hero of Time. This was what he wanted from the beginning, and now no one was here to take it away from him. Not that interfering Sheikh, not that irritating Navi…no one. Link and Link alone deserved this…

"Volvagia…you're _miiiiiiine_!"

The passion raged through Link's mind so fervently that his eyes seemed to glow with obsession. His gaze was completely fixated on the approaching dragon, almost completely disregarding the Goron that Volvagia chased. Darunia only crossed Link's mind when the rolling Goron was almost on top of him, forcing Link to bound into the air over his Sworn Brother in order to get to his adversary, who had by now noticed the approaching Hylian.

"You're mi...!"

Link's battle cry was abruptly cut short when Volvagia's beak swung open and released another burst of flame from his throat, the fiery attack aimed squarely at the leaping Hero of Time. Link's burning eyes widened in terror as he watched the flames approach him, threatening to engulf him and vaporize him…

But luck was on Link's side. Volvagia had released the fiery pillar just as the Hylian was descending, allowing the flames to pass overhead. But Link didn't make it out completely untouched – the fires caught his hat and plucked it off his head before disintegrating the fabric in their intense heat. Landing on his feet without his cap, Link's sweat-drenched locks of hair dangled before his eyes unhindered before flapping in his face due to his incredible speed.

Of course, Volvagia's attack only made Link angrier…

_"How…_dare_ you!"_

Those words burned in Link's mind as he pushed himself as fast as his remaining strength and divine energies could carry him, his muscles beginning to strain from all the fatigue. Volvagia appeared miffed that his attack had barely missed the Hero of Time and began to pull upward with a grating cry of renewed fury. But Link wasn't going to let him get away. Not this time.

_"Where do you think you're going, you bloody piece of…_eeeeaaaarg_!"_

Volvagia was fast, but this time Link was faster. Before the dragon could even look upward, Link was already passing the worm on the side. Releasing a battle cry inside his mind, Link leapt into the air, raised the Master Sword, and brought the mighty weapon down right where he wanted: the joint connecting Volvagia's left arm to his body.

The blade sank deep into the dragon's flesh, and even managed to cut to some extent through the bone before it could go no further. The agony in Volvagia's ensuing scream was louder even than the one where Link had supposedly pierced the worm's nonexistent heart, and the blow was strong enough that Link immediately saw the results he desired: the appendage drooped down the dragon's side lifelessly, and Volvagia began to wobble uncontrollably in the air.

_"Perfect! Just as I thought! He uses his arms to balance himself in the air!"_

Link wasted no time as he landed firmly on the ground after partially crippling Volvagia's arm – he knew that the dragon would correct his balance fairly quickly unless he distracted him. And Link already had a perfect way to distract him…

The Hero of Time looked up, staring directly at the exposed belly of the dragon, and hurriedly took the Master Sword and thrust its shimmering blade upward, drilling the steel deep into the dragon's underside. Volvagia reacted with another piercing scream of pain, but Link wasn't done yet. With Farore's Wind still propelling him, Link ran along Volvagia's body, pulling his sword along with him through the dragon's flesh like drawing lines in the sand with a stick. There was no blood, as expected, but the shrill shrieks Link heard from Volvagia told him it hurt more than enough.

As he carved out the gash along Volvagia's underbelly, Link screamed out loud, "Fall! Fall! Fall, curse you, _fall_!"

He got his wish just as he reached the dragon's tail. Unable to focus on regaining his balance, Volvagia's body twisted left and downward, incapable of stopping even if he wanted to do so. The dragon landed face first in the ground, a loud crack of bones emerging from the beast's jaw. Despite the pain crawling all the way up his worm-like body, Volvagia couldn't scream as he skidded along the floor, scraping the bloodless wound inflicted all along his underside.

Link emerged from underneath the dragon just as Volvagia landed with a loud snap, and he quickly turned around to face the lacerated creature. Volvagia's head was now lying directly on the ground, the perfect height. Link now could've dashed towards the head using Farore's Wind and ended this battle himself, and the fervent look in his eyes and the raging obsession in his heart wouldn't let him do otherwise.

_"This is it!"_ he told himself as he prepared to sprint over to the dragon's vulnerable head. _"This is what I've waited for! This is my moment of triumph! I get to kill one of the most feared creatures of legend! He shall die by my own hand! I'm so close I…what the? No! By the Three Goddesses, no!"_

To Link's horror, Volvagia was beginning to sit up. The dragon's left arm may have been severed, but the worm could sense imminent danger and was trying to avoid it by getting back into the air as quickly as possible. Even if he pushed himself to the limits with Farore's Wind, Link couldn't make it to the dragon's head in time to strike the final blow, and his muscles were bursting with exhaustion at the moment…

_"No! He can't get away! Not now! What am I going to…?"_

"Link! Throw me the Hammer!"

Link's eyes quickly darted to the side to see Darunia running as fast as he could towards Volvagia's head, his unburned arm stretched out with an open fist. It took Link a full moment to realize what Darunia was asking, and another full moment before even think about it…

_"What…throw him the Megaton? But this is _my_ moment! Volvagia is _my_ kill! Does he honestly expect me to just give it up without a second thought…? But if I throw the Hammer to him now, he should be able to finish Volvagia off before he gets back into the air…But this is still my kill! _Mine_! I can get Volvagia during another attack! This doesn't have to end now…! But what if Volvagia sees through my strategies? He's not stupid…But still…!"_

An argument that would've normally taken several minutes flashed through Link's mind in the span of an instant. His eyes darted back and forth between Darunia and Volvagia, struggling to make a decision between his own desires and necessity…

He finally made his choice.

_"Damn it!"_

Link pulled his arm behind him, his eyes glaring at a specific site just in front of Volvagia's snout. An unknown instinct inside of him called forth the energy of the Forest Temple, overshadowing the presence of the Light Temple energy. The Master Sword sparkled a muffled green as the Hero of Time felt the essence of the forest flow through him. Despite feeling incredibly vexed at the moment, he could feel something else: serenity, calmness, poise, natural perfection. He could perfectly see the spot for which he was aiming, and he could feel himself gather just the right amount of potency and force to reach that spot.

As much as he didn't like what he was about to do, he wasn't going to miss …

"Darunia! Catch!"

Link then released his arm and, with all of his remaining strength, sent the Megaton Hammer into the spinning arc through the air. The weapon whistled wildly through its journey as it almost seeming to glide its way towards the spot where Link had sent it.

_"Come on, Darunia! Catch the bloody thing!"_

As if hearing Link's scream, Darunia quickened his pace, his eyes lighting up with excitement at anticipating catching the mighty Hammer while growing wide with worry upon noticing Volvagia stirring. Concern also began to fill Link's eyes when the dragon noticed the Goron and snarled.

Forgetting for a moment his displeasure at giving up the opportunity of killing Volvagia himself, Link cried out almost in desperation:

"Get it!"

Darunia must've interpreted Link's cry as "jump!", for the Goron all of a sudden dove into the air, his arm extending as far as it could to grab the mystical instrument heading in his direction. Link could feel his heart stop as he watched, half-expecting the Goron to miss the catch and allow this opportunity to get away…

_PITP…_

The smack that resulted from the handle of the Megaton Hammer landing perfectly in Darunia's massive hand was so loud that Link nearly took a step backward in amazement. Everything seemed to move in slow motion from that moment on – the Goron almost appeared to float in the air, his eyes lighting up in triumph as he wielded the weapon his ancient ancestors had wielded many generations ago…

Just then, Volvagia began moving on the offensive. Fuming with being brought down in such a humiliating fashion, the dragon perched its upper body upon its arms before opening its beak with a coarse snarl to produce the familiar, deadly flicker…

_"By Din's Fire! Darunia…!"_ Link called out in his mind. _"_Darunia_…!"_

But fate was on the side of the Big Brother of the Goron race. Before Volvagia could release his deadly flames, the Goron adjusted the Megaton Hammer in his good hand, aimed, and bellowed a lasting exclamation at the top of his voice:

"For my people!"

_RAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG…_

With a roar rivaling that of Volvagia, Darunia brought the mighty head of the Megaton Hammer down upon the skull of the dragon. There was a loud crash and a deafening ring as Volvagia's head slammed into the ground, creating a shock wave that spread far enough to cause Link to temporarily lose his balance. A depression formed in the soil beneath the dragon's skull as Volvagia tried but failed to scream after such a violent blow.

Then it happened. An earsplitting crack ruptured in the hard exoskeleton on Volvagia's face, followed closely by multiple fractures that grew more and more numerous with each passing second. Volvagia's eyes watched in terror as the hard bone protecting his brain evolved into a series of tiny fissures and clefts…before all the pieces imploded with a soft pop, falling to the ground as harmless dust and exposing the soft flesh of his head.

But that was not the end of it. The Megaton Hammer had not just destroyed Volvagia's protective shell; it had penetrated far beyond the bone, sending thousands of crippling vibrations deep into Volvagia's skull and into his brain, whipping it around furiously within the cranial cavity. Within a matter of seconds, the monster's brain had been reduced to a piece of soggy, gummy pulp.

But Volvagia wasn't dead yet. With his brain no longer able to interpret his movements correctly, Volvagia's body began convulsing and trembling uncontrollably, its abandoned reflexes whipping the snake-like body around furiously. Darunia wisely stepped back as he witnessed the sight of his people's ancient nemesis thrashing around in fatal anguish. Several cries managed to escape from Volvagia's throat, but they were all distorted and beyond recognizable.

Then something remarkable began to happen. As both Link and Darunia watched, Volvagia's body began to disintegrate! Starting at the tail, the dragon's flesh gradually yet rapidly began to peel off, turning into a goo-like substance that instantly evaporated in the volcanic heat. The breakdown of Volvagia's flesh left the dragon's bleached white skeleton and stone-like scales, which began to detach themselves from the skeleton moments after the skin disappeared.

The collapsing flesh trailed all the way up the worm's body, leaving in its way a lifeless skeletal corpse. Upon reaching the dragon's arms, both appendages fell off their owner's body before succumbing to the same kind of erosion – the dragon's claws, once menacing and deadly, tumbled off their fingers and shattered into powder upon striking the ground.

It wasn't until the disintegration reached Volvagia's neck when the dragon finally stopped screaming, and even then the death-defiant beast continued thrashing around mindlessly. Oddly enough, the erosion didn't take hold of the dragon's skull's flesh; the flesh remained intact, as if to deny Darunia the pleasure of slaying his foe by a single blow.

But Darunia cared not for pleasure in killing this vile creature. All that Darunia cared for were his people and his sworn duty as their Big Brother to protect them. Raising the Megaton Hammer one more time, the Goron brought the head down upon Volvagia's unprotected skull.

The dragon's head detonated under the awesome power of the Megaton Hammer, sending pieces of bone and beads of bloodless flesh and brain fluid flying in every direction. All that remained of the once feared Volvagia's head now lay still, finally tamed permanently by the weapon used to seal him up all those years ago.

The dragon was dead.

An eerie silence fell across the immense cavern, as if words were not worthy of such a moment. But there were words being spoken at that moment – they just all happened to be inside Link's mind:

_"Incredible…Volvagia is dead…and he died at the hands of Darunia. Come to think of it, it is somewhat fitting that _he_ was the one who slew the dragon…but curse it, I still can't help but feel disappointed in all this. Volvagia was supposed to be mine! What kind of Hero of Time am I if I'm not the one who kills…say, why is it so hot all of a sudden…?"_

A strange wave of heat seemed to radiate upon his head, causing Link to instinctively reach up and touch his crown. He felt nothing but his own sweaty hair, and he abruptly remembered Volvagia vaporizing his cap only moments before. Link's eyes widened with shock as he realized just how lucky he had been – had Volvagia fired just a few seconds earlier, the cap wouldn't have been the only thing vaporized…

And all because he had once again grown insane…

In an unexpected turn of anger, Link took the Master Sword in his hand and slashed it against the volcanic ground, burying the blade partially into the ground. He gritted his teeth in frustration as he recalled his previous fits of madness and how they had caused him to hurt, if not kill those around him. But he no longer cared whether or not he killed things that deserved to die. The Lizalfos…King Dodongo…the Barinade…they all justified their deaths. Heck, maybe even Ingo should've died back when Link had the chance…

But no, this moment of insanity was different. This time…_Link_ nearly ended up dead. He didn't want to admit it, but he couldn't ignore it: his fits were growing more uncontrollable, blurring his judgment to the point of recklessness. What if he went insane again…and lost all rational thought? What if he did something that would get him killed or do something he would end up regretting? What if he…killed someone actually cared about…?

_POOFP…_

A loud plop snapped Link out of his thoughts. He turned to face Darunia, who had collapsed on the ground upon his belly, letting go of the Megaton Hammer in the process. Concern for his Sworn Brother replaced his alarm over his fits as the Hero of Time remembered Darunia's burns.

"Darunia!" Link called as he raced to the Goron's side, ignoring the carnage of the dead dragon at his feet. He knelt beside Darunia and quickly turned him over. To Link's relief, the Goron was breathing normally, but his eyes were closed and his powerful arms were drooping to his sides lazily.

"Darunia…are you all right? Speak to me!"

Seconds later, the Goron's beady black eyes slowly opened and looked at the Hylian towering above him. Darunia again smiled and replied, "My…my Sworn Brother…"

"Darunia, are you okay?" Link repeated.

Somehow, the Goron managed to find enough energy to nod. "I…I'm all right. It's just that…all of this excitement…overworked me to the…to the breaking point. The pain in my arm…is threatening to paralyze me…"

Link quickly shook his head at the mention of the word "paralyze". "Don't you dare say that. You're going to get through this. You're Darunia, the Big Brother of the Goron race. Something like this is not going to stop the likes of you, do you hear me?"

Amazingly, Darunia's response to Link's sentimental rant was a sincere chuckle. "Ah, my Sworn Brother…say, could you please help me sit up?"

"What…? Oh, oh…sure thing. Here, let me just…omp!"

With a gentle heave, Link helped lift the Goron's heavy upper body, allowing Darunia to rest his body's top weight upon his hips. When he made sure that Darunia was properly balanced, Link continued, "There, how's that?"

Darunia smiled. "That's…perfect."

Out of the blue, Darunia's good arm abruptly shot out and wrapped itself around Link, pulling the Hylian into a powerful yet gentle hug against the Goron's chest. Link was naturally caught off guard and could only respond with a spluttered, "D…D…Darunia…"

"Thank you."

The Hero of Time blinked. "What…?"

"Thank you…for all that you've done," the Goron uttered. "My people are free, and Volvagia has been slain. None of this would've happened if it hadn't been for you. I already owe you so much, and yet you've once again outdone yourself. I am once again forever in your debt, my Sworn Brother."

A gentle tear seemed to trickle down his cheek as Darunia added, "I'm proud…to have named my son after you…"

Embarrassingly stunned at those words, all Link could do in response was slowly wrap his own arms around Darunia's back, returning the embrace. He squeezed as hard as he could – hoping Darunia wouldn't return the favor – and nodded.

"You're…you're welcome, my friend…"

My friend…

The words rolled inside Link's mind several times, wondering if he truly meant them. After all, not too long ago Link had been threatening to abandon the Goron race in favor of fulfilling a personal desire to kill a dragon. He could still hear a touch of sadness in Darunia's voice when the Goron had invoked that Sworn Brother oath, forcing Link to aid in rescuing the Gorons from certain death…

But wait…Link didn't have to uphold the oath, did he? After all, what was an oath but several choice words mixed together to sound omnipotent and binding? Link could've easily refused upholding the oath and went on to fight Volvagia alone. But he didn't. He instead adhered to the pledge's words…and under his own free will. He thought he had been forced into doing something he didn't wish to do…but could it be that he had wanted to do it all along?

Could it be he had wanted to save the Gorons from the beginning, and the pledge was the excuse he needed?

The explanation sounded too simple to be the truth, and Link didn't believe in simplicity anymore. But there was one thing of which he was certain: after all his complaining and stubbornness and unwillingness, he was surprisingly content in saving the Goron race and giving Darunia the honor of destroying the legendary dragon.

Maybe he really was Darunia's friend, as well as a friend to the Goron race.

Link smiled softly as he quietly mulled over the idea of building a stronger relationship with the Gorons, especially Darunia. After all, in this dark and alien world known as "seven years later", he longed to find something from his younger days that could remain with him. His Kokiri heritage, and above all Saria, regretfully couldn't be that remnant.

But there seemed to be no reason why Darunia couldn't help him build a life in this frightening and hideous existence as the Hero of Time…


	50. Hollow Victory

**Chapter 50: Hollow Victory**

"Hmmm….remarkable. Absolutely remarkable."

Malatite's giant yet tender hands gently probed the slumbering Sheik's arm one more time just to make sure his assertion was correct. When he confirmed it, the Goron shook his head in disbelief.

"Incredible. There's not a broken bone in him. These Hylians sure are resilient."

With that confirmation in place, Malatite took a moment to step away from the bed Sheik was lying on to get a drink of water. He walked up to a shallow well in his doctor's office and lapped up some of the liquid inside hungrily; he also used some of the cool water to soothe some of the burn marks on his skin, grateful to feel relief after many days of torment at the hands of hideous creatures.

After refreshing himself, Malatite stretched his back before turning his attention back to the Sheikah. "Looks like you're going to recover a lot faster than I thought you would. Still, might as well check you for bumps and bruises. Can't be too careful these days with inner blood clots. And let's not forget about those bite and burn marks…"

The Goron doctor made his way back to Sheik's side and then carefully rolled the Sheikah into a comfortable position on his back. Malatite then carefully lifted Sheik's hand and held it close to his face, examining the bite mark given by one of the Fire Bubbles. He realized the damage caused by the burning in the creature's bite was already infecting the wound and it would have to be patched up for a couple days…

Malatite suddenly giggled softly. "Funny…wasn't the last burn mark I treated for a Hylian also on the hand…?" he muttered to himself before returning to his work.

Taking great care, the Goron gently slid the sleeve of Sheik's shirt sleeve up his arm, revealing another burn mark. A similar rolling of Sheik's pants leg revealed the bite given to Sheik's shin. All of them were very serious, but nothing special cream and several days of rest and relaxation couldn't fix…

"Hmmm…you're a slender fellow, aren't you?" Malatite commented as he delicately applied some disinfectant to Sheik's wounds, causing the Sheikah to twitch slightly but remain asleep.

"Poor lad, you're completely exhausted," Malatite smiled as finished applying the disinfectant. As he waited for the liquid to dry, he decided to check for possible bruises that might be life-threatening. "Might as well start with your neck. Anything damaged in there could be fatal."

Lifting Sheik's head gently up, Malatite lightly grabbed the top of the mask covering Sheik's head and pulled it off, revealing Sheik's face…

The Goron abruptly gasped. "Oh, my word…!"

Just then, Sheik's eyes opened…

* * *

"Link…is something wrong?"

Link looked around the cavern for a few moments longer in a resolute before he finally shook his head and turned to Darunia. "Nope, I guess not. Here, come on. We need to get you to Malatite quick before those burns get any worse."

As Link helped the worn out Goron to his feet, Darunia asked, "What were you looking around for, anyway?"

"I'm not really sure. I thought something was going to happen, but…never mind, it's not important. Come on, let's go."

Slinging Darunia's arm around his neck, Link helped the Goron lean his weight upon the Hero of Time's shoulders. After making sure that Darunia was all right, he nodded and started moving forward slowly and carefully, allowing Darunia to keep up with him. Darunia flinched with each step he took, but quietly pressed on.

The two were halfway across the cavern towards the corridor that led back to the Fire Temple before they stopped to take a breather. "You holding up there, Darunia?" Link asked, concerned.

Darunia heaved in and out heavily, as if he had run a mile, but he nodded weakly. "Yes…I'm fine, thanks."

"Good," Link smiled before he looked down and noticed that Darunia's free hand was once again clutching the Megaton Hammer firmly in its grasp. "Better hold onto that thing. We don't wanna lose it…unless you want me to carry it for you…"

"No…no, that's okay," Darunia mumbled, still breathing forcefully. "I'm fine…"

"Well…if you're sure, then all right. Okay, here we go. Carefully…" Link stretched out his last word as he took a step forward leisurely, making sure the Goron resting on his shoulders could follow him. Darunia took several deep breaths before he put a foot forward…

…and his footing slipped, sending the Goron crashing to the ground. Darunia made no attempt to catch himself; his entire body went limp as he fell. Link instinctively took a step back so as not to be crushed by the Goron's massive weight, but his concern quickly grew when he realized that Darunia wasn't moving at all.

"Darunia! Darunia, are you all right? Say something!"

The Hylain quickly knelt down to examine the fallen Goron. To his horror, Darunia's eyes were shut tightly and his breathing was dangerously shallow. The pain in the Goron's arm must've engulfed him completely…crippled him, just like Darunia had said!

"Darunia! Can you hear me? Say something, please!"

But there was no response from the Goron. Darunia remained perfectly still, and Link's panicking eyes almost swore Darunia's breathing was slowing down. Growing more terrified by the minute, Link reached underneath the Goron and carefully turned him over onto his back, hoping it would allow Darunia to breath more easily.

But it didn't work. Darunia's breathing remained as shallow as ever, and now the Goron's charred arm was beginning to twitch slightly and uncontrollably. His face growing as white as a cloud, Link instinctively placed his ear against Darunia's massive chest; blood drained further from his face when he could only hear a faint resemblance of a heartbeat.

It seemed unimaginable, but it was happening. Darunia was dying.

_"Oh, no!"_ Link cried out in his mind. _"He needs help now! But where am I going to find someone…? Wait, that's right!"_

"Wait here, Darunia!" Link told the unconscious Goron before he took a deep breath and started sprinting towards the tunnel that led back to the temple. Within the span of a few seconds, he was inside the tunnel and running as fast as he could up the sloping floor.

If Link's hunch was right, then Navi should've returned by now with the Gorons he had asked her to fetch earlier…the Gorons who were called to help their injured Big Brother. There was no way that Link by himself could carry Darunia all the way back to Goron City, but a pack of Gorons would more than suffice…

_"Hang on, Darunia!"_ he hollered within his psyche. _"Help is on the way! I…there!"_

As he darted with frightening speed (without using Farore's Wind, no less) up the dark corridor, using his hand to feel out the wall, his eyes spotted a faint pink link up ahead. It didn't take him much to recognize the glow of his guardian fairy, and as he approached the glow he began hearing a familiar voice squeaking loudly amongst a crowd of what could only be Gorons.

"He should be here," the fay assured in the distance. "Link left him right here. Look, you can see the blood right…"

"Navi!" Link called out at the top of his voice. "Over here!"

"That voice," the Hylian heard. "That's Link! Link! We're over here…!"

"I know!" Link replied. "I'm coming and…what the…?"

Before he could continue, Link's line of vision was blocked by an abruptly emerging white glow. The glow had no known source, and it was spreading all over. Link skidded to a halt as he watched the white radiance engulf the corridor before him, trapping him into a illuminating yet non-blinding cocoon of light. Within a few moments, there was nothing left of his original surroundings.

At first Link was wondering just what was going on…until he remembered a similar experience back in the Forest Temple…

"The Sage!" he exclaimed in the white nothingness. "He's awakening!" Link then slapped the side of his head. "Idiot. This is what you were expecting after you killed Volvagia. Don't tell me you're surprised…"

Just then, he remembered Darunia. "No! No! I can't be taken to that chamber yet! My friend needs help! Don't take me away! Not yet! Please, send me back! Darunia needs me! Please!"

But his cries went unanswered. Dread filled Link's mind as he looked around the void frantically, hoping whatever was taking him to the Chamber of Sages would listen to him, but his hopes were in vain. When he saw the identifiable blue waterfalls of light begin to emerge from the white abyss, his heart sank at realizing he was losing precious time in saving his Sworn Brother.

Yet somehow he managed to keep his cool, and his dread was replaced by impatience. The emergence of the rest of the Chamber of Sages – the pool of blue light, the colored islands – seemed to take forever, and Link thrashed his hands around in the air as if to encourage them to hurry their materialization. If he was to meet this new Sage, he might as well make it quick. He just hoped that this meeting didn't take that long…

When the remaining traces of the white light had dissipated, Link quickly looked around for the red island, no doubt where the Sage of Fire would emerge – red equaled fire, right? He did, however, take a moment to glance at the green island, where Saria had stood not too long ago; sadly, like Rauru, she was nowhere to be seen. Disappointed, Link returned his attention to the red island and waited.

Sure enough, the red island slowly began to glow with a circular red light around its edges. As before, the light was faint overall but bright enough to be seen. Then, as Link tried to control his impatience, the light started to twist itself into a shape; because Link knew what to expect, he could already see the vague outlines of a person being molded by the bending light.

As he watched from the center island, Link half-expected to see someone the size of Saria being molded, but that expectation was gone when he saw the light curve higher than Saria's stature…_way_ higher, in fact. To Link's surprise, the light was forming a figure that was noticeably taller…no, _larger_ than him. Then he started to see recognizable features: muscular arms, enormous hands, a burly potbelly, a scraggly hairstyle…

_"You've _got_ to be _kidding_ me!"_

Before Link could protest aloud, the light exploded, forcing Link to turn away. When he turned to look once more, he confirmed his suspicion: the figure standing on the red island, the Sage of Fire, was none other than his Sworn Brother.

"Darunia…" Link stuttered in disbelief.

"It seems, my Sworn Brother," Darunia uttered as his lips widened with an enormous grin, "that we are related to one another in more ways than one."

Link struggled to find the words for this unexpected turn of events. "I…I don't believe it. You, Darunia…you're the Sage of Fire?"

Darunia couldn't help but chuckle himself. "I'm finding it hard to believe myself, but standing here before you with the power of the Fire Temple flowing through me means I cannot deny it. I am indeed the sacred keeper of this temple, one of the legendary Sages who will aid you in your quest to save this land from evil."

Link shook his head as he took several deep breaths of incredulity. This was nothing compared to the shock of seeing Saria become a Sage, but it certainly caught him by surprise. Not even the fact that he no longer had to worry about saving Darunia from his wounds could dampen the shock…wait a minute…

"Darunia…your arm. It's no longer burned!" Link abruptly pointed out.

The Goron looked down at his once charred arm to see what Link saw: a completely undamaged limb with no scars or reminders of the burn marks that had nearly paralyzed him. As if assuring himself of this, Darunia squeezed his hand into a fist several times. Satisfied, he looked back up at Link.

"It feels…good as new," the Goron grinned, as if he knew something Link didn't.

"But…why?" the Hero of Time asked.

"It was because of my awakening. Whenever a Sage is reborn spiritually through the power of the temples, he is also reborn physically. The power will bestow upon the Sage a new body that is fit for him to wield such a responsibility. In this case, the power of the Fire Temple healed my arm and restored my strength. I feel…incredible."

Darunia's explanation made sense, once Link thought about it. Saria had nearly been killed after being struck down by Phantom Ganon, and yet when she was reborn as the Sage of the Forest, she appeared without a scratch on her. And he also recalled Sheik mentioning something about how the Master Sword sealed him up because he was too young to wield it…not to mention it chose the clothes he would wear as the Hero of Time. And since the power of the Sages mimicked the power of the Master Sword…

Link's expression suddenly grew serious as he started remembering the reason he was awakening the Sages in the first place. He still couldn't come to grips with the fact that Darunia was the Sage of Fire, but questions concerning that matter could wait, at least for now.

"So…I guess your awakening has given you the knowledge of what's been going on, right?"

The Goron nodded in response, his smile waning gently. "It has. It's amazing, actually. Not too long ago, all I was concerned about was saving my people from being fed to that vile dragon…but now I possess the knowledge of the Sages and the ability to see what has really been happening not only to my people, but to all of Hyrule. I can feel the pain and suffering that this land has undergone over the past seven years, and it is but a fraction of what my people and I have suffered through.

"And all because of one person who stole the Triforce from the Sacred Realm…one person with a heart blacker than the deepest night imaginable."

Link nodded. "Then you know about the one responsible for this…the man called Ganondorf."

Darunia's eyebrows knitted together upon hearing that name. "Ganondorf…wasn't he the one who sealed up the Dodongo's Cavern all those years ago? The one who resurrected the Dodongos and threatened my people with starvation unless I gave him the sacred gem he demanded?"

"The same," Link answered.

"That…wretched, wicked man…" Darunia sputtered angrily before he forced himself to calm down with several long, deep breaths. "No matter. This Ganondorf, the coward that he is, cannot hide behind the power of the Triforce for very long. He will have to face you, the Hero of Time, in due time, and with the power of the Sages behind you, you shall overcome his evil."

The Goron then smiled once again. "And I, as the Sage of Fire, am proud to help you rid the world of this creature known as Ganondorf."

Despite Darunia's obvious pride and enthusiasm, Link couldn't bring himself to find any delight in this revelation. His heart was weighed down by many thoughts relating to the other side of the coin, with one thought in particular that may as well have cut him down. Still, he chose to ask something else to the animated Goron…

"I'm…I'm honored to receive your help, Darunia. But…" He then paused to make sure of himself before be continued, "…but what about your people? They love you, their Big Brother, so dearly. As a Sage, you can never return to them, never lead them again. And that's just your people. What about your son…your son Link…?"

Link almost expected to see Darunia crushed by the question – after all, one can't walk the path of this kind of role without abandoning his previous life in the process. Saria learned that when she became the Sage of the Forest. Link learned that the hard way when he became the Hero of Time...

But instead of break down, Darunia merely frowned sadly, as if he had already thought about the consequences and was only now being reminded of them. The Goron stared down at the pool of blue light, seeing his hazy reflection upon the surface. He blinked several times before he finally spoke.

"I understand that being a Sage requires me to sacrifice everything that I hold dear. In order to battle the evil in this world, I must give up my home, my people, even my own son…and face the reality that I may never see them again. Whenever I see my face in a reflection of some sort, I'm always reminded of how my people see me: as their infallible leader, the one who will never lead them astray. For as long as I can remember, I've tried my best to live up to that image.

"And now it pains my heart to know I'll never lead them again as their Big Brother. It pains me to know I'll never see my son's face again, see that beautiful child smile when he looks up to me with those innocent eyes…"

Darunia then returned his gaze to Link and tried his best to smile despite the obvious heartache. "And yet…it cannot be helped. As much as I want to be with my people, it would be selfish of me to choose them over all of Hyrule. By remaining the Big Brother of the Goron race, I would only be leading them. As the Sage of Fire…I will help lead all of Hyrule against the evil polluting this world.

"Destiny chose me for this role. I have to accept it."

Destiny. Destiny. Destiny. Link was almost sick of hearing that word…

"But do not worry about my son, Link," Darunia continued. "A child of the Goron people is always raised to face the possibility of death of either himself or anyone close to him – living on a summit known as Death Mountain wouldn't allow us to live any other way. My son knows that, in the event of my death or absence, he will be placed in the custody of my closest relative, Malatite."

Link jerked his head forward. "Malatite?"

Darunia's face lit up as he nodded. "Oh, you didn't know, did you? Malatite's my first cousin, once removed."

Link again shook his head, this time in amazement. He probably should've seen something like that coming, but it seemed that there were still a few more surprises in the world left for him to discover.

Darunia smiled seemingly to himself for almost half a minute before his face grew serious. "I appreciate your concern for my people and my son, Link, but there are more important matters we need to attend to at the moment."

Darunia then started moving forward and – just like Saria had done – walked upon the surface of the pool of light so he could stand on the island upon which Link was perched. The Goron then motioned for the Hylian to step closer; Link obliged without pause.

"Hold out one of your hands," Darunia instructed, "and clench it into a fist."

Link did so, holding out his right hand and tightening it into a ball.

Without another word, Darunia raised his left arm and gently wrapped its enormous hand around Link's clenched fist. Almost instantly, a soft humming sound started to ring throughout the chamber as a gentle, yellow glow began emanating from the Goron's hand. Link was initially startled by this, but he remembered Saria doing something similar and patiently waited for Darunia to finish, wondering what he was doing.

Darunia held Link's hand for about half a minute before he let go, leaving the humming spark wrapped around Link's clenched fist. Link was about to ask Darunia what he was doing when, without warning, the luminosity from the light shot out in opposite directions, creating a loud clang that sounded like metal scraping against metal. The abrupt bang caused Link to look away for a moment, but for only a moment. When his gaze returned to his hand, he saw something inside his fist.

"The Megaton Hammer?" Link blurted out upon seeing the legendary instrument in his grasp. He quickly glanced at Darunia, who was smiling in approval. "You…you can't be serious. You're giving this to me?"

"I am," Darunia acknowledged.

"But…I can't accept _this_!" Link objected. "This is the thing that has been with your people for generations! This is what defeated the dragon that haunted your race for countless years. Why are you giving me something so…precious?"

"Because we have no more need of it," Darunia answered firmly. "Yes, it symbolizes the destruction of the evil worm known as Volvagia…but symbolism cannot allow us to ignore the fact that this is a very useful instrument. Symbolism can only do so much before it becomes nothing more than a façade.

"No, I cannot allow a powerful weapon such as the Megaton to remain in Death Mountain when it could help you in your quest. I'd much rather see it being used than being worshipped. And since I have no use for it…I am entrusting it to you, the Hero of Time."

Link gave the Megaton Hammer a long, hard look. The Hammer had barely been abraded from its battle with the Volvagia, and its glossy surface seemed to shine with untapped power. Link couldn't help but agree with Darunia: to not use this magnificent item in the fight against Ganondorf would almost be a crime. He couldn't refuse it; he _had _to take it. It could come in handy…

The Hero of Time swung the hammer several times in the air, which reminded him how surprisingly light the weapon was, and then faced Darunia and nodded. "All right. I'll accept the Megaton Hammer. It will be used well."

That statement made Darunia smile warmly. "Wonderful. Now, with that settled…"

Before the Goron finished, Darunia took several enormous steps backwards, backtracking his way over the pool of blue light all the way towards his red island. Once there, the Goron finished his sentence.

"…now it is time to bestow upon you the power of the Temple of Fire. Please accept it, with my thanks and my eternal friendship."

Darunia didn't wait for Link's acceptance before he raised his powerful arms into the air like Saria and Rauru did before him. The familiar whistling sound shrilled above Link's head, and the Hero of Time looked up to see the recognizable sphere of white light descend down from towards him. With one of his hands still holding the Megaton, Link used his free hand to reach upward and grab the orb of light. Disappearing without a sound, the light transformed into the expected shape of the medallion the moment Link touched it. As anticipated, this medallion was colored a passionate crimson, and the symbol on the decoration's face matched the pattern on Darunia's island.

Knowing what was coming, Link knelt down to the floor and placed the Hammer to the side so he could hold the pendant in both hands. He stared quietly at the glossy surface of the medallion, still amazed by how such trinkets could look so enchanting. Gripping it firmly on opposite sides, he patiently waited for the absorption process…

_ZING…_

Even though he had anticipated it, the full force of the exhausting procedure still managed to overwhelm Link, forcing him to drop to his hands as he struggled to endure it. The power surging up his arms and throughout his body felt just as intense as the power he received from the Forest Temple, and yet something else seemed to make the overall experience more overpowering. Was it because the energies within him were mixing? Or was it because the energies were growing in strength as each Sage was being awakened…?

Not that Link was even able to consider such things. The energy of the Fire Temple managed to almost clog his windpipe, causing him to gasp for breath for several minutes. His muscles grew as rigid and taut as stone; one false movement would've almost certainly broken a nerve. He could feel a cold sweat break out over his entire body, and the idea of his pores bleeding crossed his mind for an instant…

Then he heard Darunia's voice.

"You have accepted the power of the Fire Temple and the soul of the Goron race. May it serve you well."

_"Geez, do Sages have to be so melodramatic?"_ Link sarcastically thought as he felt the paralysis in his body abruptly evaporate.

"Now stand up, Hero of Time," Darunia commanded.

Link found himself doing so, despite not having recovered most of his strength. This had happened with Rauru and Saria as well. Were they doing this to him…?

"Now you must return to your quest," the Goron continued commandingly. "The Chamber of Sages will return you to the Fire Temple." His eyes then loosened with painful remembrance. "Thank you for everything you've done, Link…for me, for my people. I'm honored to have met you.

"Farewell, my friend…"

Link wanted to say something in response, but his mind was clogged with conflicting feelings and emotions that refused to allow him the opportunity. He was glad to see that the Sage of the Fire Temple had indeed been awakened, but his heart was pained to know that the Sage was Darunia, one of his few remaining friends in this cruel world…

Suddenly finding the courage to speak, Link reached down and picked up the Megaton Hammer at his feet. He then reached out with his free hand and cried out, "Darunia, wait…don't leave me, please…!"

But it was too late. Before Link could even finish calling out the Goron's name, the figure of Darunia disappeared within the white haze.

Link arms drooped to his sides; his head lowered itself moments later. He stood there in the eerily silent void, allowing himself to build up inside before finally releasing a cry that had no echo:

"Damn _iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit_…!"

* * *

The hard feeling beneath Link's feet as the white luminosity began to fade indicated that, just as Darunia had said, he was being taken back to the Fire Temple. The only question now was _where_ in the temple would he be placed. Would the Chamber of Sages return him to the tunnel, or did it have another place in mind?

He received his answer soon enough. A scarlet afterglow started to peek through the white haze, meaning he wasn't returning to the unlit corridor. A few seconds later, he could make out the sources of the glimmering: intense flames radiating from the mouths of several facials sculptures set in the wall. The size of the chamber soon followed, then a set of stairs leading up to a stage, then a door set on either side of the stage, one of them broken…

Link hummed an acknowledgement to himself when he realized he was inside the foyer of the Fire Temple, standing near the staircase on the upper deck, where he had first reunited with Darunia. He surveyed the scene quietly for a few moments longer before he finally sighed to himself, still able to hear his scream in the echoless abyss…

_Destiny chose me for this role. I have to accept it…._

Darunia's words almost seemed to scream their way into his thoughts, trying to pound in an argument that he refused to accept. He tried not to think of that provocative statement, but the words refused to leave and almost seemed to increase their frequency.

"Get out of my head," Link demanded softly, holding his free hand to his head. "Get out…"

But his request was denied. Darunia's words continued to scratch at his mind, and soon a new phrase entered his thoughts, one spoken by Rauru:

_…that person would be chosen by destiny as the one who will save Hyrule…_

"Shut up…just shut up!" Link angrily commanded, beginning to thrash around in an attempt to rid himself of such thoughts.

But the thoughts remained and were soon joined by another voice, this one belonging to Saria:

_Time and destiny have separated us forever…_

"Get _oooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuut_!"

_KUUUUUUN…_

The ground beneath his feet cracked as Link slammed the head of the Megaton Hammer down as hard as he could. Almost instantly the voices inside his head dissipated, leaving nothing more than memories and a festering anger…

"Is this what you are, destiny?" Link screamed out to the chamber. "Is it? First you take my life, then you take the one who meant everything to me…and now you deny me starting a new life with one of the few friends I have left? Why are you tormenting me like this? Answer me, curse you! _Answer me_!"

Despite the forcefulness in his voice, Link expected no answer, and he received none. Frustrated just the same, he glanced down at the Megaton Hammer and growled softly before he spat to the side.

"You can't ignore me forever," he muttered angrily as he removed his shield from behind his back. "One of these days, I will receive an answer from you…"

He trailed off as he inspected the back of his shield carefully, looking at several metal locks distributed across the metallic surface. The locks were obviously meant to hold smaller weapons to make them within reach during the heat of battle. He carefully studied the placement of several of the locks before realizing a couple of the metallic catches were perfect for what he needed.

With surprising ease, Link took the Megaton Hammer and slipped its slender handle through two of the locks, securing the weapon firmly against the back of the shield. He tested holding the shield as if he were defending from an attack – the Hammer in no way interfered with the shield's efficiency. In fact, he could hardly tell the Megaton was there at all.

"Hard to believe such a powerful weapon can be incredibly light," he mused to himself as returned his shield to his back. "Well…now what do I do? I guess I could head back down that tunnel. Navi's probably wondering how I disappeared…"

"Link?"

Link abruptly turned around and looked down the stairway, half-expecting to see Navi or Sheik standing at the bottom of the flight. To his surprise, he instead saw a small Goron standing meekly on the first step, staring up at him quietly. It didn't take the Hero of Time long to realize that the Goron was Link, Darunia's son.

"Link…" the Hylian started before being gently interrupted by the Goron's soft voice.

"Link…you have the Megaton Hammer."

Goron Link's statement caught the Hero of Time off guard. How long had the Goron been standing there? Had he been there since Link had been transported back from the Chamber of Sages? Had he been listening to Link's angry mutterings all this time? Unable to do anything else, Link quickly nodded at the Goron.

"Um…yes, I do. This is the Megaton Hammer…given to me by Darunia…I mean, given to me by your dad…"

"So my dad is all right…?"

Link had to swallow several times before he could find the courage to reply to that question. "Yes…your dad is alive and well…he's perfectly fine. How…" He then quickly shut himself up, hoping to postpone saying anything more.

But Goron Link could tell something was amiss. "Link…something has happened to my dad. Something has happened to him, and you know what. You were screaming earlier for a reason…is it because of my dad? Has something bad happened to him? Please, tell me…"

So the Goron _had_ been there since the beginning…

"Link, I…" the Hylian stammered, trying to find the right words, "I'm not sure if I should tell you this now…maybe in a better…"

"No!" the little Goron asserted almost forcefully as he took several steps up the stairway towards the Hero of Time. "I need to know now! I haven't seen my dad for so long! I need to know what's happened to him! Please! Tell me!"

"But…I…"

"Link! There you are!"

Link turned around again, this time to watch a pink fairy flutter out of the corridor at the end of the stage and immediately dart in his direction. Navi stalled in front of his face and wasted no time in berating him.

"I _knew_ I'd find you here. When I heard that loud booming sound just a few moments ago, I thought to myself, 'You know, I bet Link has something to do with that.' And what do you know? I was right! So now that I've found you, maybe you can enlighten me why you disappeared so suddenly back in the tunnel…or why Darunia was nowhere to be found where you left him…?"

"Navi…!" Link hissed harshly at the fay before he toned down his voice a tad, "Now is not the time I'd like to talk about this…"

Just then, another sound interrupted Link, though this time it wasn't someone's voice. Instead it was the sound of several large feet stampeding across the ground together in a hurry. Link's attention again darted towards the corridor that led to Volvagia's lair, and he was in time to see a small pack of Gorons exiting the tunnel, no doubt following Navi to investigate the loud bang Link had caused with the Megaton.

One of the Gorons noticed Link and pointed him out to the others; an instant later the entire group swarmed around the Hero of Time, forming a mini-mob with no exit point. Link tried to remain calm (as well as standing) as the Gorons surrounded him, but the anxious look in all their tiny black eyes suggested Link was about to be asked things he didn't wish to answer…

"We couldn't find Big Brother where you asked us to find him," one of the Gorons rapidly asserted.

"Yes, he was nowhere to be found. His blood trail ended up in an enormous cavern," another pointed out.

"I saw fallen rocks inside that cavern…is Big Brother buried under all that rubble?"

"No, Darunia is quite all right, I can assure you…" Link tried to tell the Gorons before being cut short again by another Goron.

"Then what happened to our Big Brother? Doesn't he need medical attention?"

"I thought I heard you back in the tunnel, but you disappeared. Why is that?"

"I think I heard roars as I went down that corridor. Were you fighting the dragon alongside Big Brother…?"

"Please…just tell us what happened to my dad!" Goron Link cried above the yelling of the other Gorons. "I want to know what happened to my dad!"

"Tell us what happened to our Big Brother!" several of the Gorons seemed to demand simultaneously.

"Yes!" the remainder ordered. "Tell us now! Tell us!"

Link could feel his blood drain from his face. It was happening again, just like in the Lost Woods. He was being forced to tell someone something that he didn't wish to reveal. This wasn't right. This wasn't what he wanted…

…but then again, "destiny" was denying him a lot of things these days. With a sigh on his lips and a heavy feeling on his heart, Link did exactly what the Gorons were demanding.

He told them…

* * *

"How are you…feeling, Link?"

"Awful. Pretty bloody awful, thank you for asking."

Link wanted to punch something after answering Navi's stupid question, whether it be her or the wall of the storage room in Goron City, but he managed to contain his aggravation enough to allow the feeling to subside. When he felt calm again, he resumed removing his heat-resistant clothing so he could get dressed once more in his green threads that the Master Sword had chosen him to wear as the Hero of Time.

As he slipped his white undergarments over his legs, Navi perched softly on his left shoulder. "I'm…I'm sorry you feel that way, Link, but look at it this way…"

"Look at it _what_ way, Navi?" Link snapped. "I just told an entire race that their great and mighty leader Darunia, their Big Brother, isn't going to return to them because he has been chosen to be the new Sage of Fire. And what happened? I've sent nearly every Goron in this city into a bloody depression! If there's a silver lining in this, I sure as Hael can't find it!"

"But…but it had to be done," Navi quietly uttered. "There was nothing you could do. It was either that or lie to them, and I know you're no good at lying…"

"Maybe I should practice," Link spat as he slipped his boots on.

"Link…listen to me. Darunia isn't dead. He is still alive and he is now a Sage, helping you in your fight to save Hyrule. The Gorons may not realize that now, but they will in due time…"

"You sure about that?" Link grumbled as he stood up, reaching for his green shirt.

"What do you mean?" the fairy inquired as she flew off Link's shoulder to allow him to dress unimpeded.

"The Gorons seem to base a large portion of their lives around their Big Brother," Link continued as he slipped his shirt over his head. "After I saved them, one of the first things they wanted me to do was save Darunia. The way they care for him is frightening.

"I mean…when I told them that Darunia was never coming back, it was like I stabbed them all in the heart. I told them that Darunia had slain Volvagia…but they didn't care. I told them that Darunia was now the Sage of Fire to help save Hyrule…but they didn't care."

As he adjusted his shirt to fit more comfortably, Link's eyes grew a little sad. "Navi…I didn't even tell the Kokiri that Saria had become the Sage of the Forest, and yet they understood and accepted she wouldn't be returning. I told the Gorons a lot more than I told the Kokiri…and yet look at them. They look as if they've died inside."

He then smiled a weak, almost sardonic grin as he added, "I wouldn't even be surprised if they hate me now…"

Navi's pink light flickered with disbelief. "Link…how could you even think such a thing? You saved the Goron race from the Dodongos seven years ago, and you saved them again only a couple hours ago. They may be saddened to lose Darunia…but how can you honestly believe that they hate you?"

"I don't know," Link said as he placed his cap on his head. "Maybe it was the way Darunia's son ran away crying when I told him he won't be seeing his father again. Got a response for that?"

Navi thought carefully for a few moments before shaking her head sadly. "I…don't."

"Then let's not speak of it again," Link continued while slipping his leather gauntlets onto his hands. "Once I've gotten dressed, I want to find Sheik and get out of here as quickly as possible. I just hope he can still walk…"

"Link?"

Hearing the soft, gentle voice of Malatite caused Link to jerk his gaze abruptly towards the door to the storeroom. He expected to find just the kindly old Goron doctor standing there, but to his surprise he also saw another Goron standing beside him. Link quickly stood up when he recognized the other Goron.

"Link…" the Hero of Time blurted out.

Goron Link nodded once in acknowledgement. "Hello, Hero of Time. I hope we're not disturbing you?"

Link quickly glanced down, his gaze falling upon his pile of weapons and pouches he hadn't yet returned to his person. He then looked back up at Goron Link and Malatite. "No, uhh…I was just finishing up getting dressed and…well…"

"And you're leaving us as soon as you've finished getting dressed and found your companion Sheik, correct?" Malatite said, as if finishing Link's sentence.

_"Did…did they just hear me speak?" _Link thought. _"Curses…why do I have to talk so loudly…?"_

"Well, I…that is…what I mean is…"

"Link…you don't have to hide anything from us," Malatite calmly stated. "Please speak your mind and tell us the truth, because that is all we want."

Realizing he couldn't lie to these Gorons, Link took a deep breath and frowned in seeming defeat. "I…yes, I am. I…I just don't think I should stay here longer than I need to, especially after what I did."

"After what you did?" Malatite repeated. "And what is it that you did, exactly?"

Before Link could answer, Goron Link wrapped his arms around Malatite's leg, hugging it tightly while his eyes peered quietly at the Hylian. The realization that Goron Link was attempting to come to terms with the sad fact that Malatite was now his new father made the heavy feeling in the Hero of Time's heart that much more painful.

"Well, I…" Link stammered, trying to find the right words, "I failed your people, Malatite. I failed them."

"I see," Malatite murmured softly. "In what way, my dear boy?"

Link blinked in gentle amazement. Was Malatite toying with his or something? "I…I failed to bring back your Big Brother…I failed to return Darunia to you."

"But Darunia is still alive, as you pointed out not too long ago," Malatite indicated.

"Yes, but…but he is no longer here…with you…leading the Goron race."

Malatite nodded and thought for a moment. "So…what you're saying is this. You saved the entire Goron race from certain death. You rescued our Big Brother from being recaptured or killed after he escaped. You aided Darunia in slaying Volvagia, the dragon that haunted our race in countless legends. You even were there to witness him become reborn as the Sage of Fire. And yet you consider all of these accomplishments a failure because Darunia is no longer with us. Am I correct, my dear boy?"

Link nodded weakly. "Yes…that's correct."

"Well, pardon my slow and wandering mind," Malatite apologized as he scraped some grit out of his eyes with his fingers, "but it seems to me that it's not you who thinks you're a failure. Rather, you think _everyone else_ believes you're a failure."

Malatite's explanation did resemble some of Navi's arguments in a more clearly defined manner, but they still did little to comfort Link. "Myself, everyone else…what does it matter? I'm still responsible for not doing what I promised you and the rest of the Gorons, which is bring back your Big Brother. He was such a big part of your life…and I failed in returning him to you. Can you honestly blame me for thinking everyone else considers me a failure?"

Malatite couldn't help but nod his head in understanding. "Yes, it is rather difficult to believe otherwise, isn't it? After all, the Gorons are a very peculiar race, aren't they? They live in almost complete isolation from the rest of the world on a mountain named Death. They eat one kind of rock as a delicacy; anything else and they would starve. And they admire their Big Brother to the point where he is considered the most important thing in their lives. Without our Big Brother, it seems doubtful we can survive."

Link wanted to nod in agreement with the doctor, but Malatite didn't give him the opportunity. Instead, the Goron took a couple steps forward into the room, leading Goron Link in with him. "However, it seems that again you've made an understandable yet erroneous conclusion, my friend."

"Excuse me?" Link blurted out, not thinking about Malatite's statement completely.

As an initial response, Malatite smiled a weak though noticeably goofy grin. "In other words, Link…you're wrong, just like back then."

Now Link was getting confused. "Just like back then…? Malatite, what in the name of the Three Goddesses are you talking about?"

The doctor sighed softly but managed to keep his smile. "Seven years ago, I remember when a young boy made a promise to the Goron race to rid the Dodongo Cavern of Dodongos. I remember volunteering to help this little boy because I had grown quite fascinated with him. I also remember something rather interesting he told me after he first entered the cavern and confronted a monstrous Dodongo skull.

"I believe his exact words were, 'I'm a coward. I'm afraid. I'm no hero. I can't do this.'"

Link didn't need to ask to know that Malatite was talking about him; his mind juggled wildly with thoughts trying to remember that moment more clearly.

"And you know what happened to that boy?" Malatite continued. "He discovered that he was wrong. He _wasn't_ a coward. He _wasn't_ afraid. He _was_ a hero, and he _could_ do it. The rest, as you undoubtedly know, is history."

Link couldn't deny that Malatite was indeed correct in his reasoning. However…

"Malatite," Link muttered with a regrettable sigh, "what's your point?"

"Just this," the doctor answered as he placed a reassuring hand on the head of Goron Link, who continued watching the Hero of Time with quiet, deep eyes. "Seven years ago, you made a judgment of yourself that was needlessly harsh. You called yourself a coward, and yet by all measures you were braver than many heroes of legend who claimed to be the boldest in all the land. We all make honest mistakes sometimes, even about ourselves.

"And now you're making mistakes once again…not just about yourself, but about the Goron race. For you see…we Gorons do not consider you a failure. Not now, not ever."

Malatite's words almost sent a chill running up Link's spine, and he couldn't find the words to formulate a response. Malatite took this as a sign to continue speaking.

"We Gorons loved our Big Brother Darunia…in fact, we still do. He means more to us than most anything we can think of, and losing him is certainly something we would rather not think about. But let me tell something you probably haven't even considered, Link, something that might be a little hard to swallow but I assure you is the truth."

"Oh? And what is that?"

As if on cue, Goron Link spoke up in a quiet yet firm voice. "We…we haven't lost my dad at all."

A stunned silence befell the room as the little Goron's answer ran through Link's logic several times. "But…but that doesn't even make sense…"

"But it does," Malatite assured. "Darunia isn't dead. He still lives as the Sage of Fire. He may not be with us in the flesh, but his spirit remains with us through his teachings, through his people, and especially through his son. Darunia remains with us, and though he will be missed we will continue with our lives and await his son to grow and take his place as our new Big Brother.

"It's a tough concept to grasp, especially for a slow-thinking race such as the Gorons, but I assure you that we are capable of understanding this. Now the question is…can _you_ understand it, my dear boy?"

Malatite's challenge seemed to slice through Link's mental defenses like the Master Sword cutting down all who stood in its way. He struggled to find a hole in the Goron's reasoning, but he couldn't find any large enough to exploit…then again, _why_ was he trying to find weaknesses in Malatite's arguments? Shouldn't he be glad that one of his friends – his few remaining friends in this cruel world – had found a solid reason for him not to bear such a terrible burden?

Still feeling a little unsure, Link stared deeply into Malatite's eyes before asking, "I…I just want to ask you something first…you said that I'm wrong in believing the Gorons think I'm a failure. Am I also wrong in thinking myself as a failure?"

Malatite paused for a moment and thought carefully before he finally replied. "My dear, dear Link…I think you already know the answer to that question. I'd tell it to you, but…I have to let you think for yourself every now and then, don't I?"

Link took a deep breath and sighed…and then produced a very weak smile on his lips. "All right, Malatite. I get what you're saying. You're right…just like before, you're right. I feel a lot better." He then thought for a moment before adding, "And…thanks."

His acceptance of Malatite's logic was certainly less enthusiastic than the one he gave seven years ago…but the widening smile on the doctor's lips was more than enough assurance that Malatite accepted Link's approval. Sadly, however, Link didn't feel the same acceptance but rather a festering hollowness inside his heart. And he knew exactly why that hollowness was there.

He had just lied.

He didn't feel better at all – in fact he felt worse. It seemed that at any given moment something would happen to pull his emotions in the opposite direction, and the mood swings were beginning to get to him. He was growing frustrated and weary of putting his heart into something that resulted in such intense changes in his temper…especially something for which he was beginning to greatly despise…

_"I hate this…"_ he thought to himself quietly. _"I hate being the Hero of Time…"_

It seems that, after all, he _could_ lie to these Gorons…

"You're welcome, my dear boy," Malatite said, replying to Link's gratitude. "And never forget how much we appreciate what you've done for us. The Gorons will always be your friends and, if you so choose, your family. You still are Darunia's Sworn Brother, and thus a brother to every Goron."

Malatite then looked down at Goron Link, who was now shivering gently, as if nervously awaiting a cue for something. The Goron doctor gently patted Darunia's son's back with his hand; Goron Link gulped a little as he took a step forward and bowed his head very formally in the Hero of Time's direction.

"Thank…thank you…for everything you've done, Link…I will never forget what you've done for us nor what place you will forever hold…in the hearts of my people. I…I am deeply honored to bear your name as heir…as heir to the title of Big Brother. We are forever in your debt."

The little Goron then quickly stepped back towards Malatite's leg and clung to it once more. It was easy to tell that Goron Link's statement had been preplanned and rehearsed, but Link didn't know if Malatite had asked the young Goron to do it or if Goron Link came up with the idea himself. It didn't matter, either way – it was just another piece of melodrama that for some reason Link closely associated with the Goron race.

A brief silence fell over the chamber before Malatite finally coughed. "Well, then…since we've cleared that little business up, I think it's time to reunite you with your friend Sheik."

Link's eyes lit up as he remembered the injured Sheikah. "Oh, yes, that's right…how is he, by the way? Is he all right…?"

"Sheik is…" Malatite hesitated a moment, as if wondering whether to reveal something. "Sheik is doing wonderfully. The bites he received will heal in no time, and he should be able to move within a couple days."

"A couple days?" Link repeated. "But we're short on time as it is and…"

"Not to worry," Malatite interjected with an assuring hand raised. "I'll just have a couple Gorons carry your friend down the mountain in a stretcher. Gorons can navigate the mountainside a lot easier than any Hylian ever could – he'll be sleeping safely in Kakariko Village in no time."

Link released a sigh of relief. "Good to know. Is he awake at least?"

Malatite nodded. "Oh, yes. He awoke not too long ago, and we…" The Goron again hesitated, fidgeting around with his fingers for a moment. "…we talked a little about exactly what we're talking about now: getting him down the mountain."

The doctor then motioned with his hand as he made steps indicating he was about to leave the room. "We can go visit him now if you'd like."

Link nodded. "Sounds like a plan. But first let me finish getting dressed…"

* * *

The Hero of Time entered the dark room quietly in case the Sheikah was asleep, but the flickering of shadows against the light from outside torches indicated Sheik was fully awake. Link grinned a little as he walked further in, thinking a smile – even a forced one – might cheer Sheik up.

"Link…?" a weak voice muttered through the darkness. "Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me…" Link started when the room abruptly brightened. He turned around to find that Malatite – sans Goron Link, who had left to "help his people cope" or something – had walked in with a lit torch in his hand. The doctor beamed as he placed the torch inside a lock on the wall, and motioned for Link to proceed with whatever he was doing.

Link nodded and turned his attention back to Sheik, whom he could now see. The Sheikah was lying on a bed of straw at the end of the room, covered by a blanket knitted from some kind of coarse material. Only his face wasn't underneath the quilt, and to Link's gentle surprise even that was covered – the Sheikah was still wearing his heat-resistant mask.

"Are…are you all right?" Link asked after hesitating for a moment, deciding not to ask about the mask.

Sheik smiled weakly under his mask and managed to find the energy to nod. "I…I think so. Malatite said I should make a full recovery…but that still doesn't stop these bite from stinging like Hael…"

"Do you need some more ointment?" Malatite politely interjected, shuffling his way next to his resting patient. "Do they still hurt?"

"No…thank you," Sheik feebly declined. "It doesn't hurt. It's just annoying…that's all."

Malatite nodded. "All right. Just remind me to give you some when you leave. You won't find better burn creams than the ones made in Goron City."

Sheik again nodded. "Again…thank you…" He then turned his attention to Link, who was still standing a short distance from the bed. "So Link…you've killed the dragon and awoken the Sage of Fire, is that correct?"

Link looked down a little. "Well…Darunia was the one who killed Volvagia, but…yes, he is dead. And with Darunia awoken as the Sage of Fire, I think we've basically finished our business here. So whenever you're ready to leave, we can go…"

"Wait, Link…did you remember to play that song?"

Link blinked. "Song? What song?"

"The Bolero of Fire, of course."

Link's mind snapped to realization when he remembered Sheik teaching him a song back in the Fire Temple, just before they had parted ways with Darunia to free the Gorons. Sheik had taught Link the song there so the melody could be associated with the mountain, and Link remembered being told to play that song once the Sage of Fire was awakened.

It seemed he had forgotten about that little bit…

"Oh…right," he uttered with a sheepish look on his face. He quickly digs into one of his pouches and produces the Ocarina of Time. "All right…where do I play this thing? Do I have to go back into that crater or something?"

Sheik shook her head. "No, that isn't necessary. We're still inside Death Mountain, so the song should work right where you're standing. Go ahead, try it."

Link glanced down at the ocarina before looking back at the Sheikah. "All right…"

Link took a couple steps backwards from the bed, deciding not to take the chance of any "results" affecting the injured Sheik. He turned to everyone in the room, using his eyes to tell them to remain clear of him for the moment, before he again looked down at the mythical instrument in his hands.

"Well…here goes nothing."

Link then raised the instrument's mouthpiece to his lips, took a deep breath, and started playing the song known as the Bolero of Fire. Like he did with the Minuet of Forest, he tried picturing Sheik's harp in his mind during the places where the strings were meant to play, trying to as best he could perform the melody on a single instrument.

The song itself was rather short…like all the songs he knew, actually. It was one of the more complicated tunes Link had learned, but he didn't find the difficulty beyond his capability with the ocarina. The beat felt very rigid compared to his other songs, as if provoking a sense of order in its notes. As he played the Bolero of Fire, he could almost hear the strict beat of a drum accompany it.

Like before, Link didn't have to wait long for something to happen as a result of playing the song. The moment he finished the final note of the song, he felt something build up inside of him similar to the first experience. He knew that the power of the Fire Temple was being awakened within him by the melody, but he admittedly had no idea what would happen this time…

_KVOOOOOOOOOOOOOM…_

Once again Link felt the growing power within him snap like a thunderbolt, imploding within his body before spreading outward, exiting his body effortlessly and painlessly. It all happened in an instant, but Link felt the effect linger a little bit more noticeably this time. Maybe he was growing used to it or something…

Lowing the ocarina from his lips, Link turned to the others in the room, who appeared to be anxiously awaiting something. The Hylian looked into everyone's eyes once before looking around the room.

He then shrugged. "That was it…"

Just then, there was a deafening explosion…

* * *

"There you are, Andrew."

The young boy turned around in time to see his elder sister Melissa – a young woman with pitch black hair and a lank profile – calmly walk up behind him. With a stern look on her face and her arms crossed tightly across her bosom, she stared down at her brother for a moment before continuing to speak.

"I've been looking all over for you, young man. What are you doing here on the outskirts of the village? It's nearly sundown."

Andrew looked away from his mother and to the horizon, where the threatening figure of Death Mountain could be seen towering in the distance. The dark storm clouds hanging over the mountain's crater thundered continuously, their blackness peppered with flashes of lightening that caused flickering shadows on the mountain's forbidding surface.

"I'm waiting for mother."

Melissa blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about? She's right back at home…"

Andrew shook his head. "No, my other mother."

Melissa was still a little puzzled…until she suddenly understood what he meant. "Oh, I see…but you don't have to worry about…er, mother, Andrew. She'll be back soon. There's no need to wait for her out here like this."

"Yeah, I know…" A sad look creeps into the boy's eyes. "But…I just don't want anything bad to happen to her, especially on Death Mountain. It's very dangerous there, even for someone like mother."

Melissa shook her head in gentle amazement, marveling at how her brother refused to refer to the one called Sheik by anything but her "codename". He even referred to him as a her, undoubtedly necessary to fool mercenaries and spies of Ganondorf. Everyone in the village sympathetic to the underground was required to maintain this ruse, but it still astonished her that such a young boy would be so deeply involved in such a dangerous responsibility.

Trying her best to smile, Melissa placed her hand on her brother's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Andrew. Mother will return soon. Now come, we need to get home and get you to bed. I'd rather not be caught out here when the sun sets…"

_DUUUUUUUUUUUM…_

Melissa quickly jerked her attention to where Andrew was looking anyway: Death Mountain. The thunderous detonation had most certainly come from there…

_DUUUU-DUUUUUUUUM…_

Two simultaneous explosions quickly followed, and even from where the two siblings were standing they could clearly see spouts of molten rock spew from the mouth of the volcanic crater. Both Andrew and Melissa knew that Death Mountain was an active volcano, but they had never seen an eruption this powerful before. Could this one be powerful enough to reach Kakariko Village…?

Melissa quickly yanked on his little brother's arm. "Quick…we must get the village to evacuate! Andrew, come on…!"

"Sister, look!"

Despite fearing for the village, Melissa looked to where Andrew was pointing…and froze in astonishment at what she saw. Before her very eyes, the dark storm clouds hovering over Death Mountain's crater began dissipating, dissolving upward into the air as if being sucked by an invisible vortex above the volcano's mouth. A roaring succession of thunderclaps managed to escape in stern protest, and wild forks of lighting spewed fervently from the clouds as if to cling to the mountainside in an attempt to save themselves.

But all efforts were in vain as the black clouds vanished quickly and fluently from the top of the mountain, taking their menace with them. Remaining in their wake were more lightly colored clouds, the kinds of clouds that once were a staple of Death Mountain before Ganondorf conquered Hyrule. These clouds possessed no wicked thunder and no terrifying lightning, and thus the surface of the mountain was dead calm once again.

By no means did Death Mountain look friendly and inviting. Rather, it looked like…Death Mountain. The _real_ Death Mountain.

Even as villagers began to gather around the outskirts of the village to see what had happened, Andrew and Melissa were still too dumbstruck to look away…

* * *

"The clouds changed back to their original form? Are you sure about this?"

The Goron who had burst into Malatite's office with the news nodded feverishly in answer to the doctor's question. "Yes, yes, they did. They look as calm and as healthy as they did seven years ago. And not only that, but I've also gotten word that the volcano's fires are settling down to their original state as well. I haven't seen that for myself, but I have no reason to doubt it, either."

As Malatite conversed with the Goron, Link quietly sat on Sheik's bed, thinking to himself. He really had no interest in what the Bolero of Fire had done to the mountain; rather he was pondering the next move he was supposed to make as the Hero of Time. Undoubtedly that would be to visit another one of the temples. But which one of the remaining temples…?

"Sheik?" Link said to the Sheikah quietly enough so that he wouldn't interrupt Malatite. "What's the next temple on the schedule?"

"The Water Temple…but I'm afraid there are a couple complications, Link," Sheik whispered back.

"Complications? How so?"

"It's like this. By the temple's name, you'd assume it would be built on or near a great body of water, right? Well, in truth the Water Temple is actually built _under_water. There is no way to access is without diving, and I doubt you're capable of holding your breath long enough to do what you need to do down there."

Link sighed. "Perfect. Things go against me before I even get there. So do you have any ideas?"

"Actually, I do," Sheik replied. "The Zoras know of a methods that allows land dwellers to breathe normally underwater…"

"So all we need to do is head up to Zora's Domain and ask them for help? That doesn't sound too bad."

Sheik's mouth frowned sadly under his mask. "Well, actually, there's _another_ complication that prevents us from doing just that…"

Suddenly, Link felt a massive hand on his back. He turned around to see Malatite looking down at him. "Am I…disturbing something?"

Link quietly shook his head. "No, not really. Just didn't want to interrupt your conversation."

The Goron doctor nodded. "I see. In that case, thank you for your courtesy."

_"Courtesy…"_ Link thought almost with a snarl. _"Why does it feel like a bloody chore to me these days…?"_

"In any case," Malatite continued, "I think it's same to assume that that song you played earlier has indeed 'healed' this mountain…so you say, Sheik. If that's so, then I take it you've done everything you need to do here?"

Both the Hero of Time and the Sheikah quietly nodded.

"And since you're short on time, as Link indicated earlier, I take it you would like to get moving as soon as possible?"

Again both Link and Sheik nodded.

"Very well," Malatite stated with a grin. "I'll make arrangements to lead you down the mountain. I'll ask a couple of my friends to fetch the stretcher that will take Sheik down to Kakariko Village, and…"

"Link! Link! Link!"

The squeaky voice that abruptly tore through the room made everyone fall silent and look up. It was Navi…and she was fluttering around the room in a frantic state, her pink light flickering wildly in frenzy and excitement.

"Navi, what in the name of the Three Goddesses are you doing?" Link asked with a sigh.

"Link! Link! I heard her! I heard her! She just spoke to me!"

Link felt his eyebrows raise in confusion. "Excuse me? 'She'? Who is this 'she'?"

Navi didn't even seem to hear Link's question as she continued to flutter around in an almost restless state. "She just spoke to me! Just now! She wants me to come to her! She wants me to bring you to her!"

"What's this nonsense you're babbling on about?" Link asked almost angrily. "Navi, I'm not in the mood for games. Just tell me what you're talking about before I…"

"She wishes to speak to the Child of Destiny! She wishes to speak to him about the power that dwells within him."

Link almost froze in resentment when he heard that phrase, Child of Destiny. He was growing to strongly dislike anything related to destiny or fate or the like, and to be called a Child of Destiny certainly didn't help change his feelings on the idea any. However, he was a little curious about this "power that dwells within him"…

"What about my…power that dwells…?" Link started to ask when Navi frantically cut him off.

"She wishes to meet you! She wishes to reveal to you the secrets of your power and how to control it…and the madness that comes with it."

Link's face grew white.

"What?" he bellowed, standing up hurriedly. "She knows something about that? She knows what sends me out of control?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Navi spouted eagerly. "She does! She certainly does! She does! She wishes you to come to her! All will be explained there! Yes, it will!"

Everything in Link's mind concerning his quest as the Hero of Time quickly moved itself to the back of his mind. Thoughts ran wildly inside his head, wondering who this 'she' Navi kept rambling about was and how she knew about his fits. The only person Link ever told about them was Ruto, and he doubted the Zora princess was anywhere near Death Mountain…or able to send Navi into a state of hysteria, for that matter.

Without a second thought, Link made up his mind. "Very well. Navi, take me to this...'she'. I want to speak with her now."

"Yes! Yes!" the fairy giddily squealed. "Follow me! I know the way!"

With those words, Navi scurried out of the room, her pink light sparkling madly at a rapid pace. Link wasted no time in chasing after his guardian fairy, rushing out of the room without even a second look at Malatite or Sheik. In fact, by the time the Sheikah could say anything the Hero of Time was long gone.

"Link! Link, wait…! Drat, he's gone."

"My, what's going on?" Malatite pondered aloud.

"I don't know…but I'm not going to be left out of this…" the Sheikah declared breathlessly as he made an attempt to get out of bed.

Malatite quickly stopped Sheik from taking a single step onto the floor. "No, no…you are not walking around in your condition. You could permanently damage something if you move around too much."

But the determined Sheikah refused to accept defeat. "Then carry me."

Malatite blinked. "What? Carry you…?"

"You heard me. Carry me on your back. And hurry up, before we lose those two…!"

* * *

Returning to Death Mountain's crater had been one of the things he least expected to do, but after chasing his eager and nimble fairy to the bottom of Goron City and into Darunia's chamber, he was forced to come to that conclusion. Still, it wasn't until he entered Darunia's quarters and was staring at the statue that once blocked the entrance to the crater that he decided to speak.

"Wait, Navi…" Link cried out, coming to a stop. "If we're going into the crater, maybe I should first get dressed again…"

"There's no time!" Navi squealed as she hovered edgily. "She wishes to meet you now! Besides, you don't have to worry. The entrance isn't that far. You only have to tolerate the heat for a little while."

Link's common sense dictated that he should've gone back and changed into his heat-resistant clothes anyway, but Navi's enthusiasm was somehow rubbing off onto him. Whoever this "she" was, he was just as impatient to meet her as Navi, if only to get answers that he desperately sought…

"Fine. Lead the way."

Link quickly reconsidered his decision as he stepped into the volcanic heat of the crater. Without the heat-resistant garb, the high temperature in the air began crawling upon his skin like thousands of tiny maggots. He quickly found it difficult to breathe, and the smoldering smell on his clothes made him fear they would burst into flames any moment.

"Navi…which way…?" he coughed as he stepped a little deeper into the crater.

"Follow me! Follow me!"

The fay then swiftly darted towards the fork in the road ahead and chose the right path without hesitation. Link remembered Goron Link mentioning that the right path led to the top of the crater; he just hoped that he didn't have to climb all the way to the top – he couldn't survive in this heat longer than a few minutes.

Driven by his desire to meet this mysterious "she", Link followed his guardian fairy at his best pace, ignoring the heat as best he could. The right path started sloping upward quite rapidly, and Link only had to look about to see the path twist its way all around the inner edge of the crater towards the mouth high above. Each step he took felt like he was climbing a flat rock face, and soon the amount of sweat he was manufacturing began to overtake the volcanic heat's ability to evaporate it.

As he climbed the path, he did take the opportunity to look around for any possible signs of the flock of Keese that had attacked him and Sheik earlier. To his relief, he didn't see any indications that they were around anymore. Maybe they had fled after Volvagia had been destroyed, like how the Moblins had fled when he had destroyed Phantom Ganon…

"Not too far now, Link. Not too far now!" Navi animatedly exclaimed.

_"Yeah, I'm sure!"_

Actually, Navi was telling the truth. Although the remainder of his hike felt like it lasted for hours, it only took about a minute before they reached their destination, signaled by Navi's high-pitched squeals of delight.

"We're here! We're here! Link, we're here!"

His skin itching like crazy and his lungs desperate for a breath of cool air, Link heaved his way up the path to where Navi was hovering elatedly. He took a look around to see…nothing.

"Navi…what are you pulling? I don't see anything…"

"Watch, Link! Watch! Watch!"

Without waiting for a reply, Navi suddenly dived towards a section of the rock wall…and passed right through it! Link, caught off guard by this, blinked several times and wiped the dripping sweat from his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Even then he still felt compelled to call out to his fairy:

"Navi! Where'd you go?"

"I'm right here!" came Navi's shrill response. "Follow me! Follow me!"

Link still felt a little unsure about what Navi did, but he decided that it was a lot better than allowing himself to stand around and be cooked alive. Wiping the sweat out of his eyes one final time, he walked up to the wall where Navi had disappeared. He then hesitated for a brief moment, closed his eyes, took a deep breath of boiling air, and stepped forward.

The first thing he noticed was that the air around him no longer felt scorching – in fact, it felt remarkably cool! He had to take a deep breath of this refreshing air before he could convince himself to open his eyes, and when he did he gaped in amazement by what he saw.

Link was standing inside a corridor that carved its way deep into the shell of the mountain. But instead of rock covering the walls and ceiling, it was _light_. A deep blue, delicately undulating light that seemed to flow across the walls and ceiling like a magical river. Link was instantly reminded of the blue waterfalls of light that decorated the Chamber of Sages, but these rivers of light held their own unique kind of beauty. The floor itself was bare rock, but amazingly there was not a single loose stone anywhere – even when Link took several steps into the tunnel, his feet didn't kick up one speck of dust.

"Navi…where are we…?"

"Her home! Her home!" the fay exclaimed loudly. "She's anxious to meet you! She really is!"

_"Okay, Navi…you're starting to scare me now…"_ Link starting thinking when his eyes caught sight of something.

Someone was coming down the far end of the tunnel.

Instinctively, Link reached for the Master Sword and his shield, but he didn't draw them just yet. "Who are you?" he bellowed down the corridor. "Identify yourself!"

Even with all the blue light floating all around them, the figure approaching from the far end of the corridor had to move within a stone's throw of Link for him to really see who it was. To Link's surprise, the figure was…was…

"…A little boy?" he stammered all at once.

Actually, as the boy came closer, Link could see that he wasn't an ordinary boy. His size suggested he would be about the age of five if he were a Hylian, but his size ended many possible comparisons of him to a Hylian. The boy's skin was whiter than the purest snow, and his short hair darker than the blackest night. His physique seemed quite fragile, but the air of confidence radiating from him made him feel a lot stronger than he appeared. He possessed a pair of slit eyes colored the deepest green Link had ever seen, and the tips of his ears were more pointed than even a Kokiri's. He wore a set of clothes colored a light blue, and in one of his hands he carried what appeared to be a doll of some kind of bird.

The boy continued quietly approaching the Hero of Time until he was close enough to reach out and touch him. He then stopped, looked up at the puzzled Hylian…and smiled one of the warmest smiles Link had ever seen.

"Welcome, Link, Hero of Time. Welcome to the home of the _Faria Garuia_."

Link snapped out of his astonishment. "Wait a minute…what's going on here? Who are you? Where am I? And who is this…_ Faria Garuia_?"

The little boy grinned in a way that seemed to suggest he knew something. "All will be revealed soon enough. However, for the time being, I need you to make your way down this corridor. You should enter a chamber with a pool at the end. Wait there for me to return."

"Return? Where are you going?" Link demanded.

The boy's grin widened. "Why, to fetch your friends, of course."

Without another word, the little boy began scurrying his way down the way that Link had come. But as he passed the Hero of Time, the boy paused for a moment to take Link's hand and press into it his bird doll. He then nodded in Link's direction before scampering off, disappearing through the strange wall that covered the tunnel's entrance.

Still confused, Link glanced down at the toy that the boy had given to him, wondering why he would give Link such a thing. His heart nearly skipped a beat when he realized exactly what kind of bird the doll was.

It was an Owl…


	51. Darkness Within

**Chapter 51: Darkness Within**

"Are you sure he went out into the crater?"

As they entered the tunnel leading to the crater, Sheik gently adjusted himself on Malatite's back, making himself as comfortable as he can be. The Goron doctor didn't seem to mind as he nodded firmly.

"Absolutely," he answered. "I saw Link enter Darunia's room, and this is the only exit. I have no idea what he's _doing_ in the crater…but then again I suppose he doesn't either."

"Yes, I suppose that's true…what was Navi talking about, anyway…?"

The volcanic heat from the volcano struck them hard as they entered the cavernous crater, but luckily they were both well equipped to handle the temperature. Sheik was still wearing his heat-resistant garments, and Malatite was a Goron. The warmth did cause Sheik's bite marks to tingle a little, but the Sheikah ignored them as he looked around the crater for any signs of Link or Navi.

"Do you see them anywhere?" he asked Malatite.

"I'm afraid not," Malatite answered. "I hope they didn't fall into the lava…"

"Don't say that," Sheik interrupted. "I'm sure they're fine. We just have to find them…try going up that right path. Maybe they went up there."

Nodding at Sheik's suggestion, Malatite started moving up the sloped path that spiraled around the crater's wall, making sure his passenger was comfortable enough not to slip off.

As they climbed the slopes path, Sheik leaned his head down and whispered to the Goron, "By the way…you didn't tell Link anything about…you know…"

Malatite gently shook his head. "Don't worry, I haven't told them anything."

Sheik nodded. "Thank you…I'm glad you understand how important it is."

"It's no trouble at all. I'm actually quite honored to…wait, what was that?"

"What was what?"

Malatite stopped moving and peered and quietly, as he looking for something he had just lost. Sheik followed his lead and took a good look around the area, but all he saw was the spiraling path and the heat wave caused by the volcanic activity.

"Is…something the matter?" Sheik asked.

Malatite looked around for a bit longer before he finally shook his head. "I suppose not. I thought I saw someone walking towards us up ahead, but now I see absolutely nothing."

"Maybe it was Link or Navi…"

"No, I don't think so," Malatite politely disagreed. "The figure looked too small to be Link…and too big to be Navi. But it could've just been the heat playing tricks with my eyes. It's nothing. Let's not worry about it."

The Sheikah agreed. "Yeah, I suppose so. Come on, let's get moving. If we don't see Link up ahead, then we'll have to double back…"

"There's no need for that, my friends."

Malatite nearly dropped his patient from his back as he jumped startlingly at the sound of a soft voice that seemed to come out of nowhere. Both he and Sheik once again looked around, this time more frantically in search of the owner of the voice.

"Who's there?" Malatite called out. "Where are you?"

"You seek out the ones called Link and Navi, right?"

Both the Shiekah and the Goron were surprised to discover that the mysterious owner of the voice knew Link and Navi, but it was Sheik who responded first. "Yes," he called out in a gruff tone. "That's correct. But how do you know them?"

"I've known them longer than you think," the strange voice replied, still seemingly speaking from nowhere, "but that's not important right now. What is important is that I know where they are, and I shall escort you to them."

"You will?" Sheik cried, almost causing himself to fall out of Malatite's grasp because he couldn't contain his sudden burst of excitement.

"Of course," the voice replied. "Shall I take you to them now?"

"Yes, please do!" Sheik answered to nowhere in particular, his eyes darting around in a vain attempt to locate the enigmatic speaker; Malatite, remaining silent, also conducted his own futile search. "Please, tell us where you are!" the Sheikah continued. "Where exactly are you?"

"Look down, my friends."

Malatite nearly jumped in fright again when he heard the voice coming from just near his feet. He took a couple steps backwards so both he and Sheik could get a good look downward. To their amazement, they saw a strange young boy standing before them, smiling back at them. The boy appeared to be Hylian, but many features on his body suggested he was anything but. He wore no clothes to protect his little body from the intense heat, and yet he didn't appear to be bothered by it at all.

The boy stared at the dumbfounded due for a long moment before Sheik finally found the courage to speak.

"Um…hello there. Are you…the owner of that voice?"

The boy nodded with a wide grin. "Indeed I am."

"All right…" Sheik uttered as he tried finding the right words for his next question. "And…what exactly are you doing here in Death Mountain…?"

"By the Three Goddesses…" Malatite mumbled, not hearing Sheik. "I don't believe it…"

"What?" Sheik inquired, turning his attention to the Goron. "What is it?"

"This boy…he's a pixie…"

* * *

The room at the end of the tunnel was only slightly larger than Link's old tree home back in Kokiri Village, but oddly it felt incredibly spacious. The same crimped blue light that flowed across the walls and ceiling of the tunnel was present here, washing the walls of the chamber in its brilliance. Strangely enough, there didn't appear to be any ceiling; there was nothing but darkness overhead. There was another tunnel leading off from one of the side walls – other than that there were no other exits from the room.

Affixed to the wall opposite the tunnel was exactly what the boy had mentioned: a pool, but like everything else this was no ordinary pool. Surrounded by a short barrier of perfectly cut bricks, the pool was filled with an eerie liquid that resembled water but shimmered like moonlight. It again was reminiscent of the blue light waterfalls in the Chamber of Sages, though this stuff was crystal clear. The liquid appeared to drain off into a small pipe centered in the pool's center, and more of it poured from the mouth of an intricately carved beast that Link didn't recognize.

Still, it was the liquid itself that mesmerized Link as he stood at the tunnel's mouth. "Incredible…" he muttered to himself, taking a couple steps inside the chamber.

Navi herself fluttered over the pool rapidly, though to Link's relief she seemed to have calmed down from her earlier hyper state. He took several steps around the room quietly, taking in the simplicity of the room itself and the beauty of the pool before he finally decided do something other than wait.

"Navi…now that we're _here_, would you mind explaining a few things?"

"Like what, Link?" the fay asked as she continued gliding over the pool.

"Well, for starters…who exactly is this 'she' you kept mentioning earlier? I kept asking you over and over, but you just ignored me and babbled on. I'm interested in what she has to say…but I'd really like to know _who_ I'm meeting…"

"All will be revealed soon, Hero of Time."

Link turned around just in time to see the little strange boy enter the chamber from the tunnel…followed closely by Malatite carrying an exhausted but awake Sheik.

"Oh, you guys…" Link started before he suddenly realized something. He turned to the boy and stated, "You fetched them rather quickly…"

"That is because this chamber is outside the normal flow of the river of Time, my friend," the boy uttered as he calmly made his way around the Hylian and towards a position next to the pool. "The blue light you see surrounding this chamber is collected residue from when the world was created, and it has been formed in such a way that anyone or anything standing within it flow along Time's river at a slower pace.

"In other words, the world outside these walls are flowing through Time faster than we are at the moment."

Nothing should've surprised Link by now, but he still shook his head in amazement anyway. Still, he wasn't really in the mood for a lesson on how Time operated. He came here looking for answers, and if this little boy was his only lead then by the Three Goddesses he was going to get them.

"Tell me," Malatite started after the boy had finished speaking. "How is it that a pixie such as yourself…?"

"Were is this 'she' that Navi kept blabbering on about?" Link cut in, not even seeming to hear Malatite speak. "I was told that by coming here I was going to get some answers concerning my powers and why they make me go mad. But so far all I see is you…" He pointed a finger at the little pixie. "…standing in front of me. Are you the 'she' that Navi was referring to, or do you just work for her, or what?" He then held up the Owl doll that the boy had given him. "And what in the name of Hael did you give me this for?"

The boy looked down and sighed softly, as if not pleased with something. He then raised his head and smiled again, clapping his hands together in front of him. He made sure his eyes were peering directly at the Hero of Time before he spoke again.

"I'll answer your last question first. That doll that you hold in your hand…it's a reminder."

"A reminder? Of what?" Link inquired.

"Well, what does it remind _you_ of, my friend?" the pixie asked.

Link glanced down at the doll and took a good, long hard look at it. While the detail weren't terribly intricate, the overall features did indeed match the overall description that he remembered – he even expected the eyes to stare blankly at him and its beak to say something concerning its finicky magic…

"It reminds me of someone I once knew," Link answered, looking back up at the boy. "Someone who helped me when I was much younger. Someone I…now that I think about it, someone I respected quite a bit. But what does this have to do with anything? This is your doll…"

"Indeed it is," the pixie acknowledged. "That doll has been with me for almost my entire life…which isn't that long at all, only about five or six years. It was the first thing I used my magic to create, because I didn't wish to forget anything that it helps me to remember."

"Helps you to remember? I don't understand what you're…"

"Magic is a tricky thing, Link," the boy continued, politely cutting the Hero of Time off. "Whenever your soul becomes attached to it in, your soul is forever linked to the flow of Time in ways you can only possibly imagine. Most people, after they live out their lives, find their souls melt into the stream of Time so that they may form a new soul from which a new life will be born.

"A being whose soul is linked to magic, however, is unique in that his soul remains intact. His soul will forever remain whole, and with it he shall carry the memories of the life he once lived. These souls will eventually be reborn again and again, and these souls will forever hold the knowledge of all the lives they have and will one day experience."

They boy's eyes then fall upon the doll. "Regarding that doll, I made it because my previous life held special meaning for me. It was a relatively short life, and I will admit that changing my diet to field mice and prairie hares was quite a challenge…but it was special nevertheless."

Link's eyes widened in slow realization as he started understand what the boy was saying.

"For you see," the pixie continued, "during that lifetime I met a young boy from the Lost Woods who was destined to protect the world from a growing evil. A boy who believed he was an ordinary Kokiri but turned out to be the great Hero of Time. And I'm sure I don't have to tell you who that boy was."

Link's mouth gaped open as he raised a hand to cover it. "You mean…you're…you're that Owl? You're…Kaepora Gaebora?"

The pixie smiled widely as he nodded modestly. "I am he. I am Kaepora Gaebora."

"Kaepora Gaebora?" Sheik blurted out. "You mean you're the same Owl that saved…Princess Zelda from Ganondorf seven years ago? You're the same Owl that warned her to escape?"

Kaepora turned to face the Sheikah and again nodded. "I am. And I'm glad to know that the princess made it out alive. My sacrifice wasn't in vain."

"Sacrifice…?" Link mimicked. "What sacrifice…?"

"Seven years ago, I had a vision that foretold a terrible outcome. It told me that if I didn't intervene, then Princess Zelda would die. I hurried as fast as I could to save her – and thankfully I reached her in time – but my journey there had taken its toll. I had been injured by the arrows of poaches and my strength had failed me. I think I died only two days after you removed the Master Sword."

"You…died?" Link whispered, still unable to believe that he was talking to he old Owl he had known seven years ago.

"Yes…but you don't have to feel sorry for me," Kaepora assured. "Before I died, I prayed to the gods that I would be reborn as a creature that could make better use of the magic I had – an Owl was hardly the most suitable body for my magic. And my prayers were answered: I was reborn as a pixie, a servant to the _Faria Garuia_…and I couldn't be any happier."

Link didn't say a word. Instead he looked down at the Owl doll in his hands, carefully examining it as if it contained some special meaning within its fabric. He remembered Kaepora rather vividly, and how much the Owl had helped him when he was younger and more vulnerable. How he had helped him first master the basic sword techniques. How he had found food for them when they were stranded outside Kakariko Village. How he had carried them to and from Death Mountain.

Not once since his awakening had he thought about Kaepora and what might've happened to him, but now that the reincarnated Owl was standing before him, happy as can be…Link didn't know what to think. Should he smile? Should he cry? Should he hug the little pixie? Should he at least say thank you…?

"Hmp!"

Looking up, Link threw the doll in Kaepora's direction with an abrupt yet careful flick of his arm. Surprised, the pixie reached out and caught the doll, and an uncomfortable silence followed until Link finally spoke up, trying his best to sound sincere.

"It…it's good to see you again, Kaepora, it really is…" the Hylian announced, "but I came here because someone here could tell me about my powers and why I slip into fits of madness. I'm assuming this someone is this _Faria Garuia_ you keep mentioning. So please…where is she? I need to speak with her."

Link half-expected to see Kaepora look sad, but the pixie only nodded in agreement. "Yes…I understand, Link. You came here looking for answers, and you shall get those answers. It's time you learned about yourself and what's happening to you. So please…allow me to introduce you to…the _Faria Garuia_."

Kaepora then took a step to the side, did a quarter-turn to face the pool beside him, and knelt down on one knee. He bowed his head and closed his eyes before falling deadly silent. Navi, meanwhile, sensed something was about to happen and quickly fluttered away from the pool and to Link's shoulder, where she perched and watched anxiously. At the same time, Malatite carefully carried the still weak Sheik a little closer to the pool so they could both get a better view.

A deafening stillness filled the air for a moment, as if there was a buildup to something spectacular. Then, without warning, a loud shriek echoed across the chamber, startling everyone in the room enough to nearly jump in fright. But as they listened, they realized that the shriek really wasn't a shriek at all. It was a high-pitched, almost squealing kind of _laughter_…

Suddenly, a faint pillar of white light erupted from the center of the pool, right where the water was draining. The white light quickly and silently gathered itself into an egg-shaped cocoon, hovering over the pool's glistening surface. The cocoon seemed to pulse for a couple moments, as if someone inside were trying to get out, when the egg abruptly burst apart, sending fragments of the shell flying in every direction. The fragments dissolved in the air before they went very far, but everyone held up their arms to protect themselves just the same.

When they looked again, in place of the cocoon remained one of the most beautiful creatures Link had ever seen.

She stood a little taller than Link…well, actually, she wasn't standing at all. Rather, she was _floating_ over the pool, her arms stretched out in a seemingly religious pose. She wore no clothes at all, but she seemed not to mind…or care, for that matter. Her skin appeared to shine with the essence of light itself, while her radiantly blond hair fluttered delicately in a wind that no one could feel. She glanced down at Link and his companions with a set of pale eyes that had no pupils, but radiating from her smile was a kindness that had no equal.

Link was so awe-inspired by the mere presence of this gorgeous being that he almost wanted to kneel down before her…

"Welcome, Link, Hero of Time," she said in a voice as pure as untainted love. "I am the _Faria Garuia_, the Fairy Mother."

The _Faria Garuia_'s words were enough to gently snap Link out of his trance. "The…Fairy Mother? But…but I thought…"

"You thought that the Great Deku Tree was the one who created all fairies, right?"

Link gently nodded, his gaze still fixated on the Fairy Mother's beauty.

"This is true. The Deku Tree was the one who created all fairies long ago in the early days of the world. I had nothing to do with their creation. I am only the Fairy Mother in name only."

"In…name only?" Link muttered. "I…don't understand…"

"I am a being born directly from the flow of Time and has remained linked to the river of Time ever since my birth. Because of this, I have a strong connection to creatures and beings who are familiar with life and the various energies associated with it. Pixies are one such creature, but the creatures who fit this definition the closest are fairies. Thus, in the early years of this world's existence, I was bestowed the name _Faria Garuia_, the Old Tongue name for Fairy Mother."

The Fairy Mother smiled softly as she raised a finger and pointed at Link's shoulder. "Your fairy, Navi, can tell you about our first meeting and the connection she has with me."

Link jerked his head in Navi's direction. "Navi…you've met her before?"

The guardian fairy seemed to blush a little. "Ummm…yes, I did…but that was seven years ago, when I was separated from you on Death Mountain…"

"However," the Fairy Mother continued, "now is not the time to speak of such things. Link…I asked Navi to bring you here because I believe it is time for you to discover the truth about the power that dwells within you. I have refrained from revealing this information to you earlier because of the risk of you not developing as destiny required you."

There was that horrible word again. Destiny…

"But now you stand at a crossroad, and you need guidance to make a decision. However, you alone must decide whether you can accept my help. Will you hear my words, Hero of Time?"

Despite hearing the Fairy Mother mention that word he so much detested, Link still felt the need to understand the still mystifying powers he could manifest. If this _Faria Garuia_ could explain how he could produce something as destructive as Din's Fire and something as beneficial as Farore's Wind – not to mention why he flew into unprovoked fits of uncontained rage – then there was no reason for him to refuse.

With a firm nod, Link replied, "I'll hear your words. Tell me what I need to know."

"Very well," the Fairy Mother uttered. "Then listen carefully to my words, Child of Destiny."

The eyes of everyone in the room – even those of Kaepora, who had raised his head while still kneeling – were on the _Faria Garuia_ as she started to speak.

"By now, you are a little familiar with the powers that you harbor. The power you call Din's Fire are all the negative thoughts and energies that reside within every being. What you know as Nayru's Love is a manifestation of the noble thoughts and energies we all strive to develop. And Farore's Wind is born out of one's determination and courage.

"These powers awoke from deep within you because of the experiences you underwent through your journeys. Din's Fire was summoned after the wave of emotions you felt when you thought King Dodongo had killed your friend Navi. You awoke Farore's Wind because of your strong desire to save Princess Ruto. And Nayru's Love was kindled during your selfless act of destroying the Barinade."

_"Yes, yes, I know most of this,"_ Link thought, feeling a little impatient.

"However," the Fairy Mother carried on, as if sensing Link's irritation, "the awakening of your powers does not explain why you suddenly lapse into fits of uncontrollable madness and cruelty, nor do you know where these powers come from. The answers to these questions are simple, Hero of Time. The truth of the matter is that you, Link, are a _Magi-Con_."

Everyone except Kaepora blinked in confusion. "A _Magi_-what?" Sheik asked.

"A Mage-Bound," the pixie humbly answered.

"What's a Mage-Bound?" Link inquired.

"There are many ways to acquire the ability to use magic," the Fairy Mother answered. "Some people are born with it naturally, while others dedicate their lives to learning it. Mage-Bounds are those who learn magic on their own as they grow, and they are considered some of the most powerful wielders of magic ever known. Many of history's greatest mages and wizards were _Magi-Con_. My friend Kaepora Gaebora was also once a _Magi-Con_."

Kaepora looked down at the floor upon hearing that, but Link was not sure if it was because of embarrassment or shame…

"However, there is a serious drawback with being a Mage-Bound. The powers of a Mage-Bound are unique in that they feed off the dark aspects of one's soul: hate, anger, sadness, loneliness, fear. To awaken from their deep slumber, the powers of a Mage-Bound require an incredible surge of emotions. The more powerful the magic, the more intense the flow of emotions is required. Legends tell of some _Magi-Con_ who possessed powers so great that their awakenings destroyed their very souls.

"It was no coincidence that the first power that awoke within you was Din's Fire."

Link felt a chill run down his spine, though he wondered whether it was because of the Fairy Mother's story or because of the possibility it could've happened to him…

"There is another drawback with being a _Magi-Con_, and this one is far more dangerous than the first: the powers of a Mage-Bound _want_ to be awakened. They _want_ to be used."

The chill running across Link's back felt a lot colder now. "Wha…what do you mean they _want_ to be awakened?" he asked almost nervously.

A note of gentle sadness could be heard in the _Faria_'s voice as she replied. "The powers of a _Magi-Con_ desire nothing more than to feed upon the entire soul they are bound to. To accomplish this, they try to force the being who possesses these powers to change, to convert to the darker aspects of his soul. If the powers haven't awoken yet, then they do all they can to awaken themselves. I'm sure you, Link, remember back in the Dodongo's Cavern when you slew those two Lizalfos with such brutality. That was the your powers trying to awaken within you."

Link felt his lips twist against themselves as he tried his best not to turn pale.

"And once your powers awoke, they took every opportunity they could to convert your soul to what they desired. All of your fits of madness were directly influenced by your magical essence as a _Magi-Con_, and soon they not only changed your soul but twisted your mind. After you lost your identity as a Kokiri and you were forever separated from the one you know as Saria, the influence of the powers within you increased frighteningly. And with each part of your soul that is devoured by your Mage-Bound magic, your lapses of madness grow more and more uncontrollable.

"And should you be pushed too far, there's no telling what will come about with the powers you possess or what kind of destruction they will lead to…"

Link didn't need to hear anymore. "How can I stop it?" he demanded frantically. "How can I stop myself from going mad? I was nearly killed when I last fought Volvagia because of one of those fits. I don't want that to happen!"

"It took me years of rigid training and meditation before I finally managed to tame my magic," Kaepora quietly announced as he raised his head again. "And even then I still had moments where I felt threatened. Controlling the dark desires of a _Magi-Con_'s powers is sadly a terrible burden; one must be in complete control of them if he is to live with such potential."

"But I don't have that kind of time!" Link indicated, starting to grow both angry and worried. "I can't spend that long training myself like that! As the…" Link hesitated a moment as he forced himself to say the next sentence. "As the Hero of Time, I cannot give up my obligations like that. I just can't."

The Fairy Mother nodded gently, though the look in her eyes was an upsetting one. "Yes, I know of your need to make good time in your quest to destroy the one called Ganondorf. However, the method that Kaepora has proposed is the safest method for you to master your powers."

Frustration gripped Link as he clenched his hands into a fist, threatening to hit something nearby. Why did everything have to go against him, even when was doing something he didn't like the first place…wait a minute. What did she just say…?

"Wait, you just said that Kaepora's method is the safest method," he pointed out.

The _Faria Garuia_ nodded slowly. "Yes, that's right…"

"But it's not the _only_ method…is it?"

A stunned silence befell the chamber as an awkward look crept into the face of the Fairy Mother, her smile waning as she seemingly ponders over Link's accusation. Both Sheik and Malatite, who were still shocked to learn about Link's history of fits, quietly turned their attention to Link, who was glaring at the _Faria_ with an intolerant scowl. Navi, on the other hand, remained still while seated on Link's shoulder, her pink light flickering softly yet wildly due to the disquiet in the room.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the Fairy Mother answered Link's question. "No, it isn't. There is one other method, and it is faster than the previously suggested method."

Link's eyebrows knitted together tightly in resentment at not being told this, but he didn't say anything. Rather, he tapped his foot impatiently, awaiting an explanation from the _Faria Garuia_.

"However, the alternative method is very dangerous. It has been used only a handful of times on developing _Magi-Con_ through the ages with only a limited number of successes. Using this method is strongly discouraged because of its potential for disaster."

Link wasted no time in formulating a response. "But if it's faster, then we don't have any choice. What's so dangerous about this method, anyway?"

The Fairy Mother made sure her eyes were staring directly into Link's, holding his full attention, before she replied. "This method involves a trained mage taking a Mage-Bound's mind and sending it into the depths of his soul. Once there, the Mage-Bound will face physical embodiments of his consciousness…including the dark entity of his Mage-Bound magic. The Mage-Bound must confront this manifestation directly and tame it through whatever means necessary. Doing this will result in his mind 'learning' how to control his powers at a much faster rate.

"However, as I said before, this method is extremely dangerous. There is very little documentation on what happens when a Mage-Bound confronts his powers in such a manner. The _Magi-Con_ who survived this process rarely spoke of it again, and the others who were less than successful…went mad and ended up destroying themselves."

Despite Link already making up his mind on going through with this idea, the seriousness in the _Faria Garuia_'s voice and the gentle yet solemn look in her eyes were enough to almost make him reconsider…

"Listen and listen well, Hero of Time," the Fairy Mother added. "I strongly advise you not to attempt this method. I have the capability to carry the process out, but I'd much rather not risk such a dangerous procedure. However, it is your decision to make. As I said before, you are standing at a crossroad, and you need guidance to make your decision. I have given you all the guidance I can. Now you must make your decision."

All eyes were on Link now. The Hero of Time could feel his skin twitch as he felt not only the Fairy Mother and Kaepora's eyes staring at him, but also those of his friends. He understood that this was a really important decision for him to make, and thankfully he wasn't being pressured into making one choice or the other. Oh, sure, the _Faria Garuia_ "strongly advised" him not to take the second method…but at least he was being given a choice. For the first time in a long time, he finally was given a genuine, legitimate choice.

And the choice he made would be his…solely his…

His lips smiling knowingly, Link faced the _Faria Garuia_ and gave his answer. "I will choose the second method. I want to face these powers of mine directly."

Both Navi and Malatite released quick gasps of shock, while Kaepora lowered his head in a troubled sigh. Sheik was the only one to speak.

"Link…are you sure about this? It sounds too dangerous! Please, think about this more carefully…!"

"Your concern is noted, Sheik, but…" The Hylian turned his head to face the Sheikah. "…I already have thought about it carefully."

"But the risks…"

"…are ones I'm willing to take, thank you."

The Sheikah had no further responses, so Link once again turned to face the Fairy Mother. "And I'm sure you're also going to warn me again about the risks. Well, I have made up my mind. Nothing you say will convince me otherwise. It's my decision, as you pointed out, and I have decided to accept the risks."

The _Faria Garuia_ stared silently at Link for a long moment before she released a long sigh. "Very well, Hero of Time. I shall respect your decision and allow you to walk the path you have chosen. I shall, however, remind you that you can change your mind before I…"

"Don't…start with me," Link interjected sternly, raising an almost accusing finger at the Fairy Mother. "Just get on with it."

The Fairy Mother, a little taken aback by Link's firmness, replied, "All right…but do you really wish to start the process now? Would you prefer to rest your body and your mind before you enter your subconscious? It is never clear how long this procedure will take, and being refreshed might give you an edge during your confrontation. The extra time will also give you an opportunity to think your decision through and…"

"No! Do it now!"

Link's bellow tore through everyone's eardrums like a thunderclap and silenced the _Faria Garuia_ instantly. He had listened to the Fairy Mother's suggestions rather objectively at first, but the moment she mentioned the possibility of him changing his decision he quickly decided not to fall for her tactics. He had made his choice, and he was not going to let anyone change it.

When the Fairy Mother didn't reply to Link's roar, the Hero of Time stepped forward towards the pool, glared irately at her, and snarled, "Didn't you hear me? I said do it now. I will not leave this room until you do it, and that is my final word on the matter. Do you understand me?"

As if frightened by Link's abrupt change of character, the _Faria Garuia_ nodded with a gentle yet noticeable shudder. "Yes…I understand perfectly." She took several deep breaths to calm herself down before continuing, "I'll…I'll do it now. I…I need you to kneel down where you stand."

Still keeping his incensed gaze fixed on the _Faria Garuia_'s face, Link slowly and carefully knelt down in front of the pool. The Fairy Mother waited for him to fully kneel before she moved her hands around in small circles; moments later, she began gliding downward, her feet dipping themselves inside the water-like substance in the pool. As she lowered herself, she crossed her legs behind her as if she too were kneeling…except she was still floating in the air. She stopped descending once her chest was level with Link's eyes, which were still watching the Fairy Mother's face warily.

"Close your eyes," the _Faria Garuia_ asked Link as she reached out and placed her hands on Link's head, cupping his cheeks with her palms. The Kokiri pursed his lips together before he did close his eyes. "Now relax, Hero of Time. I need to prepare your mind for the journey. Just remain absolutely still and relax…"

As she said this, the Fairy Mother closed her own eyes and slowly raised her head, as if being kissed softly on her neck. A soft sigh escaped from her lips as she began delicately tracing her fingertips across Link's cheeks, and soon her entire body began to shiver as if being pleasured all over.

"What…what's she doing?" Sheik asked Navi, who had made her way to the Sheikah after Link had stormed his way to the pool.

"She's guiding Link's mind into his subconscious," the fay answered. "But she can't guide it there until it's properly conditioned. If Link's mind isn't properly conditioned, then entering his soul could destroy it."

The Sheikah turned back to the Hero of Time with a worried look in his eyes. "Link…"

* * *

Despite being angry at the _Faria Garuia_ for trying to subtly convince him to change his decision, Link strangely found it quite easy to relax as soon as he felt her fragile touch against his skin. His frustration melted away as his tense muscles loosened and his heartbeat stabilized. The breathes he drew grew deeper and deeper, and soon he felt so tranquil that he could've easily fallen asleep.

But something in his mind refused to let him fall asleep, and he wasn't sure if that was because of the Fairy Mother or his own doing. At first all he "saw" was the darkness from closing his eyelids, but as he calmed down his mind started to wander a little, retrieving memories from his subconscious to entertain his alert psyche…

Just then, he heard a soft, shrill whistle. He didn't know where it was coming from, but he dared not open his eyes to find out. The whistling grew louder and louder with each passing second until it was strident enough to threaten deafening him. He winced as he cried out into the darkness in an attempt to cope with the pain, but the harsh sound refused to give him a single moment of comfort.

But what followed next was what really got Link's attention. Without warning, the shrill whistle "exploded", sending a soft bang that echoed across the void. As it did, the inky blackness surrounding Link vanished, rapidly being replaced by a white abyss that disappeared behind a materializing horizon. The emptiness that was the ground morphed into a crystallized terrain, stretching as far as the eye could see.

The formation of the new topography took less than a minute to complete, but Link had already familiarized himself with the scenery before it had finished constructing itself. Although it was not a void per se, it was pretty close. The white sky was all colored the same ashen shade, and the crystal soil appeared to be flat from end to end with nary a defect in sight.

"Where…am I…?" Link muttered to himself, his voice surprisingly echoing several times as he spoke. "What is this place…?"

"Link!"

Link abruptly turned around. To his astonishment, he saw someone he never thought he'd ever see again.

"Saria…" he murmured. "But how…?"

"Aren't you coming to play your ocarina for me? I hope you've been practicing."

It took Link several moments to figure it out, but he soon realized with a heavy heart that what he was seeing wasn't Saria. It was some kind of…_projection_ of her against the colorless hollow sky. He was watching an image of her "play out" against the pale background, almost as if it were…were…

"A memory…" he uttered aloud.

"You didn't practice? Link, I'm disappointed in you. And I so badly wanted to hear you play…"

Yes, he understood now. This was one of his memories of his childhood, long before he had ever met Navi. Was this an effect of the process the Fairy Mother was using to send him into his consciousness…?

"Really? All Kokiri have fairies?"

A second voice prompted Link to look behind him, allowing him to see another memory play out before his eyes. This one was of Princess Zelda, probably set during the few days he spent at the palace with her.

"You must take me to the Lost Woods when all of this is over, Link. I would really like to meet some of your friends…"

When this is all over. How he longed for that moment…

"Hey, Fairy Boy. What are you thinking about?"

Another memory, again from behind. When Link turned, this time he was staring at an image of Malon.

"You're going to remove your bandages later today? Are you sure about that? Well…all right, but I'm a little unsure…"

That was her before he removed the bandages covering his burnt hand. The look of concern in her eyes still seemed to haunt Link…

"Just think, Link. After this, we can go home."

Link turned to see a memory of Navi.

"I just hope that princess doesn't have anything else for us to do. After all, we got all three Spiritual Stones. What more does she want from us?"

That memory was from his raft journey after he had acquired the Spiritual Stone of Water. As he watched, Link still wondered why these scenes were playing out before him. Was there some purpose behind him seeing them…?

Just then, the pallid sky began to darken a little.

"What…?"

"Hey, Mr. No Fairy!"

When Link turned and saw Mido staring at him, he gaped in disbelief.

"Yeah, I'm talking to you! I'm just here to tell you that Saria doesn't like you anymore! She told me that she thinks you're a klutz with the intelligence of a carp."

A memory of Mido back when he was still a bully. Did that have something to do with the sky darkening…wait, it was growing darker again…

"Get away from there, you little punk!"

Link turned around to come face to face with Ingo.

"I don't care what that little brat Malon told you. I don't want you near these horses, do you understand me?"

A memory of Ingo when Talon was still in charge of Lon Lon Ranch. Link realized that as the sky was darkening his memories were "darkening" as well…and the sky was dimming even now. What could his next memory be…?

_THUUUUUUUMMMM…_

It wasn't a voice he heard behind him; it was a giant footstep. Turning around, Link's face nearly drained itself of blood when he saw himself staring face to face with Gohma, the parasite that had killed the Great Deku Tree.

"What in the world…?" Link yelled as loud as he could.

In response, the memory of Gohma screamed her terrifying scream, the same one she had screamed when Link had slain one of her children. Her single eye growing red with anger, Gohma charged…

_AAAAAAAARRRRRRRAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHH…_

A second scream behind him caused Link to turn around again, this time so he could witness King Dodongo release a powerful blast of fire from his mouth as he roared.

_SSSSHHHHEEEEEEOOOOOOUUUUUUU…_

A fizzling of electrical current drew Link's attention to another memory, this one of the Barinade firing several streams of deadly voltage.

"Pray to your dead tree god, boy. You're about to die."

Looking upon the decaying face of Phantom Ganon, even in a memory, was enough to send chills down Link's spine as he watched the specter ride his ghost horse.

_AAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHH…_

Link expected to see Volvagia behind him, and hearing the dragon's shrill scream only confirmed it as he witnessed the snake-like beast charging towards him, beak open, ready to release a deadly blast of fire…

_"What's going on?" _Link screamed in his mind, noticing that the sky was almost pitch black by now. _"Why am I being shown this? What is this all for? Why? Why? Why…?"_

"You pathetic, little fool."

Link felt ice run down his spine as he turned around to face the man whom he both loathed and feared at the same time…

"You have no idea who you are dealing with. But soon, you and all the world will know the true power of Ganondorf!"

Even if it was just a memory, Link still froze in horror when he saw Ganondorf's wicked eyes staring down at him, threatening to kill him with just a single attack. The wicked smile of the Gerudo's face sneered down at him, laughing at him, mocking him…

"Pathetic, little fool…"

"No…!" Link demanded, taking a step back. "Get away from me!"

"…little fool…"

"No! I said get away! Get away from me!"

"…fool…"

"Stop it! Go away! Leave me alone! Leave me alone, curse you!

"…_fool_…"

"Get _awaaaaaaaaaay_!"

Without thinking, Link took his fist and swung it as hard as he could at the memory. Unexpectedly, his fist "collided" with the horizon…and shattered it. The sound of sprinkled glass ricocheted across the crystallized plain as the shards fell away, taking everything with them: the darkened sky, the memories in the sky…everything except the ground itself.

Within a few moments, the shattering had finished, the shards had dissipated into the void, and there was silence across the nothingness once more. The sky was again pale, and there were no memories to be seen. Still, Link had to take several deep breaths to calm himself down, and even then he still felt incredibly on edge.

"What…was that all about…?" he demanded aloud. "Why was I shown that…wait a minute, what's this?"

Link cut himself off as his eyes caught sight of something in the distance. He took a few steps forward as he squinted to get a better look, but that didn't help him any. He was forced to wait for a few minutes before he finally saw what it was heading in his direction.

It was storm clouds. Black, monstrous storm clouds.

"Now what?"

Link didn't get an answer as he was forced to watch the black thunderclouds slowly and methodically roll their way across the sky above him, covering the ashen sky with their menacing bulks. There was no lightning, but thunder rolled constantly, though it didn't echo like Link's voice did. Within several minutes, the sky in all directions as far as the eye could see was blocked by the intimidating clouds, generating a very gloomy mood.

All Link could do was look around in silence, wondering what the clouds meant and why they were here. There were no irregularities within the clouds themselves (other than the lightning-less thunder), and nothing else seemed to accompany them. So why…?

—Did I keep you waiting?—

Link jerked his head around in every direction, trying to see where the voice had come from, but he could see nothing except the clouds.

"Who are you?" he called out. "Where are you?"

—I'm right here. All around you—

"All around me? What game are you playing with me? Show yourself this instant!"

—It's no game, I can assure you. After all, the reason you came here isn't game, now is it?—

Link realized that he could hear a subtle note of mockery in the mysterious voice, which in turn made him grow irritated.

"If this isn't a game, then why don't you show yourself, you bastard!"

—As I told you before, I'm right here, all around you. How many times do I have to tell you that?—

Link was about to bark at the voice how angry he was getting when a thought occurred to him. Could the mysterious voice be…?

"Wait…so what you're saying is…you're the storm clouds?"

—You could say that—

So he _was_ playing games with him. "Cut the garbage, damn it!" Link bellowed. "If you're not going to be straight with me and tell me who you are, then…"

—So you want me to be straight with you, do you? Very well. Yes, I am the storm clouds…but I'm much more. The clouds are merely how I'm choosing to show myself to you at the moment. In reality I'm all around you – you just have to search me out…but then again, that's the reason you came here, so I guess you've succeeded—

Although being more direct, Link was still growing tired of the voice's riddling words. "Will you make sense already? Why in the name of the Three Goddesses would I search you out?"

—Because I'm that which you seek. I'm the power that dwells within you, the one you have come here to confront so you may tame me—

Link felt his heart skip a beat when he heard those words, and it took another heartbeat for them to sink in. If what the voice said was true – that this was the manifestation of his Mage-Bound powers – then that meant Link was now in the depths of his soul. It also meant that the manifestation knew of Link's desire to challenge and tame it, although he didn't know if that really gave it an advantage.

Still, the Fairy Mother had done what he had asked by sending his mind into his subconscious. Now it was Link's turn to do what he needed to do…

"Is that so?" Link called out, trying to sound as brave as possible. "Then come and face me! You know why I'm here, so there's no point in me explaining why!"

The storm clouds seemed to rumble as if in laughter.

—Indeed. But do you honestly believe you have a chance to defeat me? I'm all around you, don't forget. I can strike you down with one word and you wouldn't even be able to evade my attack—

Link wasn't sure if the manifestation was bluffing or not, but he couldn't back out from this now. "If you really can…then I dare you to do it! I'm not afraid of you!"

This time Link heard an actual snicker from the mysterious voice.

—Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh. You're very amusing, you know that? But I'm afraid I must decline your challenge, because if I were to kill you where you stand, I would also be killing myself. Destroying your mind would end up destroying your soul, after all—

Link didn't have a response to that statement, and he didn't have a chance to think of one.

—No, I will not accept your challenge because the outcome is already decided. Instead, I'm going to do something else with you—

"And what's that?" Link demanded.

—Reveal to you the truth—

The unexpectedness of that statement was enough to cause Link to gape in disbelief. "Reveal…the truth? What in the name of the Three Goddesses are you talking about?"

—Simple. I'm going to reveal to you, right here and now, all the lies that you've been told. All the falsehoods that have been used to make you a pawn in other people's game—

Link looked around the thunderclouds frantically, his mind unsure of whether to trust what this voice was telling him. "I…I'm not falling for your tricks. You're just trying to get me to let down my guard…"

—This is no trick. You have been fed lies and deceptions so that you would do things you shouldn't be doing. You yourself have suspected this before, but I shall reveal to you that your suspicions are sound—

"No!" Link screamed. "I don't believe you! I'm not going to fall for it! If you want to fight me, stop using such dirty tricks…"

—Maybe you'll pay better attention if I ask you a simple question: do you believe in destiny?—

Link was ready to deny the voice's words again, but when he heard the question he felt something grow numb inside.

"Do I…believe in destiny? What do you mean?"

—Exactly what I said. Do you believe that certain beings are destined to do things that they have no control over? Do you believe in a mysterious fate that dictates your every move?—

At first Link was speechless. He had grown to strongly despise hearing anything about destiny or fate, and he even took actions to turn his back on destiny at one point, but he couldn't recall ever questioning whether he _believed_ in it. What was the owner of this voice up to…?

"I…I don't know if I believe in it. I don't like it, but I'm not sure if I can just deny its existence…"

—And why not?—

Link blinked in puzzlement. "Excuse me?"

—If you loathe destiny so much, then what reason do you have to believing in it? Don't we have to believe in something called fate in order for it to affect our lives? If you don't like destiny, you don't need to believe in it—

"That…that's not true," Link quickly pointed out. "Even if I didn't believe in destiny, I would've still pulled out the Master Sword, which would've still sealed me up for seven years…"

—Are you sure about that? You removed that sword because you decided to believe in the Deku Tree's "path of destiny". You walked that path even though you knew nothing about it, and look what happened: you ended up pulling out that stupid blade and sealing yourself up for seven years—

Link could almost swear he felt the voice's owner smile before it continued.

—And besides, even if you _did_ end up pulling out the sword without walking that supposed "path of destiny", why allow the sword to control your life afterwards? Sure, there was nothing you could do while you were sealed up, but there was nothing preventing you from denying its "destiny" after you awoke. You owed nothing to anyone because of that seven year imprisonment. Nothing—

As much as he wish he couldn't, Link couldn't help but see the logic in the manifestation's words. But still…

"So what are you saying? I should've just ignored everything and everyone?"

—If that was your choice, then yes. You could've easily chosen not to do what everyone else wanted you to do. You could've remained at home in the Kokiri Forest instead of head out on a quest under the pretension of a "path of destiny". You could've made a new life for yourself rather than "fulfill your destiny" by becoming the Hero of Time, a title you've now grown to hate.

—You had the ability to make a choice, but you were deceived into thinking you had to give in to an idea called fate. There's no way around it. Everyone has lied to you—

Link wrapped his hands around his ears, trying not to hear the voice's strangely rational explanations. "Stop it…don't say anything…"

—Your life has been ruined by believing in this garbage called destiny, and you know it. You left your home and never returned because of it. You've been fighting other people's battles as the Hero of Time because of it. And some of your friends used it as an excuse to abandon you—

"My…friends…?" Link whispered with his hands still over his ears, his body beginning to tremble violently.

—I speak of course of Saria and Darunia. You loved Saria with all your heart and you desired to be reunited with her…but because of "destiny" she now remains separated from you forever as a Sage. You wished to renew your friendship with Darunia, one of your few remaining friends in this world…but because of "destiny" he too has separated himself from you forever. Their belief in destiny continued to destroy everything around you—

To Link's horror, he found himself believing in the words he was hearing. "No!" he pleaded, crouching down on his knees. "I don't believe you! I don't believe a thing you're saying!"

—But you should! If that's not enough to convince you, then look at the one called Sheik—

Link looked up at the storm clouds, his entire body trembling. "Sh…Sheik…?"

—Sheik has manipulated you ever since he first met you, using your title as the Hero of Time to carry out what he says you need to do. Whenever you questioned him, he refused to give you a say in anything. You turned your back on destiny after you lost Saria to destiny, but what did Sheik do after that? He made you accept it once again. Yes, you strongly hated it, but you still accepted it—

"No…you're wrong!" Link cried, looking away from the storm clouds again, shaking his head between his hands. "Sheik would never do that to me!"

—Are you sure about that? Whenever you doubted being the Hero of Time, or did something that you weren't supposed to do, Sheik was right there to force you into how you're allegedly meant to be. Your recent escapades in the Fire Temple are a perfect example of that—

"No! That's…that's not true! I was…I was wrong to act like that! I regret acting like that…"

—Now _you're_ the one who's lying—

Link glanced up at the clouds, his eyes wide with confusion and sadness. "Wh…what…?"

—You don't regret acting like that at all. In fact, I think you _enjoyed_ that feeling. I remember your vow to turn you back on destiny after you lost Saria. After you made that vow, you felt better. Why? Because you made a choice. You still believed in destiny, but you took a step forward by denying part of what fate asked of you—

"No…" Link weakly muttered, but the voice refused to listen.

—Admit it. When you made that vow, you freed part of your soul from the confines of believing in a superstitious entity called destiny. And when you were forced to believe in it again, you felt miserable. Why else do you hate destiny? Why else do you hate being the Hero of Time? Because you're once again losing the freedom you tasted by making that vow—

"Please…stop…" Link uttered softly.

—But now you have a choice. You have the choice of stepping beyond where you went before. You vowed to walk your own path, but to still fulfill your basic duties as the Hero of Time. You do not even have to do that. You can do much more. So much more—

Link forced himself to stare at the clouds despite an inner desire to turn away. "What…what do you mean?"

—What I mean…is that you can reject your title as the Hero of Time—

Link's face grew pale when the voice made that suggestion, but not because the suggestion was made. No, Link's face grew pale when he realized he was close to _agreeing_ with it…

"But…but I can't do that…"

—Why not?—

"Because…because I have a duty to save the people of Hyrule…"

—You have no such thing! That so-called duty is rolled up in that destiny filth associated with being called the Hero of Time. That duty was forced upon you when you were unwillingly made the Hero of Time. It is not your duty at all—

Incredibly, Link's curiosity started to take hold of him. "Then…who's duty is it?"

—It's the duty of the ones who started this mess! It's the duty of that wretched Deku Tree who coaxed you to walk your supposed "path of destiny". It's the duty of that bastard Sheik who's fighting a war you have no right to be in. But, above all…it's the duty of that little bitch Zelda who has refused to show her face because she knows the truth concerning why you're fighting in her name—

Before, Link would've grown angry at anyone calling Princess Zelda a "little bitch"…but as he slowly stood up from his crouch, Link felt nothing in his heart like that. Instead, he felt…assurance…

"So what you're saying…is that I should abandon my title as the Hero of Time? Just give it up?" he asked with a surprising sense of confidence.

—Not just that, but everything associated with it. Everyone and anything around you that has hurt you…you have no need to keep them around you any longer. You have the choice to abandon them, and since you despise being the Hero of Time so much, there is nothing in your way to stop you—

"But…that would include Navi…Malatite…Mido…the Sages…what do I with them…?"

"Fuck them."

The manifestation's short yet ruthlessly direct statement amazingly had no effect on Link. He didn't flinch or blink or even pause to think it over. He just…_accepted_ it…accepted it in stony silence.

—Given the chance, they would do anything to convince you to once again believe in destiny and all of its carp-shit. If you truly wish to be free of the stranglehold of destiny, you must get rid of everything that holds you down. This includes those whom you believe are your friends, the ones who have held you back all this time. Do you understand what I'm saying?—

A brief period of silence fell over the plains as Link pondered the manifestation's ideas. Then, slowly, his lips began to curl upward into a sneering grin.

"I understand…perfectly."

A victorious chortle resonated across the landscape.

—Wonderful. You really are as smart as I thought you were—

"I know I am," Link laughed, his eyes looking up at the clouds with a vicious yet compliant gaze. "And now I shall show you just how much I've learned…"

Link then threw his head back and sent a cruel, malicious cackle reverberating across the void, his hands raised in triumph towards the thundering sky.

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ahhh, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaaaaaaaaa…!"

* * *

"…aaaaaaaaaaaeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrggggghhh!"

Link's struggling scream climaxed with a loud bang as he tore his head away from the Fairy Mother's hands, sending both the Hylian and the _Faria__ Garuia_ reeling backwards. Link almost landed on his back, but he managed to catch himself; the Fairy Mother, meanwhile, used her ability to float to prevent herself from crashing into the back of the pool.

As both Link and the _Faria_ struggled to catch their breath, cries of worry instantly filled the chamber.

"Link! By Din's Fire, Link!" Sheik screamed, feeling helpless unable to move from Malatite's back.

"_Faria__ Garuia_!" Kaepora Gaebora exclaimed in alarm. "What happened? Are you all right?"

"I…I'm fine, Old One," the Fairy Mother replied as she slowly righted herself. "It's just that…Link broke my spell rather unexpectedly. I couldn't do anything to stop him."

"Link broke the connection?" the pixie inquired as he turned to face the Hylian, who was still struggling to regain his breath. "And in such a forceful manner? But how could he do something like that…?"

Meanwhile, Navi was already hovering over Link, her light flickering wildly in panic. "Link! Link! Are you all right? Say something to me! Link!"

The Hero of Time, took several more deep breaths before he finally flopped himself forward, resting his upper body on his hands. "I'm…I'm fine. Quit worrying about me."

"Quit worrying about you?" Navi shrieked as she perched on his shoulder. "All I seem to be doing these days _is_ worry about you! I'll do what I want, thank you very much!"

"Link…are you sure you're all right?" Sheik asked quickly as Malatite carried him to the Hylian's side. "Are you sure…?"

"I already told you, I'm fine, Sheik," Link answered quietly, looking down to the ground as he spoke.

A sigh of relief could be heard escaping from the Sheikah's lips. "I…I'm glad. You had me worried there for a second."

A frail smile seemed to creep across Link's lips as he stated, "Don't mention it."

"Link," the Fairy Mother quietly interjected as she finished positioning herself properly over her pool again. "I'm glad to see that you're all right, but…I have to ask you if you accomplished what you set out to do."

Link's smile broadened a tiny bit, though he still refused to look up. "What do you mean?" he asked almost with a snicker. "Didn't you see what happened?"

"I'm afraid not. When I sent your mind into your consciousness, my vision was blocked by a barrage of loose memories. I couldn't see beyond them or find a way to get past them. It was as if they were set up there to block anyone but you from entering."

A hissed chuckle left Link's lips. "Really…so _that's_ what they were for…"

"But Link…please tell me if you accomplished your task. Did you tame the Mage-Bound powers within your soul?"

"Oh, I did more than that…" Link then finally looked up at the _Faria__ Garuia_, his eyes as red as if he had not slept in a week. "You won't believe what I did down there. You won't believe it at all."

"What did you do?" Navi asked curiously.

Link widened his smile as he turned to face his fairy. "I learned the truth about you and everything else, you little pest."

Then, all at once, Link raised one his hands and used his fingers to flick Navi off his shoulder, sending the fay flying across the chamber. Navi, too surprised to stabilize herself, collided with the wall with a gentle ping before falling to the ground.

The astonishment that developed in the air was thick enough to cut with a sword.

"Link…what are you doing?" Sheik demanded, his eyes wide in disbelief. "You just…"

"I know what I just did, you miserable bastard."

Sheik couldn't believe what he had just heart. "Link…what…?"

"What, are you going to tell me that doing that is not proper conduct as the Hero of Time?" Link asked with a sneer as he stood up, turning his head to face his speechless companions. "Are you going to tell me I should behave a certain way?"

His smile then faded, giving way to a look of seriousness mixed with heated fury. "Well, I'm going to tell _you_ something, Sheik. I'm not going to _listen_ to you anymore. I'm not going to be taken in by the garbage you've been feeding me all this time. I don't care what you have to say any longer, you worthless piece of filth. I walk my own path now, not yours."

Sheik was still shocked by Link's sudden transformation, so all he could say was, "Link…I don't understand what you're saying…"

"Then understand this," Link scowled as he reached behind his back and removed the Master Sword from its sheath. He held the blade in full view, making sure that Sheik could get a good look at it. "See this sword, Sheik? See it? You said that the Master Sword chose me as its wielder, and that it is my destiny to use this sword to save Hyrule. Well, guess what?"

Without hesitating, Link spat on the blade's surface and threw it as hard as he could to the ground. The Master Sword made a sickening clang as it struck the floor, almost as if it were crying…

"You and your bloody destiny can all go to Hael."

Then, without another word, Link turned around and headed down the tunnel that didn't lead back to the volcanic crater, leaving a stunned group of individuals in his wake…


	52. Fallen Hero

**Chapter 52: Fallen Hero**

The mighty Din's Eye seemed to rise over the horizon differently that day, as if it had no motivation or interest to bare its face to the land of Hyrule. The sun still showed itself, but almost with a kind of tear in its eye. That "tear" manifested itself into a chilling wind that twisted its way through Hyrule like a grim reminder of something everyone would rather forget.

The cold current of air eventually made its way to the village of Hariton, a small and quiet community of farmers that lived in the southern region of Hyrule, close the mountainous borders. Normally, such a bitter breeze would've dulled the mood of the commune, but not today. Today was, sadly, just like every other day for the last seven years, and the denizens didn't need an icy wind to crush their spirits, not when the cruel hand of Ganondorf had long crushed them already.

Only a few people were walking the dusty streets of Hariton that day, most of them children trying to find some comfort in playing with one another. A couple mothers were out to keep an eye out for the younger kids, but oftentimes their gazes would sadly wander away to look up at the bleak sky, dreaming of a time when their children had a better future awaiting them. The children themselves didn't and couldn't understand what their parents knew, but they knew something upset all the grownups, a feeling which often ended some of their games before they even started.

As he walked past a couple boys playing marbles in the dust, one of the village's more recognized farmers, Jaro, sighed to himself as he forced himself to keep the information he knew fresh in his mind by reciting it over and over again. This process did agitate him quite a bit, but he waited until he was out of earshot of the boys before he finally muttered a curse under his breath.

"Curse it all…" he mumbled to himself as he took a turn onto another road. "Why did this have to happen? What will the others think?"

The "others" Jaro referred to were his fellow farmers, and he knew exactly where to find them…or at least some of the more prominent ones. He was heading to that place at this very moment, and no sooner had he turned onto the new road that he had the location in his sights: a small pub on the very edge of town called _The Galloping Dragon_, a place where farmers would congregate and tell stories of their hard days of work or complain about their nagging but wonderful wives or brag about their smart and beautiful children.

But not anymore. Now the _Dragon_ was a place to inform everyone else of bad news. And did Jaro have bad news today…

He pushed open the door to the pub gently, as if not to startle anyone that might be inside. But the moment he stepped inside he hurried his pace a little bit, though he did look down at the floor as if in shame. Inside, several farmers and a single chubby bartender were the sole occupants of the bar, all crowding around the counter at the far end of the room. Enough tables were spread out across the room to accommodate the entire village, but at the moment they were all empty.

As Jaro closed the door behind him, one of the farmers, Koji, noticed him. "Jaro…you're back. That was rather fast."

"Back?" another farmer inquired to Koji. "I didn't know he was gone. Where did he go…?"

"He went to visit his sister in Ellingville, Thomas," a third farmer, Marlis, answered. "He got word that she was sick, so…"

"But that still doesn't explain why he's back," Koji pointed out to Marlis before turning to Jaro, who was quietly making his way towards the group with his eyes hanging low. "So what happened, Jaro? Is your sister all right? Did something happen? Why are you back so early…?"

"My sister's all right," Jaro softly revealed as he raised his eyes, looking at each of his friends before he reached the bar counter and turned to the bartender. "I came back because something terrible has happened…a glass of ale, if you don't mind, Gus."

The bartender nodded quietly and hurried to the back to fix Jaro's drink. As he did, Jaro leaned against the counter as if exhausted, though the look in his eyes revealed he had plenty of energy to burn. His moustache bristled feverishly as his lips tightened in frustration.

"Something terrible? Like what?" Marlis asked, scratching his bald head.

"You remember our shipment of wheat that was supposed to go to the capital as tribute to Ganondorf? The wheat we worked our tails off to grow in this desolate weather?"

"Yes?" Thomas and Koji acknowledged together, their faces not the only ones growing a little worried.

Before he continued, Gus arrived with Jaro's drink and placed it within reach of the farmer. Jaro quickly snatched the glass and took a huge sip of the drink. He wiped the foam from his lips before he finally carried on with his story.

"Well, the very day I arrived in Ellingville, I overheard someone mention that the cart caravan carrying the wheat had been attacked by bandits. Three men were killed and over half the grain was stolen. Most of the rest had been spilled during the attack, making it worthless. The people transporting the grain managed to salvage some of it, but it apparently isn't enough."

The horrified looks in everyone's eyes was enough to let Jaro know that they found this information just as shocking as he had.

"But…but we worked night and day for that grain!" Koji cried out, slamming his fist onto the counter. "We put our heart and souls into harvesting that! How could the ones transporting it just give it up to bloody bandits?"

"I'll tell you why!" Marlis stated, his waving finger indicating his growing anger. "It's because we didn't hire any mercenaries to protect the caravan like we've always done. I told you guys before that it was a bad idea not to hire them…and look what happened."

"But we couldn't have afforded them even if we wanted to!" Thomas protested, adjusting his glasses on his face. "They charge outlandish fees for their protection, and they almost cleaned us out the last time we hired them."

"Feh!" Marlis hissed. "A small price to pay for getting our grain on time to that miserable bastard Ganondorf. And now that we lost virtually all of the fruits of our labor, I expect he'll ask us to double next year's tribute…Hael, he might even triple it just to mock us."

Jaro grumbled in agreement as he took another swing of his ale. "Yeah, I know…that bugger is really beginning to get to me. I wish that _someone_ would do _something_ about him…"

"Yeah…" Gus said with a sigh as he cleaned the countertop with a damp cloth. "I wonder whatever happened to that Hero of Time, anyway?"

The four farmers directed their gazes towards the bartender. "Hero of…what?" Marlis asked.

Gus looked up with a flat frown on his lips. "The Hero of Time. It's just some rumor I heard from a couple travelers several weeks ago, but it was certainly an interesting one. They said that some kid had found a legendary blade of the gods and was using it to challenge Ganondorf. Didn't hear much more than that, but what else do you expect from a rumor? He probably never eve existed…"

"Wait a minute…I think I heard a similar rumor a couple days ago," Marlis acknowledged with a wide look in his eyes. "I heard that last month some kid saved an entire race from being fed to a fire-breathing dragon…you know, it was that race that Ganondorf was going to sacrifice to 'set an example' or something. That race was…that race was…"

"Garons?" Thomas offered.

"No, it wasn't Garons…Gorons! Gorons, that's it. The Gorons."

Gus raised an eyebrow as he returned to wiping the counter. "Who're the Gorons?"

"Who are they?" Marlis continued. "No idea. It was the first time I heard about them when Ganondorf made that declaration who knows how long ago. But rumor has it that some kid managed to free the entire race from captivity…and I think he even killed that dragon to top it off. Maybe it's that Hero of Time you talked about, Gus…"

"Hogwash!" Jaro spat as he finished off his drink. "The Hero of Time is just a myth. A fairytale."

"Are you sure about that?" Thomas posed. "Many people thought that the Triforce was also a myth, and yet Ganondorf rose to power because of it…"

"Also hogwash!" Jaro snapped as he slammed his now empty glass down on the counter, almost shattering it. "Ganondorf didn't rise to power because of some legend. He rose to power because our last king was a weakling who ran away like the coward he was. And this Hero of Time business…hah! Don't make me laugh. Like I believe in something as ridiculous as that.

"We don't need fairytales…we need help. If this Hero of Time is real, then maybe he should've been here to protect our grain shipments."

No one had a response to Jaro's outburst, so the farmer tried to take another sip of his ale…only to discover he had finished it. He shook the glass a couple times to make sure it was empty before he turned to the bartender. "Hey, Gus…how about another round?"

The bartender shook his head. "I'm afraid I'd rather not get you drunk in the mood you're in. One ale is enough for you…"

"Fine, fine, fine," Jaro grumbled as he again slammed the glass down, followed closely by his fist. "Then just get me a glass of milk. And make sure it's cold."

"Sure thing," Gus nodded before he turned to disappear into the back again. "You don't have to worry about it being cold, though. I just received a fresh shipment from Lon Lon."

As Gus headed to the back, Jaro jerked his head around. "Lon Lon…as in Lon Lon Ranch? I thought they no longer made milk ever since the new owner took over…"

"The old owner regained ownership of the ranch recently," Thomas pointed out quietly. "He's even selling his horses again, I hear."

Jaro grumbled again for no reason. "Well…at least _something_ going right for something in this mess-up world…"

A soft tap from behind signaled that Gus had arrived with the milk. Jaro turned and reached for the glass, immediately taking a large sip of the cool, refreshing liquid. "Ah, that hits the spot…nice to see Talon hasn't lost his touch after all this time…"

"Oh, wait a minute, that reminds me…" Gus abruptly blurted out before he leaned over the counter and called out, "Excuse me, sir, would you like some more milk?"

"Sir…?" Jaro repeated before turning his head to look where Gus was looking.

To his surprise, he saw that the room was not completely deserted save for the three farmers and the bartender. Sitting all by himself in a corner near the front window was a stranger, a young man…or rather an elder boy of about seventeen or eighteen years. He wore strange, green clothes and was decorated from shoulder to waist with weaponry of all kinds. Sitting on his table were three empty glasses once filled with milk. He hardly seemed to move, and he was looking outside the window without a word.

When he didn't answer the bartender's question, Gus called out again, "Pardon me, sir, but would you like…?"

"No," the boy answered tersely without turning to look at the bartender. "I'm fine. I'm leaving in a bit anyway."

The rather harsh tone in the boy's voice almost made Gus and the farmers reel back a little, but the bartender managed to recover. "Well…all right, sir. Whenever you're ready to leave, then your bill comes to a total of six rupees. Thank you for your patronage, and I hope to see you again…"

"Don't you ever shut up?"

When the boy spoke those words, the entire room seemed to fall silent. Even Jaro, who was feeling very bitter inside, was amazed by the austerity he heard. It was enough to make Gus hesitate for a few seconds before responding. "I…I apologize, sir. I'm just trying to be friendly…"

"You know what?" the boy interjected as he quickly stood up, noticeably annoyed. "I'm leaving right now."

As he stood up, he turned to face the farmers and bartender. When the men saw the boy's eyes, they felt a shudder run down their spines. The boy's eyes were cold and unemotional, filled with a seething anger that seemed to flow throughout his entire body. The boy glared at the men for a few moments before he reached into one of his pouches and fished out several rupees. He showed them to the bartender for a second before slamming them down on the table. He then turned to leave the bar.

"Um…sir? Could you please bring me those rupees?" Gus asked politely.

The boy hesitated for a moment and seemed to contemplate the man's offer. He then seemed to smile a little as he answered, "Get them yourself." He then started moving again…

"Now hold on just one bloody minute!"

Jaro's call was enough to cause the stranger to pause and turn back around to face the men with those same cold eyes. Everyone again felt a chill run down their spines upon looking into them…everyone but Jaro, who was shivering out of growing irritation. The farmer banged his glass onto the counter and marched his way across the room towards the boy.

"Jaro…what are you doing?" Koji called out. "Stop…"

But it was too late to stop Jaro. As he stormed towards the stranger, he rolled up his sleeves, indicating he was ready to get physical if need be. The boy, however, wasn't intimidated in the least. He simply folded his arms and watched Jaro head towards him, smiling wryly and not saying a word. It was only when Jaro was standing directly in front of him when the boy finally spoke up.

"Yes? You wanted something?"

"You're bloody right I want something!" Jaro growled, waving his fist in front of the boy. "I want to know where your manners went, boy!"

The boy's lips seemed to curl upward scornfully as he shrugged his shoulders. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know damn well what I'm talking about, you little bastard!" Jaro bellowed. "You were very rude to my good friend just now, and I demand you apologize to him! If you don't take those rupees to him and apologize for your rudeness, I'm going to give you a hiding you'll never soon forget."

"A hiding I'll never forget?" the stranger chuckled. "After what I've been through, I seriously doubt it…"

"I don't care what you've been through!" Jaro roared, his fists raised, ready to make a punch. "Apologize now before I make you regret you ever crossed me!"

The boy continued smiling up at Jaro, apparently unafraid of his threats. But just when Gus and the other farmers were certain a fight would break out, the stranger tilted his head to turn his gaze towards the group at the bar counter.

"My good sir," the boy stated, directing his words towards the bartender. "I would like to honestly and sincerely apologize…" Suddenly, the stranger turned his head towards the rupees sitting on the table…and spat on them. "…for not leaving you a tip."

That was enough to push Jaro over the edge. "Why…you…little…piece…of…"

The farmer then pulled one of his fists back and swung it as hard as he could in the boy's direction, trying to strike the stranger's face. But before Jaro's fist could even touch the boy, the boy reached out with one hand…and grabbed the farmer's fist within his palm, stopping it in mid-swing! And the boy didn't even seem to break a sweat at stopping the attack!

"What in the name of the Three Goddesses…?" Jaro cried out before the boy snickered.

"Idiot…"

Without warning, the stranger's hand hooked itself around Jaro's wrist and yanked it behind his back, twisting it around as far as it could go. The pain that soared up Jaro's arm was enough to immobilize him from making another attack, and the stranger took full advantage of it. He pulled and twisted Jaro's arm in an inescapable position behind the farmer's back before using his free hand to push Jaro's head forward. The farmer had no choice but to fall down, his upper body slamming with a loud crash on one of the tables.

"What are you…?" Jaro demanded before he fell silent, feeling something cold and sharp dig into the base of his neck.

"Oh, my word!" Thomas exclaimed, standing up frantically, along with everyone else by the bar counter.

"Nobody come any closer," the boy demanded calmly as he carefully shoved the weapon in his hand further into the back of Jaro's head, his thumb finger already twitching to press down on the trigger…

"A hookshot!" Marlis exclaimed, making sure he didn't move from where he stood. "That boy's got a hookshot!"

"Ah, I see you're actually smarter than you look," the boy sneered. "Yes, this is a hookshot, and I'm not afraid to fire it through this man's skull. I'm sure you can guess what would happen if I did that…"

By now, Jaro was shivering quite nervously, the earlier rage in him completely gone. He dared not move, but the twitching pain in his twisted arm made that rather difficult. "Pl…please…don't k-kill me…" he pleased, his commanding voice now a mere timid whisper.

The boy's sneer melted into a serious snarl. "Whether or not I kill you depends on how much I don't like you…and your whining isn't helping you at all." He then jabbed the hookshot a little deeper into the man's skull, as if to hammer the point home…both figuratively and literally.

Jaro immediately fell silent upon hearing that threat, but he was obviously growing more and more nervous by the second as a tear started to trickle from one of his eyes. The remaining farmers and the bartender, meanwhile, watched in horror as their friend's life was being threatened. It took forever before one of them could even find the courage to speak.

"Please…I beg of you, don't kill him," Thomas begged sincerely as he took as step forward. "That man doesn't deserve to be…"

"What did I say about coming closer?" the boy asked gruffly, his eyes refusing to look up from the man in his grasp.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Thomas cried, quickly taking a step backwards. "But please, hear me out. That man doesn't deserve to die. He's done nothing to you."

"Nothing to me, has he?" the boy scoffed. "Then I suppose his little attempt at punching me was his way of saying hello?"

"I…I apologize for that…and I'm sure Jaro does as well," Thomas continued, trying to hide his anxiety. "You wanted to be left alone, and we didn't respect that. We're sorry for whatever we did to you. But please, for the love of the Three Goddesses, don't kill him. He doesn't deserve to die…"

"Yes, you already said that…"

_PATIFFFFFFF…_

A loud clack sounded, and everyone's eyes except the stranger's widened in shock when they realized the boy had pressed hookshot's trigger halfway down, activating the ruby target inside the hookshot's head. All the boy had to do was squeeze his thumb a little bit more…

"…but give me a good reason why this man _deserves_ to live," the stranger demanded. "I see no reason, but I'm sure you know of one. So please…enlighten me."

Thomas's face grew pale at the boy's request, and he started to fidget with his fingers furiously as he struggled to come up with a reason good enough for the stranger. His friends behind him held their breaths collectively, and the sweat dripping down Jaro's face masked the tears now streaming from his eyes. The boy meanwhile, watched Thomas patiently, his gaze calm but aloof, as if the life of the man in his clutches meant nothing to him.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Thomas took a deep breath, adjusted his glasses on his face, and answered. "He…Jaro has always been an ideal role model…not only to his friends but to his community and his family. He's a loving husband and a caring father to two wonderful sons, he's worked harder at his job than anybody I know, and he's never afraid to make new friends and stand…"

Thomas cut himself off at that moment, deciding not to mention Jaro's tendency to "stand up for his friends"; the stranger might see that as an insult after the way Jaro attacked him. He faked a cough to hide his hesitation before continuing, "…and lending a helping hand to those who need it. So please…I beg of you…spare his life."

The boy knitted his brows together as he contemplated Thomas's request. His eyes darted back and forth between the farmer in his grasp and the farmer pleading for the man's life, as if pondering over all the possibilities. Jaro whimpered a prayer under his breath softly while his friends fretfully awaited the stranger's decision…

Unexpectedly, a twisted smile formed on the boy's lips. "Very well."

Before anyone could react, the stranger yanked Jaro's arm upward, dragging the bawling farmer's upper body with it, forcing him to stand up. The boy then coerced Jaro to turn so that he stood between the stranger and his friends, the hookshot still pointed at his skull. The boy's smile widened as he twisted Jaro's arm one more time before he leaned in close to the man's ear.

"These people like you…Jaro, is it?" he sneered loud enough for everyone to hear. "Because they've been far more polite than you were, I'm going to let you go. Does that sound good?"

Apparently still scared to speak, the sobbing Jaro merely nodded his head shakily.

"Wonderful." The boy then turned to Thomas. "Here. He's all yours."

Without warning, the boy let go of Jaro's arm, took a step backward…and shoved Jaro's back as hard as he could with the heel of his foot. Caught off guard by the rough gesture, Jaro stumbled forward a couple steps before he fell down on his stomach with a loud crunch.

"Jaro!"

Thomas rushed to his fallen friend moments after screaming out his name; Marlis and Koji were not far behind – only Gus remained where he was, still too shocked to move. The farmers helped their compatriot by turning him onto his back to see if he was all right. To their relief, Jaro was still breathing and was very much alive, but the look in his tear-soaked eyes and the erratic pace of his breath was enough to indicate the ordeal had completely terrifying him.

As the farmers attempted to calm Jaro down, Marlis looked up and noticed the stranger was heading towards the inn's front door. Anger replacing his shock, Marlis abruptly stood up and screamed out towards his friend's assailant.

"Hey, you little gods-damned bastard! Where do you think you're going?"

The boy stopped at Marlis' yell and turned his head to face the farmer; the same cold, unsympathetic look was there in his eyes. "What? You want a turn?"

The gaze alone was enough to cause Marlis to hesitate for a moment, but the farmer was filled with too much ire to let a mere gaze get to him. "How…how can you just calmly walk away after threatening to kill someone like that? Do you think this is a game, you little punk? Do you think you can walk away from this just like that?"

The boy gawked at Marlis for a couple seconds before he turned away. "Do I think this is a game? Of course I do. My whole life I've been a pawn in someone's sick, twisted game called destiny, being forced to do things against my will. Almost everyone has used me to their own end at one point or another, so I think I'm entitled to return the favor."

Marlis had to blink several times to make sure he had just heard correctly. "What? That doesn't even make any sense…!"

"Of course it doesn't, you turnip!" the boy snapped back fiercely. "Try taking a walk in my shoes sometime and seeing what I've seen! Until then, you have no damn right to preach to me!"

Without waiting for a response, the boy marched towards the door, opened it, and disappeared outside, slamming the door behind him so violently that one of the hinges came loose. The only thing that followed was an eerie, bewildered silence, occasionally broken by the soft moans of a still-recovering Jaro…

* * *

_—That was fun, wasn't it, Link?—_

The Voice of the manifestation of his powers, the voice that opened Link's eyes and showed him the truth, caused Link to smile and nod in agreement as he made his way out of the village of Hariton. He didn't know why he could always hear the Voice speak to him at any time now, but he suspected it had something to do with the abrupt snapping of the bond between his mind and soul. Perhaps the sudden break left a permanent connection between his thoughts as the Voice…

But Link didn't care. In fact, he appreciated the Voice's presence. The Voice had shown him the truth, and now the Voice had become his guide. The Voice had helped him immensely over the past month, teaching him how to live without depending on others' sympathies and beseeches. Link may have awoken from his seven-year sleep long before, but only now did he believe he was finally growing up. Only now did he feel that he had become what he needed to be: a wanderer, a self-dependent vagrant carving out a new life for himself in a lifeless world he had no right to be in. He was walking down his own path, this time without people forcing him to choose between a select number of choices.

And boy, did he enjoy it. Watching that Hylian farmer squirm with the hookshot aimed at his head was the most fun Link had for a while now. He never intended to kill the man, just teach him a lesson he would never forget. Had Sheik or Navi been around, they would've berated him for doing something so "cruel"…but they weren't here, and Link could not care any less.

Besides, that farmer was a Hylian. Why should Link give one flying lark about Hylians after what they expected from him as the Hero of Time…?

_—So where are you off to now?—_

Link grinned as he took a quick look behind him, watching Hariton slowly disappear behind a hill in the distance before he finally faced forward again. _"I think I'll head north. I hear the forests up there are filled with bandits."_

_—Very good choice. You need some good fighting practice. That farmer was hardly a challenge—_

_"Naturally,"_ Link thought with a beaming smirk.

_—Besides, I believe your pouch is running low on Rupees. Those bandits should have plenty for you to pilfer—_

Link nodded in agreement as he gently patted his Rupees pouch, feeling how incredibly light it was. By the sounds of things, he guessed he had about fifteen green gems left inside. He did almost regret buying so much of that milk, but he was thirsty…and besides, Lon Lon still made the best milk in all the land…

_NIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH…_

A loud bray brought Link out of his thoughts and directed his attention to a cluster of trees standing near the road. Tethered to one of the tree trunks, grazing on one of the few patches of fresh grass available, was Epona. The beautiful mare had just noticed her master returning and straightened her legs and back out, as if awaiting Link to mount her. Link smiled, grateful that Epona was loyal to him like this…

…but as he approached her, his steps suddenly began to move slower and slower. His breathing deepened and his tightly knit brows loosened as the smile on his face melted into a weak frown. As Epona's fiery red body drifted closer and closer towards him, Link could feel his heart grow a little heavy.

This wasn't the first time he had felt this way. No, he had experienced this feeling many times after what happened that day…

* * *

_The pale blue light of the corridor grew dimmer and dimmer as he marched down the corridor, his eyes shining with a passionate desire to get as far away from the Fairy Mother and his so-called friends as possible. Eventually, the blue light that bathed the tunnel disappeared altogether, leaving Link in the dark and forcing him to follow the corridor by keeping his hand against the wall._

_As he walked, many things flashed through Link's mind: the anger he had against those who had lied to him, the frustration of not seeing it before, and the satisfaction that he had actually severed ties with them. However, one more pressing thought did enter Link's mind: where did this tunnel lead to? And even if it did take him outside, how was he going to climb down Death Mountain without a guide?_

_Some of his concern was laid to rest when he saw what could only be daylight twinkling at the end of the tunnel. However, all of his worries were gone when he stepped out into the evening air and noticed a path leading from the mouth of the tunnel down the mountain. The path was worn and covered – it had obviously not been used for ages – but it was good enough to confidently lead Link down the mountainside._

_It wasn't until evening that he finally found himself at the foot of Death Mountain, the distant rumbling of the volcano replaced by the loud chirping of crickets. Breathing a sigh of relief at escaping Death Mountain's menacing surface, the former Hero of Time then made his way around the base of the mountain towards Kakariko Village. The trek around the mountain's foundation was longer than he would've liked – he only hoped that Sheik hadn't gotten to Kakariko before he did…_

_To his relief, his arrival at Kakariko after a couple hours of grueling walking was met not with Sheik but with villagers, holding torches and huddled near the edge of the village, staring up at Death Mountain. Link could only guess why they were there, but he assumed it had something to do with his "healing" of Death Mountain with the Bolero of Fire…_

_Just then, as he drew closer towards the crowd, a couple people noticed him and started informing everyone around them. Within a few seconds, every pair of eyes was staring at him quietly, some of them filled with confusion while others with patient eagerness. Link tried to ignore looking at anyone, already knowing what everyone wanted to ask him about…_

_"Hey, you…" a man from the crowd abruptly called out._

"Curses, here it comes,"_ Link thought as he turned to face the man. "Yes?"_

_"You're the one who left with mother to go the mountain, weren't you?"_

_Mother, Link thought with a perplexed look before he remembered that Sheik was known throughout the village as "mother" to hide his identity "Yes, I was."_

_"Then where is she?" a woman asked. "Wasn't she supposed to come back with you?"_

_Link directed his gaze towards the woman and grinned. "Unfortunately, mother had to stay behind to do…something important. She sent me on ahead to tell you she'll be down soon."_

_A soft whisper began to arise amongst the crowd, pressuring Link to change the subject as quickly as possible._

_"Mother also informed me that I…have something important to do elsewhere. She told me I need to leave as soon as possible, so I would be very grateful if someone here can prepare some provisions for a few days and ready my horse._

_The crowd fell silent at those words, not quite sure what to think of them. However, everyone soon began to whisper amongst themselves once more before a female voice near the back of the crowd finally spoke up. "Will mother be following you on this journey?"_

_Link could taste the satisfying irony as he smiled and answered, "No, she will not be accompanying me on my journey. She'll be staying here, as far as I know."_

_"All right. I'll go get your horse. She's the bright red one, right?" asked a young man who looked about Link's age._

_Link nodded. "Exactly."_

_"And what kind of provisions would you like?" asked an old woman to his very left. "Anything in particular?"_

_"Hmmm, I think I'd like some cheese and some fresh fruit…"_

_Link answered many other questions from the villagers before they finally let him go. He then had to sit and wait for his rations to be prepared and Epona to be readied for what felt like hours. By the time someone informed him that everything was ready, he nearly snapped at the man out of frustration and impatience, but he forced himself to keep it to himself. After all, he didn't want anyone to suspect anything…_

_He followed the man to the main entrance to Kakariko Village, where Epona was quietly awaiting her masters surrounded by a few villagers holding torches. Trying his best not to laugh, Link smiled as graciously as he could when he accepted the bags of rations from some of the village women. He secured those provisions in Epona's saddlebags before he nodded in approval._

_"Many thanks for your help," Link uttered to everyone. "Now I must be off."_

_Link then quickly mounted his steed, making himself comfortable in the saddle before grabbing the reins and giving them a firm tug, making sure they were secure. The villagers silently watched the Hylian climb upon Epona's back and waited for him to get comfy before one of the village men spoke up._

_"I don't suppose you have any idea when mother will be back?"_

_Link sighed loudly and looked down at the man. "Look, I don't know when she's returning. She didn't say when she'll be back…"_

_"Link!"_

"That voice… please don't let it be…"

_But Link's plea went unheard when he turned around and saw a familiar figure entering the torchlight from the direction of Death Mountain. Actually, Sheik didn't advance alone or under his own power. The Sheikah was lying in a stretcher that was carried at either end up a pair of Gorons, neither of whom appeared to be Malatite. Lying upon the boy's lap was the Master Sword, wiped clean of any trace of Link's spit but looking less majestic than it usually appeared. Sheik was obviously still too weak to move on his own, but the look in the Sheikah's eyes indicated that lack of strength wouldn't slow him down…_

_"Sheik…" Link mumbled, not bothering to use the Sheikah's codename anymore, much to the horror of the surrounding villagers._

_The two Gorons twisted the stretcher around so that Sheik could get a good view of the mounted Hylian. "Link…what are you doing? Why did you run off like that…and why did you…?"_

_Link decided not to give Sheik a chance to finish. "Like I need to explain myself to you, you bloody liar."_

_"Liar…?" Sheik muttered weakly. "Link, I…I don't know what you're talking about…"_

_"Oh, yes, you do!" Link asserted. "All this time I've been taken in by the garbage you've spouted in my direction time and time again. Well, never again! From now on, _I_ make the decisions…and I've decided I don't need you or your lies anymore!"_

_"Link…" Sheik called out in an almost painful tone. "You've got it all wrong…"_

_"Like Hael I have!" Link snapped back with a gruff hiss, causing the villagers surrounding to take several steps back in panic. "If you can't understand what I'm talking about, then I'll spell it out for you! You forced me to be the Hero of Time by claiming it was part of my destiny! You forced me into a role that I absolutely despised, using every opportunity to make sure I didn't question it or try to get out of it…and I _fell_ for it!_

_"But not anymore. I know your tricks, Sheik. I owe nothing to destiny…in fact, I don't believe in it. I'm going to live my life by my own decisions. You will not control me any longer, you miserable bastard."_

_Sheik seemed to shudder violently as he held out a hand from the stretcher. "Link…please, don't do this…"_

_"And why not…?" Link demanded angrily when he noticed something glowing in Sheik's stretched out hand._

_It was Navi. The tiny fay was kneeling in Sheik's outstretched palm, her eyes looking directly into Link's as her pink light flickered softly with a hint of sadness. She didn't appear to be injured after Link had flicked her from his shoulder, but the look in her face suggested she had been hurt another way…_

_"Link…" Navi squeaked quietly, her voice noticeably trying to hide her tears._

_"Navi…" Link muttered, unable to say anything else as he looked at his guardian fairy in her miserable state._

_"Please…" the fairy pleaded, one of her tiny hands reaching out towards her charge. "Don't…leave me…"_

_A great weight seemed to fall inside Link's heart as he heard those words, and his anger slowly began to dissipate. What was he doing, he asked himself. Is this really what he wanted? Did he really want to…_

—No! Don't listen to them! They're trying to trick you by playing with your sympathies! They're trying to pull you back in! You made your choice! Don't let them change it for you again!—

_The Voice's words rang through his mind clearly and swiftly, their logic understandable and undeniable. The heavy feeling inside his heart was instantly lifted and his face hardened once again._

_"Feh!"_

_With that single word, Link turned his back on Navi, directing his gaze forward. He tightened his grip on the reins and raised them in the air, preparing to snap them and send Epona into a gallop…a gallop away from those who were trying to stop him. But before he could snap them, he heard that squeak voice call out to him one more time._

_"Link…don't go…!"_

_Link lowered his head for a second…but only for a second. Growling to himself, Link took the reins and whipped them furiously against Epona's neck, causing the mare to bray loudly before pushing herself forward._

_"Link…no, don't leave me…Link!"_

_But Link refused to turn around and look at his fairy once again. His eyes focused on the dark horizon of the night before him, the vague destination of his new life without those that stood in his way. He was finally free…free to live as he chose without anyone choosing for him. He was no longer Link the Hero of Time. He was Link. Just plain Link._

_However, not even his complete concentration could prevent one final, haunting scream from reaching his ears:_

_"Liiiiiiiiiink! Nooooooooooo! Don't leeeaaave meeeee! Pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaaassseee! Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiink! Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiink…!"_

_

* * *

_

_—Hey! What are you thinking about?—_

Link shook himself awake when he heard the Voice, feeling the memory of him abandoning Sheik and Navi fading from his thoughts…just like it had done so many times before. He glanced at Epona, who was eyeing him curiously, and then looked up at the sky. He then looked down again and shook his head.

_"Nothing…nothing important."_

_—If that's the case, then I suggest you pick up the pace a little. We've got no time to waste. A storm's on its way—_

A quick glance in the right direction confirmed the Voice's statement. In the far distance to the north he could make out dark thunderclouds rumbling their way in his directions.

"I see," Link said to himself and to the Voice at the same time.

Without another word, Link untied Epona from the tree and lifted himself into her saddle. He then used the reins to point her in the right direction before cracking them once, signaling the horse to move. Epona obeyed by propelling herself forward at a powerful gallop, carrying her master towards the distant forests to the north.

As she steadied out her pace, a fork of lightning streaked across the sky ahead…

* * *

_CERAAAAAAAAAAAK…_

The rumble that followed that powerful thunderbolt seemed to shake every house in Kakariko Village, threatening to tear it apart with its mighty howl. But the village remained standing, and everyone in it seemed to breath a collective sigh of relief as rain started to fall from the sky. No one dared leave their homes to be caught outside in this storm, and no one dared to suggest otherwise.

However, in a small one-roomed hut in the center of the village, at least one person decided not to let the storm impede him in any way…

"Our carrier killed by bandits…? No wonder the message didn't get through, curse it."

The Sheikah slammed his fist onto the table for the fourth time as he read a scroll detailing the progress report from one of the villages where the resistance movement operated. He didn't mind the pain he received from slamming his hand down so hard – the uncomfortable period he spent resting from his injuries sustained in the Fire Temple taught him how to put something miniscule like that into perspective.

However, although he had completely recovered from his injuries, the news he was reading in the progress report wasn't exactly making him feel at ease…

"Three of our soldiers killed by Moblins…? I thought I told them not to go through with that surveillance mission! Food supplies are running low…? Of all possible times, why now? Mercenaries sniffing around suspiciously…? Curse it, I told them to keep those blighters away…argh!"

In frustration, Sheik scrunched up the scroll in one hand and hurled it across the room. He didn't even watch it soar into the air and land in the fireplace, bursting into flames as it touched the searing coals – he simply buried his face into his hands, releasing a deep sigh and shaking his head angrily.

"That's the third negative report I've had this week…" he whispered tiredly to himself. "If this keeps up, there won't be a resistance at all within a few months."

Sheik then threw his head backwards, tipping his chair a little as he stretched out his back. "On top of it all I haven't heard anything from Impa for a while. I wonder what's she's doing right now? I hope she's all right…"

The Sheikah then leaned forward again once more, this time resting his head on his arms folded upon the tabletop. "And let's not forget about _him_…"

Shiek quickly fell silent, realizing he was about to say something he shouldn't. He had been talking more to himself than anything, but there was someone else in the room with him that didn't need to be reminded of what had happened a month ago…

To Sheik's dismay, he discovered that it didn't matter – he could already hear a tiny yet audible bawling sound coming from across the room. Sighing once again, Sheik forced himself stand up and shuffle his way across the room towards the fireplace.

The Sheikah stopped at the fireplace's mantle and gently leaned down so he could make his face level with a small birdhouse seated upon the mantle. A regular person might be wondering what a birdhouse was doing on a fireplace mantle, but Sheik knew all too well. It was the only place where she could really live comfortably for the time being, at least until things between her and _him_ were sorted out…if they would be sorted out at all…

Careful not to say anything, Sheik adjusted his gaze until one of his eyes was peering inside the birdhouse's hole. Although he was blocking the torchlight behind him, the flickering pink glow inside was enough for him to make out a tiny shape kneeling inside, crying her eyes out. He could hear her sobbing more clearly now that he was this close, which made it even more heartbreaking…

"Navi…are you all right?" Sheik uttered softly. "I'm sorry if I upset you…"

The fairy lifted her head from her face to look at the Sheikah, her face stained everywhere with tears. "I'm…I'm fine, Sheik…it's not your fault. Don't worry about it."

"Are you sure? You've been crying every day ever since he…well, I'm just concerned about you, Navi."

Navi shakily wiped a tear from eyes, though she appeared to be on the brink of releasing more at any moment. "Thanks…for your concern, Sheik…"

Navi didn't say anything else because she had already said everything she wanted to say many times before. Sheik could still hear some of the phrases whisper their way into his mind: "Link…abandoned me…"; "Link hates me"; "He's gone…Link's gone forever…"; "He wanted to kill me"; "I don't know if I can go on…"

Sheik couldn't begin to imagine the pain Navi's heart was experiencing. For Link to abandon his guardian fairy like that was perhaps the cruelest thing he could've done to her. This was nothing like the time when Navi left Link on her own accord because she didn't like the way he was acting – that was her own decision, and even then she still remained close to him. No, this was different. Completely, entirely different…

"May I…come out…?" the fairy asked timidly.

Sheik immediately backed away from the birdhouse and nodded. "Yes, yes, of course you can. You don't need my permission."

Navi's light seemed to brighten a little at those words. She did still hesitate a little before leaving the birdhouse, as if scared something would attack her from out of nowhere, but as soon as she fluttered slowly out of the little hole she appeared to grow a little more confident.

Sheik quietly watched the tiny fay glide around the air for a while, allowing Navi to gain some self-assurance. "How are you feeling now?"

"A…a little better, I suppose," Navi answered quietly.

Sheik nodded. "That's good to hear." She then sighed gently before adding, "Look, Navi, I…I just want you to know something…I'm sorry."

"Sorry? For what?" the fairy asked quietly as she floated down onto Sheik's shoulder, wiping her tearstains from her face.

"For…for what happened with Link," the Sheikah replied, his voice growing a little shaky. "And I'm not just sorry for…for what he did to you. I'm sorry because…I feel as if…I'm responsible for it."

"Responsible for it?" Navi mimicked softly. "How so?"

"I…I don't know how to explain it, but…but what Link said before he disappeared, those things he accused me of…something in my heart keeps telling me that Link was right."

"He was right? In what way?"

Sheik had to take a couple deep breaths before he could answer. "I can't help but feel…but feel that yes…I did…I did lie to him."

Sheik almost expected Navi to lash out at him for confessing that, but the fay somehow remained calm without a hint of visible anger. "You do? I see…but what lies could you have possibly told him?"

"Several," Sheik admitted. "I told him so many things ever since we first met…and a lot of what I said to him could easily have been a lie. But the thing is…I probably didn't know I was telling him lies. Maybe I believed in the lies as well…"

"Are you sure it wasn't the dark powers he was trying to confront? Maybe those powers warped his mind and are controlling him…"

"No, I don't believe that's the case, Navi."

"Why not?"

Sheik almost seemed to hang his head in shame. "Because Link's not the type of person who can be controlled. No…he can't be."

Navi squinted her eyes and leaned in close to Sheik as she calmly asked, "And how would you know something like that, Sheik? And what exactly are you getting at?"

The Shiekah's eyes closed as he replied, "Seven years ago, Princess Zelda…"

_DOK…DOK…DOK…_

A series of firm knocks drew the attentions of Navi and Sheik towards the front door. A shaft of lightning streaking past the windows, followed by a powerful rolling of thunder, reminded them that the weather outside was less than pleasant.

"Strange…what's someone doing outside in this weather?" the Sheikah asked aloud as he strode towards the door.

"Maybe it's another messenger?" Navi suggested.

"I don't think so," Sheik answered as he grabbed the door handle. "I'm not expecting anything or anyone…"

With a firm yank, Sheik opened the door, immediately sending gushing winds and driving rain through the doorway. Sheik was forced to shield his eyes and Navi was almost blown off his shoulder. But to both their surprise, they didn't see anyone standing outside.

"Must've been some debris…" Sheik proposed before a voice abruptly cut him short.

"Down here, my friend."

Both the fairy and the Sheikah looked downward at the voice's request. It was then that they finally saw someone – a little boy – standing at their feet, looking up at them. The boy was wearing a dark cloak around his boy, causing him to blend in against the gloomy night created by the thunderstorm. Only the boy's face was visible behind the cloak, but Sheik immediately recognized who it was.

However, it was Navi who first said the boy's name. "Kaepora? Is that you?"

The pixie nodded.

"What are you doing here?" Sheik asked. "Has something happened?"

Kaepora Gaebora made sure he had a serious look in his eyes before he gave a response. "The Fairy Mother wishes to see you two."


	53. Fragment of a Life Lost

**Chapter 53: Fragment of a Life Lost**

"Another piece of junk."

Link snarled in disgust as he threw the sword in his hand to his right, ignoring the loud clang it made when it struck the pile of discarded blades he had already created. His temper growing shorter with each passing moment, Link picked up another sword sitting in a smaller pile to his left, hoping this sword would satisfy him.

It didn't.

"Do bandits always use such cheap garbage?" he growled as he tossed the sword into the discarded pile with a violent jerk, almost throwing himself off the rock he was sitting upon. "Doesn't anyone use a decent sword anymore?"

A quick glance at the remaining blades in the pile to his left didn't give him much hope that he'd find a suitable piece of steel there. Sighing in frustration, he buried his face in his hands for a second before he rolled his hands over his head, running his fingers through his hair. He then wiped some sleep from his eyes before looking upward. The sky was mostly hidden by the canopy of the forest that surrounded him, but the patches of light peaking through the branches indicated the sun had finally come out after a long period of rainstorms.

Shaking his head, Link stood up and stretched his arms out to correct his back. "Well…no point in staying here anymore…"

_—You're leaving already?—_

The abrupt arrival of the Voice didn't surprise Link anymore, so he simply nodded as he replied, _"Yes, I am. None of those bloody bandits had a sword worth anything."_

_—Hmmm…but what you're _really_ saying is that you can't find a blade that equals the Master Sword—_

A shiver ran down Link's spine when he heard that. _"Well…what if I am? That was a very good sword, you know…"_

_—Yes, I know. It was a work of art. A blade fit for the gods themselves. If only wielding it didn't mean you have to be the Hero of Time…—_

A grimace escaped Link's lips. _"Don't remind me…"_

_—But don't worry. You'll find a sword worthy of your talents one day. In any case, where are you going now?—_

The Voice's question forced Link to think for a few moments. _"You know…I don't know. Maybe I should ponder that for a while before setting out."_

_—A good idea. However, before I leave, I suggest you not forget your precious hookshot—_

"My hookshot…?" Link said aloud before he understood. Nodding again, he turned his attention to a large oak tree a stone's throw away from the rock near where he was standing. "Guess I'd better retrieve it…"

Without another word, Link calmly made his way towards the tree, where his hookshot's arrowhead was embedded firmly inside the trunk. Grinning, Link grabbed the firing mechanism's handle and placed his hand over the trigger to release the arrowhead's catch-hooks. But before he pressed the trigger, Link first reached out with his other hand to steady the shoulder and thus the corpse of the bandit punctured by the hookshot through the heart and pinned to the tree because of it.

"You know," Link coolly uttered to the bloody carcass, looking into the man's blank and lifeless eyes, "you look just like a farmer I met about two weeks ago. Now what was his name again…Jaro, that's it. May I call you Jaro? I can? Thanks. Now, if you don't mind, Jaro, I'd really like my hookshot back if you don't mind."

Link then sneered as he used the trigger to retract the catch-hooks and yanked the weapon from the chest of the bandit with a sickening squelch. Blood began dripping from the freshly made hole in the corpse as the body began to slide down the tree trunk, the bandit still silently staring off into nothingness with a look of horror on his face.

"Thank you kindly, Jaro," Link continued. "I must say, you're a lot braver than your friends. They simply dropped their weapons and ran off…and all because I nailed you to a tree. Pathetic, isn't it…?"

Link suddenly caught sight of a purse dangling from the bandit's belt. His grin widening, Link bent down and removed the pouch, giving it a firm rattle. The jingling of crystals inside indicated it was full of rupees.

"Oh, and thanks for this parting gift. I hope I'll see you again sometime, Jaro…oh, wait, that's right. That's not possible, is it? Pity. Oh, well. Goodbye, Jaro."

Link mockingly waved farewell to the carcass before turning around and heading deeper into the trees. Killing ordinary townsfolk was needless and served no purpose, he knew…but Link had absolutely no qualms in killing bandits.

Something he took a lot of delight in knowing…

* * *

He found Epona where he had left her: in a clearing with spotty patches of live grass. Link had decided not to tether Epona this time because she deserved to roam around a little bit every now and then. Besides, it's not like she was going to run away. Why would she run away from him…?

Before Link took even two steps into the clearing, Epona twisted her long neck around and saw her master. With an excited bray she galloped in his direction, slowing down only just as she approached him. Because she approached him and not vice versa, Link didn't have time to experience the flashback of the night he left Kakariko Village; instead he was forced to focus on Epona as she gently thrust her long face in Link's stomach, snorting playfully.

"Hey, girl," Link sighed, placing his hands on Epona's snout and caressing it gently with his palms. "How are you doing?"

Epona released a high-pitched squeal and shook her mane wildly in response, her dark eyes gazing faithfully at her master. The cute gesture couldn't help but make Link smile a little.

"That's good to know. Listen…I don't know where we'll be going yet, so you still have some time to run around, all right?"

Epona's head tilted a little bit to the side, as if she were saying "What, you don't know?" The look alone compelled Link to answer Epona's unanswered question.

"Yeah, I know. I'll give it some thought, and when I know, I'll let you know…hey, Epona, what are you…?"

Without warning, Epona pointed her snout downward and started using her teeth to scratch around on Link's belt. Link had to raise his arms to give Epona's head some space, and it was only when her nose stopped on one of his pouches did he do something.

"Epona, what are you doing?" he asked in a surprised tone, gently pushing Epona's face away from his belt. "What was that all about?"

The mare took a couple steps back as Link pushed her away, and when Link asked his second question Epona used her snout to gesture in a manner that suggested, "Take a look! Take a look!"

Wondering what Epona was going on about, Link shrugged and opened the pouch the horse had indicated. When he opened it, his eyes grew wide with remembrance. To his surprise, Epona had pointed out the pouch containing his ocarinas.

"I can't believe I forgot about these things…" Link mumbled to himself as he reached in and fished out a random ocarina.

The ocarina he ended up pulling out was the fairy ocarina, the one Saria had given to him just before he left the Lost Woods seven years ago. Now that he was all grown up, the small ocarina looked quite tiny in his hands. He was sure he could still play it, but it would require some nimble finger work…but then again, why _should_ he play it again? This was a gift from Saria, the girl he loved with all his heart…the girl who abandoned him to fulfill her so-called destiny.

Why, he had a good mind to simply throw this blasted thing away…

But he didn't. Something inside of him wouldn't allow him to do that. The ocarina may have reminded him of Saria, but it also reminded him more of his happier years with her than her betrayal in the Chamber of Sages. She may have forsaken him, but she couldn't take away the memories he truly cherished…

Sighing softly, Link replaced the fairy ocarina inside his pouch, pulling out the second ocarina inside, the one he _did_ want to get rid of.

The Ocarina of Time.

This instrument represented everything he hated about his stint as the Hero of Time, as well as everything else that stole his life away. Princess Zelda gave this to him for safekeeping while fleeing Ganondorf, and he had upheld that obligation ever since that fateful night. But that was when he actually _cared_ about what she wanted him to do. Now he knew that she had used him, and he wouldn't be surprised if _she_ was the one pulling Sheik's strings.

He should've gotten rid of this thing when he threw down the Master Sword. But since that opportunity was gone, maybe he should just break it…

A soft snort reminded Link of Epona. He looked up at her to see her fidgeting a little, as if waiting impatiently for Link to realize something.

"What? You wanted me to see these things?"

Epona grunted loudly and bobbed her head as if nodding.

Link's eyes narrowed. "You're not suggesting I go back to Sheik and give him this damned thing, are you?"

This time Epona shook her head wildly, indicating she was disagreeing with that suggestion.

"Hmm, then why would you want to show these things to me…?"

Link thought about it carefully for a moment. Epona wanted Link to see the ocarinas, not necessarily one of them specifically. So maybe it had nothing to do with the ocarinas themselves, but with what they did…which was play music. And Link knew more than enough songs to play on them: Saria's Song; Zelda's Lullaby, Epona's Song…

Wait a minute…

Link glanced up at the mare, who almost seemed to be smiling at him. "You…you want me to go back to Lon Lon Ranch, is that it? You want to see Malon again?"

Epona stamped her front hoofs vigorously in response, capping it off with a squealing bray.

"I see…"

Link glanced down at the Ocarina of Time briefly before looking back at Epona, who couldn't mask the eagerness in her eyes. It had been a while since Malon gave Epona to him, and Epona undoubtedly missed Malon at least a little bit. He hadn't been to the ranch ever since saving her from Ingo, and he couldn't help but admit he was a little curious as to how things were going there now that Talon had returned. He did remember overhearing those farmers briefly mentioning Lon Lon Ranch returning to normal, but still…

"Hmmm, what was it that Malon said when she gave me Epona?" Link asked himself.

_…now you'll have another friend to keep you company, maybe to help you get over your feeling of isolation._

A half-smile curled up on Link's lips. Epona had been good to him, hadn't she? She always loyally took him to where he needed to go and never asked for anything in return. She had done a fine job in transporting Link across Hyrule so he could complete Sheik's errands, but ever since he cast away his title as the Hero of Time she had become more than that.

Everyone around him whom he thought he trusted – Sheik, Navi, Saria, Darunia – they all either lied to him or abandoned him. But not Epona…she stayed with him. She may just be a horse, but whenever Link was around her he felt more at ease, more at peace than when he was away from her. Even the Voice couldn't match the level of comfort Epona gave him. The Voice was merely his guide, but Epona…Epona was his friend…

It only took a few minutes of thinking before Link finally nodded in agreement. "All right, Epona. We can visit Malon, if you'd like."

Upon hearing those words, Epona head bounced up and down excitedly and she reared back onto her hind legs wildly in glee. Her enthusiasm was so fierce that Link was forced to intervene.

"Woah, woah, girl. Calm down," he demanded, making a grasp for her reins.

Epona eventually did calm down, but only after a little bit of coaxing from Link. The Hylian breathed a sigh of relief when Epona finally did relax, and he patted her snout with his hand in an attempt to keep her relaxed.

"We won't go just yet. I'd first like a bite to eat. But once I've finished eating, we'll head out for Lon Lon Ranch, okay?"

Epona snorted once, which Link took as an agreement.

"Great," Link nodded. He patted Epona's snout for a bit longer before he made his way for the saddle packs where he kept his provisions. He opened one of the packs and pulled out several pieces of fruit. But before he had a chance to bite into one of them, he heard a familiar voice inside his head.

_—Might I ask what you're doing?—_

_"Hmmm? What do you mean?"_ Link asked the Voice.

_—I'm referring to you going to Lon Lon Ranch. Why in the name of the Three Goddesses would you want to go there?—_

One of Link's eyebrows raised in confusion. _"Excuse me? Is there a reason _not_ to go there?"_

_—But, of course! That girl Malon is part of the old life you were forced to live in. And as I recall, you gave up everything tied to that old life of yours—_

_"That may be true,"_ Link agreed while taking a bite from an apple, _"but Malon has done nothing to me. She helped me out when I was injured and gave me one of the few moments of happiness I had during my journey. She's nothing like Sheik…"_

_—Maybe she's done nothing to you _yet_, but she has the potential to do something to you should you see her again—_

Link first forced himself to swallow the piece of apple in his mouth before thinking, _"What are you talking about?"_

_—Think about it. After you set her free from Ingo, you told her everything about yourself, including that you were the Hero of Time. I'm willing to bet that once she learns you no longer chose to be the Hero of Time, she'll try to force you back into that ridiculous role—_

Link frowned deeply upon hearing that. _"You don't know that for certain, do you?"_

_—Admittedly, I don't…but I'm trying to warn you of the potential danger of visiting her. Do you really want to take that chance?—_

Link didn't even need to think to come up with an answer. _"Yes, I do."_

_—Then I'll tell you right now that you're making a big mistake. You do this and she will be all over you. She will do what Sheik tried to do…—_

_"Will you shut up?"_ Link yelled forcefully in his mind. _"I'm going to see her and that's that. I know she won't betray me. And even if she does, then all I have to do is leave the ranch and never return. Simple as that."_

_—But…—_

_"No buts! This is my decision, and you should know better than to try to change my mind. I'm going, and that's final. Understand?"_

A brief silence filled Link's thoughts, but Link could swear he felt the Voice holding something back in anger…

_—You're right…it's your decision. You can go wherever you please—_

A victorious sneer crept on Link's face. _"Now that's more like it…"_

_

* * *

_

"Dad, it looks like a storm's rolling in."

Talon looked up from the bundle of hay he was tying up and turned to face his daughter Malon, who was standing a stone's throw away from him and pointing at the sky in the distance. He followed the direction of her finger and, just as she said, saw storm clouds beginning to creep from the horizon towards the farm. A look of worry growing on his face, Talon stood up and stretched to get the cricks out of his back.

"Another storm, eh? And so soon after the last one…" he sighed loudly. "Still, nothing we can do about it. We have to get everything ready. You know what to do, Malon."

"I sure do," the farm girl said almost with a giggle. "Get the horses inside and fill their troughs with water, right?"

"You've done it too many times for me to confirm it, you silly girl," Talon grinned at his daughter. "Just go do it before the thunder scares the horses."

Malon nodded and hurried off in the direction of the horse barn, wanting to get the doors open before bringing the horses inside. It was a little bit difficult running wearing her work clothes – she never found pants at all comfortable – but she forced her legs to move at fast as they could. A sudden gust of wind nearly blew her straw hat off her head, but her fast reflexes were enough to prevent her from losing it.

She reached the barn in record time, taking only a second to catch her breath. A confident smile on her face, Malon pretended to spit into her gloved hands – she couldn't bring herself to really spit – rubbed her palms together, and grabbed the handle to the massive sliding door.

"Right, here we go…" she muttered to herself before she started pulling with all her strength.

The door creaked and groaned loudly before finally moving along the railing, and before long Malon had opened the door enough for two horses to enter the barn comfortably. Taking a deep breath and releasing it quickly in celebration of her accomplishment, Malon used her arm to brush some drops of sweat from her forehead.

"Wonderful," she beamed to herself. "Now to get the horses inside and…say, what's that?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Malon saw something on the horizon heading towards the ranch. At first all she could see was a small speck approaching across the fields, but as it got loser she saw a more recognizable shape. Still, she did wait until it was close enough before she felt confident to turn around and yell at the top of her lungs:

"Dad! Come quickly! Someone's coming!"

She heard her dad's response a second later across the wind: "I'll be right there!"

With that out of the way, Malon focused her complete attention on the approaching figure in the distance. She already knew that the person heading towards them was someone riding a horse, so that tempted the question of who it could be. Horses were a high commodity in this day and age, and the ranch had only started selling them again recently, their few customers mostly consisting of members of the resistance movement. So could this be someone from the resistance coming to purchase more horses? Or was it a previous client who had recently heard about Talon's return…?

"Wait a second…is that what I think it is…?"

Malon tried blinking several times to make sure she wasn't seeing things, but after doing that she couldn't deny at what she was looking. The horse by now was close enough for Malon to make out the creature's color, and the sunlight clearly showed that color to be a fiery red. It wasn't an uncommon color for a horse, but there was one red horse in particular that Malon knew, and if this really was that horse…

Just then, she saw the green cap…

"By the Three Goddesses…" she whispered as she felt her heart skip a beat. "It's him…!"

Her deduction was only confirmed when she saw the now-familiar shape of Link raise a hand and wave in her direction. He was now close enough that she could see his gaze looking directly at her and a smile on his face. Malon's beart beat instantly increased and her face grew almost as flushed as the color of Epona's hide, and yet somehow she found the motivation to raise her hand to wave back.

"Link!" she called out jubilantly. "Is that really you?"

She didn't receive an answer until Link pulled up right next to her and brought Epona to a complete stop. He looked down at her into her eyes, which were peering almost shyly from beneath the rim of her straw hat, and smiled warmly before replying, "It's really me. How are you, Malon?"

Before Malon had a chance to answer, she heard some heavy footsteps behind her that could only belong to her father. "So what's going on here? Who's visiting us at this time…?" The ranch owner paused as he stood beside his daughter, his eyes fixed on the green-clad rider before Malon. "By Din's Fire…it's Link!"

Link grinned at the chubby man and nodded. "That's right. Nice to see you as well, Talon. How are things since you got back?"

Still a little flabbergasted, Talon tried to make up for his astonishment by talking as fast as he could. "How are things? Things are fantastic…they've been absolutely fantastic…you won't believe how happy I am since you saved Malon…I can't thank you enough for what you did…everything's back up and running…business is slow but that's to be expected…I'm having a wonderful time and Malon is happy…"

"Woah, dad, slow down," Malon giggled, placing a hand on her hyper father's shoulder, causing Talon to fall silent immediately. "Let's not run him out after he just got here." She then looked back at Link, a timid smile on her lips. "So, Link…what brings you to Lon Lon Ranch?"

"I just came for a visit," Link answered. "It seems Epona wanted to see you again, so I figured I might as well come along for the ride."

Malon shifted her gaze towards Epona. "She did, did she?" A girlish giggle on her lips, Malon walked up to Epona and hugged the mare's face. "She's such a little baby, getting homesick like that. I take it she's been good to you?"

Link patted Epona's mane a couple times on the neck. "Absolutely. She's been a great horse…and an even greater friend, haven't you, girl? I…Malon, is something wrong?"

Link's question came just as he noticed Malon's eyes unexpectedly widen, as if she had noticed something. When she heard Link ask the question, Malon quickly shook her head and widened her smile. "Oh, no, it's nothing. I'm just happy to see her again. Thanks for bringing her back, even if it is just for a visit."

A puzzled look entered Link's eyes. "Is…everything okay? Did I arrive at a bad time or something?"

"Oh, everything just fine," Malon assured. "It's just that you arrived just as we were readying for the approaching storm. We've got a lot of work to do before the rain hits, unfortunately."

"Oh, all right…" Link acknowledged, though he still felt a little uneasy about the look in Malon's eyes. "So…is there anything I can do to help you out…?"

"Not on my watch!" Talon stated. "You're a guest of this ranch, and I will not tolerate my guests getting their hands dirty by doing chores."

"Are you sure?" Link asked.

"Absolutely," Talon confirmed. "I'm afraid you'll have to go inside the farm house and make yourself comfortable until we're done out here, and then be forced to have dinner with us. Can you live with that?"

Link couldn't help but chuckle at Talon's sarcasm. "Sure…I'll force myself…"

"By the way, Link…where's Navi?"

Malon's question caused Link's voice to freeze inside his throat. He looked down at Malon with a brief glance before looking up at the sky. "Navi is…no longer with me."

"No longer with you?" Malon uttered in a surprised tone. "But how could that be? I thought you were a Kokiri and Kokiris always had a guardian fairy…"

"It's…complicated," Link interjected. "And besides, I'm not really a Kokiri. I'm a Hylian."

Malon's head jerked back in astonishment. "A Hylian? Really…?"

"Yes, really," Link hurriedly stated, his voice sounding slightly albeit noticeably agitated. "In any case, I'll go to the house and wait for you to finish your work. What do you want me to do with Epona? Shall I take her for you…?"

"Oh, no, don't worry about Epona," Talon calmly affirmed, as if he hadn't noticed Link's tension. "Malon will be more than happy enough to do it…"

"Actually, I'll do it, sir."

Link, Malon, and Talon all turned their heads at once to face the owner of the new voice, who was slowly shuffling his way out of the barn. The ranch owner and farm girl instantly recognized him, but it took Link a moment or two before he identified him. And when he did, he couldn't believe who it was.

"Ingo…"

Yes, it was indeed Ingo, the cruel man who had taken ownership of Lon Lon Ranch seven years ago, thrown out Talon and forced Malon to work for him. But this Ingo no longer resembled the Ingo Link had nearly killed in a fit of anger…in fact, he didn't even resemble the _original_ Ingo. No longer wearing gaudy clothing, the man was dressed in a simple farm worker's outfit that was dirty from head to foot. His thick moustache still twitched upon his upper lip with his every movement, but his potbelly was noticeably reduced. However, the biggest difference was in Ingo's eyes: they no longer harbored bitterness and sourness in them.

The farm aid quietly walked into the light with an uncharacteristic smile on his face, his gaze fixed solely on Malon and Talon. "You don't have to trouble yourselves with this, Miss Malon. I'll take care of it for you."

Malon flashed a grateful smile in Ingo's direction. "Thank you, Ingo. I really appreciate it."

"That's perfectly all right," Ingo said before he started looking up at the rider of Epona's back. "So, who is the rider of this beautiful horse…?"

Ingo instantly froze in horror when his eyes saw who the rider was: the boy with green clothes who had come close to killing him not too long ago. The farm aid felt his voice gurgle in his throat as he reflexively took a step backward, his face unable to look away from Link.

"Y-you…" Ingo finally blurted out.

"Ingo!" Link angrily bellowed, as if hearing Ingo's voice directed towards him set off something inside of him.

Without another word, Link leapt off Epona's back and stormed the short distance towards the frightened Ingo. Upon reaching him, Link reached out and grabbed Ingo's shirt, pulling the man into the air, their faces close enough that their eyes were forced to look into one another. Ingo immediately started shuddering in fear, but Link didn't seem to care.

"You wretched bastard!" Link snarled. "What do you think you're doing here? I oughta wring your filthy neck for just showing your face…"

"Link! Stop it!"

Malon's loud plea caused Link to turn around and face the farm girl, but not release the scowling look in his eyes. "What?" he demanded almost hostilely.

"Ingo's reformed!" Malon cried out quickly. "After you left and dad came back home, Ingo changed his ways. He was rehired as a farm helper and has proven himself trustworthy. He's worked just as hard as anyone and hasn't done anything wrong. He's not the man you knew before, Link. He's different. I swear."

Link's snarling face lightened up a bit…but only a bit. "Is that so?" he asked before he once again turned to face Ingo, who was still shivering anxiously. "If that's the case, then you're one lucky bugger. However…"

Link's eyebrows knitted together tightly and his eyes narrowed as he leaned in as far as he could and growled, "…understand this. You even so much as touch Malon, and I will kill you."

Without even waiting for an acknowledgement, Link threw Ingo to the ground as hard as he could. The farm aid landed on his back with a soft thud, but he didn't so much as release an oomph because he was trembling all over. Ingo's eyes remain fixed on the boy standing over him, while Link's own eyes stared down at the man with a cold and callous glare. As if to emphasize this unstable gaze, a thunderbolt was heard in the distance...

"Link…" Malon started but didn't have time to finish.

"I'll see you inside the house," Link asserted before turning around and heading for the farmhouse, leaving two stunned individuals and a truly terrified man to watch after him…

* * *

"Here it is! Specialty of the house! Roast duck with dumplings!"

Talon's dramatic entrance into the dining room from the kitchen included him carrying a large tray with an enormous, delicious-looking roasted bird on the platter, surrounded by mouth-watering potatoes and carrots. Link and Malon, sitting at the dining table across from one another, immediately felt their mouths grow moist with anticipation.

"It smells wonderful, dad," Malon commented, sniffing the air to catch as much of the scent as she could.

"It does, indeed," Link agreed, keeping his eye on the food until Talon placed the platter in the center of the round table. As Talon gleefully rubbed his hands and moved to take his seat, Link looked around and noticed something.

"Say…where's Ingo?" he asked.

"Ingo's busy cleaning the stalls at the moment," Talon answered as he sat down. "He said he didn't feel that hungry and would eat later."

_"Figures,"_ Link thought to himself before saying aloud, "Oh, okay."

After warning to kill Ingo should he ever harm Malon, Link had made a beeline straight to the farmhouse, where he quickly wished he hadn't threatened the man…at least not in front of Talon and Malon. Those two would've undoubtedly asked Link what he was doing, which would end up making Link feeling uncomfortable. However, to his relief, when Malon checked up on him about an hour later, she made no mention of the incident.

Feeling that they ignored it, Link then had taken the opportunity of "making himself comfortable" by using the bath to clean himself. It wasn't too long after that when Talon and Malon arrived at the farmhouse, their preparations for the upcoming storm complete. Not even then did either of them mention the incident with Ingo, so Link believed the matter had been put aside.

Now it was evening, and outside fierce rains were already beginning to fall from the heavens. A streak of lightning occasionally streaked across the sky, but it did little to dampen the cheery mood at the dinner table in the farmhouse.

"Well…go ahead and help yourselves!" Talon smiled cheerily. "We can't let this good meat go to waste."

Wholeheartedly agreeing with Talon, Link reached for the duck and used his fingers to pick off some tender meat from the duck's roasted body – Malon opted to use a fork to fill her plate. Talon waited until the "kids" were done getting their food before he reached out and took one of the duck's legs, yanking it off the body with a loud squelch. Without even bothering with a plate, Talon took a huge bite out of the leg, suckling the skin with his lips and scraping the meat off the bones with his teeth.

"Dad, your manners!" Malon gently snapped at her father. "We have a guest, you know."

"Oh, I don't think Link minds, do ya?" Talon jollily inquired with a smile.

"Not at all," Link grinned as he scooped up some of the duck meat on his plate with his fingers. "In fact, eating with your hands in how food should be eaten." He then quickly dipped the food into his mouth, slurping the meat between his lips and swallowing the bits without even chewing them.

"Men…" Malon sighed as she rolled her eyes before using her knife to cut up the meat on her plate.

Link couldn't help but smile, both on the outside and inside. As he looked at Malon and her father and interacted with them, he noticed how calm and relaxed he felt just being around them. Even after his little threatening of Ingo earlier, they had chosen to ignore it and still welcomed him into their home. They truly seemed to care about him, to care about how he felt. He even thought he could feel a tiny trace of…happiness…inside his heart.

Coming to the ranch really wasn't a mistake…

"So Link…why is Navi no longer with you?"

Luckily for Link, he didn't have any food in his mouth when Malon asked that question, else he would've choked on it. He slowly directed his gaze towards the farm girl, who was quietly and nonchalantly looking at her food, and slowly put down the pieces of meat in his fingers. "Why do you want to know?"

"Well…" Malon paused for a moment as she placed her fork down on her plate. "…I remember you two being very good friends when you were hear last. So I'm just a little curious to know why she's not with you anymore. Did something happen to her?"

Link felt his shoulders tense up as one of his hands closed up into a gentle fist. The mood in the room had unexpectedly grown quiet – even Talon had toned down his behavior. "She's fine. We just…drifted apart, that's all."

"I see," Malon nodded as she reached for a glass of water. "Any particular reason why?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's just that…" Malon again paused, this time to take a sip from her water. "…I find it strange for you and Navi to drift apart in such a short period of time, especially since you two were so close…"

"We drifted apart…!" Link interrupted forcefully before he softened his voice. "That's all. All right?"

Amazingly, Malon still didn't look at Link as she replied, "All right."

But something wasn't "all right". Link could see it in Malon's eyes. She was hiding something from him…

"Malon…are you all right?"

Malon raised her head, but she still refused to look at Link. "Yes, I'm fine…I'm just a little tired, that's all." She then again raised her glass to drink…

_DUUGGGGGGHHHHH…_

Malon was forced to look at Link this time – the force of his fist slamming down on the table's surface was too much for her to ignore it. His eyes glowered in her direction as he snarled a warning at her:

"Don't…toy with me."

Talon had fallen eerily silent by now, and Malon was noticeably shivering. "Link, I…"

"I said don't toy with me," Link growled. "Something is going on with you…and if you don't tell me this instant, don't think for a second I won't do anything to get it out of you. Understand?"

Malon's trembling was now so acute that as she placed her glass down on the table she spilled over half its contents. She then fastened her hands together as she took several deep breaths to calm herself down. Link merely continued to glare at her, his patience beginning to wear thing…"

"It's just this, Link," Malon started. "When you arrived here, you said that Epona was the one who brought you here, right?"

Link slowly raised his head until his gaze was level with Malon's. "Yes, that's right. So?"

"Well…when I held her, when you patted her neck…I felt something inside her. I saw something in her eyes, something that startled me at first."

_"Which explains the look in _her_ eyes,"_ Link thought before saying, "Continue. What did you see?"

Malon closed her eyes and took several short breaths before giving the answer. "I saw…fear."

Link could feel his jaw drop. "Fear…? What are you talking about?"

"When you patted her neck and spoke to her, I could feel her shiver out of fear. The look in her eyes was one of pure terror. At first I though she had been scared by thunder or something, but it took me a second to realize what triggered the reaction.

"Link, Epona didn't come back here because she wanted to see me…she came back because she's terrified…of you."

Link's jaw dropped down even further…before it clamped shut as Link felt his temper snap. "Terrified…of me? What is this nonsense you're spouting?"

"It's not nonsense, Link," Malon stated as calmly as she could, trying to hide her quivering. "I saw it myself when you attacked Ingo. He did nothing against you or anyone else, and yet you threatened to kill him. You thought Ingo was terrified by that? _I_ was terrified after watching you act like that. My dad and Epona were also shaken by your little display."

"They were, were they?" Link growled before jerking his attention to Talon, who's eyes widened upon being seen by the boy. "Is this true? You were terrified of me?"

Talon didn't even move in response to Link's direct question. He simply froze in place, trying not to do anything that might upset Link…

"You're acting like it here as well, Link," Malon pointed out, trying to get Link's interest away from her father. "You're acting so angrily towards us for asking a few simple questions and…"

"My behavior is perfectly all right, thank you!" Link roared hastily in Malon's direction, again slamming his fist on the table, this time hard enough to cause the plates to rattle. "I have every right to suspect things when people are asking me questions that I don't wish to answer."

Malon somehow found the courage to speak up after such a direct declaration. "But you're acting nothing like the Link I knew when you saved this ranch…"

"The Link you knew is _dead_!"

A deafening silence befell the room, but Link refused to let it stand for long.

"You hear me? That Link is dead. Link the Kokiri, Link the boy with the burned hand, Link the Hero of Time…that Link is dead. Understand? _Dead_!"

Both Talon and Malon remained quiet for a moment, allowing Link's harsh words to sink in before Malon suddenly realized something. "Wait a minute…you mean you're…no longer the Hero of Time?"

Link's teeth clamped together and formed a deep growl in Malon's direction. "Yes, that's right. I'm no longer the Hero of Time. Got a problem with that?"

What Malon said next rang inside Link's mind like a bell. "Yes, I do…how can you not be the Hero of Time when that's who you're supposed to be?"

_…who you're supposed to be…who you're supposed to be…who you're supposed to be…supposed to be…supposed to be…to be…to be…be…be…_

Link gently slammed his palms down on the table and slowly, painfully slowly pushed his chair back and stood up. When he was standing completely on his feet, he looked down at his plate of unfinished food. "So you…think I should…go back to being…the Hero of Time…is that it?"

Malon's response may as well have been a knife in the back. "Yes, I do…"

_KEPLAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNG…_

Out of the blue, Link used his right hand to slap the plate of food before him to the side, sending the dish and its contents flying through the air and silencing Malon once more. The plate landed on the found with a loud clang, while the food mostly landed against the wall, sticking to the surface thanks to the juices. Link then slammed his right hand onto the table again so he could prop himself up steadily in order to say what he wanted to say:

"Go to Hael, you little bitch."

Link's words were enough to cause Malon's face to turn white as a sheet. "L-Link…how could…?"

"Shut up!" Link bellowed, snatching up his glass of water. "You think you know me? You think I should surrender myself to my god-damned destiny and become a puppet once again? You think I make a nice pawn in someone else's sick game?" Link then threw his glass to the ground, shattering it into thousands of pieces. "Well, I'm _sick_ of games…and I'm sick of people trying to force me to play them!"

"Link, please…"

"And to think…" Link interjected, raising his fist into the air, "…I thought you wouldn't betray me…"

Suddenly, before either Malon or Talon could move or say anything, Link turned around and sprinted away from the table, not stopping until he reached the stairs in the next room that lead to the second floor. He then paused, turned his head to face the farmer and farm girl in the previous room, and said one more thing to them:

"Both of you…I hope I never see you again! You can both die for all I care!"

He then turned back around and dashed up the staircase.

It took Malon up to half a minute before she finally made a move. "Link! Link, wait a minute! Link, wait!"

"Malon, wait, what are you doing…?" Talon called out to his daughter, but he was too late to stop her. Malon leapt from her seat and ran as fast as she could after Link. She continued calling out after Link as loud and quick as she could, trying to get him to respond but not getting anything from him.

Then, just as she reached the staircase, she heard a loud crash…

"Link! What are you doing? Link!"

The farm girl raced up the stairway and headed towards the guestroom where Link had set himself up. She burst through the slightly ajar door, still calling out Link's name…but she found no one inside the room. All the weapons and baggage Link had taken off for supper were gone, and she quickly saw why there was no trace of their owner: the window to the room had been smashed in.

"Link!" Malon cried out as she rushed towards the broken window and carelessly stuck her head through the shattered pane into the stormy night. "Link! Where are you? Come back! Link! Link…!"

It was no use. The former Hero of Time had disappeared into the night…

* * *

_—I told you she would do that, didn't I?—_

As angry as Link was at the moment, he was forced to agree with the Voice. _"Yes, yes, you did."_

_—And yet you ignored my warnings because you thought you had things all figured out—_

Link found it difficult enough trudging his way through the open plains surrounding the ranch with rain driving into his face and thick mud slowing his footsteps, but he couldn't ignore the Voice's assertions. _"All right, all right, you were right. You were right about her."_

_—I was, wasn't I? But let's not forget that right now you're doing exactly what you said you would do should she betray you. At least you kept your word on that matter. However, because you went back to that little wench, you no longer have a horse—_

As he wiped some rain from his face, Link snarled loudly. "Epona…I can't believe she betrayed me as well…"

_—You can't trust anyone these days. They're all out to get you. They all want to use you, to force you to do things you don't want to do. It's sickening, isn't it?—_

_"Yes, yes, it's sickening! Do you have to rub it in, curse it?"_

_—Unfortunately, I do. You learned a valuable lesson here today, and I'm just making sure you remember it—_

Link couldn't argue with that, so instead he snarled once again and concentrated solely on trekking across the plains. He could hardly see a thing in the grey darkness, his only source of light the occasional streak of lightning across the sky. The mud was growing thick enough to cause him to partially sink into the ground, and he could swear the rain was boring tiny holes into his skin. Maybe in hindsight it wasn't a good idea to head out into the storm like this…

But even the possibility of being cold and lost in a rainstorm was worth getting away from that traitorous witch Malon…

"Link!"

_"What…?"_

When Link turned his head to look behind him, the last thing he expected to see was the figure of Malon galloping towards him on the back of Epona in the lashing rain, but that's exactly what he saw.

"Link! Wait up!"

The initial surprise gone, Link faced forward again and continued marching through the muck.

"Link!" Malon called out, slowing down Epona a little. "Please, wait for me…!"

"Get away from me!" Link roared without looking back. "I don't want to see you!"

Not listening to Link's demand, Malon slowed Epona enough so that the horse was trotting next to him. "Link, please…listen to me…"

"I said go away, damn it!" Link barked, still refusing to look at Malon. "I'm in no mood for your bloody games!"

"Link, I just want to talk. Please hear me out…"

"Are you deaf or just stupid? Get away from me this instant!"

Had Link looked up at Malon, he would've seen a determined look stiffen in her face. The farm girl brusquely pulled Epona's reins back, bringing the mare to a halt. Malon then leapt off the horse's back, lifted her skirt, and trudged after Link in the deep mud.

"Link, I'm not leaving until you hear me out," she firmly told him.

"By the Three Goddesses, you're becoming such a pest," Link grumbled while continuing to slog forward.

"If that's what it takes to get you to listen to me, then so be it," Malon resolutely declared as she reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.

That hand touching Link was enough to get him to spin around and finally look at Malon directly. "Listen here, you little…"

It was then that he saw how sad Malon truly was. In the pouring rain, Malon's once-beautiful appearance had been washed away. Her gorgeous red hair was lying flat against her head and drooping sloppily across her shoulders, and her dainty white dress was stained with mud from riding on Epona through the fields. The dirty rainwater had stained her face all over as if she had been crying, an illusion made worse by the fact that her eyes were almost filled with tears.

A sigh escaped Link's lips as a fork of lightning scratched the sky. "Fine. What is it you want to say?"

_—What are you doing, you fool?—_

_"Shut up."_

"Link, I…" Malon stammered, shivering slightly – whether it was from the cold weather or from fear was anyone's guess. "I just wanted to tell you something about Epona."

Link momentarily looked up at Epona, who was quietly waiting a few steps behind Malon and eyeing the pair with her dark eyes. "Yeah, what about her?"

"I…I told you that she came back to the ranch because she was terrified of you, remember?"

Link nodded. "I remember. So?"

Malon lowered her gaze slightly. "Well, even though she was scared of you…why do you think she stayed with you despite that?"

A blank look entered Link's eyes. "Huh? What do you mean?"

_—Don't listen to her! She's trying to trick you!—_

_"I said shut up."_

"What I mean," Malon replied, raising her eyes again, "is that even though Epona was terrified of you, even though she could've easily run away from you and come back to the farm on her own…she didn't. She instead remained with you, she stayed by your side at all times. Why do you think that is?"

"A…as if I'd know," Link snapped, though he had to admit he was curious to know why.

Malon noticed Link's curiosity and satisfied it by answering her own question. "I'll tell you why, Link. It's because Epona cares about you. She cared about you enough to stay with you despite your fearful personality, and she cared about you enough to help lead me through this rainstorm towards you. Epona loved you enough to remain by your side no matter what."

Slowly but surely, Link could feel the rage within him drain away. "But…what are you getting at?" he asked more calmly than he expected.

"Just that…Epona and I have something in common, I guess."

Link's mouth drooped open ever so slightly at hearing that, the anger in his eyes replaced by a bewildering tenderness. "Malon…"

_—You idiot! She's playing with your sympathies! She's trying to draw you back in! Pay no attention to her…are you even listening to me?—_

He wasn't. Link was completely focused on the dirty but kindhearted face of Malon, who was looking back at him with a sad determination.

"You…you were right, Link," Malon softly uttered as she slowly knelt down in the grimy dirt, pulling Link down to his knees as well. "I…I don't know you. But I want to know. I want to learn more about you. That way, I…I won't bet…I won't betray you…"

"Malon, I…" Link spluttered, unable to say anything at the moment.

"Epona was brave enough to stay by your side…well, that's my wish as well. I care about you, Link…I really do. You're one of the few friends I have left in this world that I didn't lose to that wretched man Ganondorf…and I can't bare the thought of losing you."

"But…but what about that little business of me no longer being the Hero of Time? Don't you care about that?"

Malon took a deep breath, leaning in close to Link's ear, and whispered to him, "I…don't care…"

When Malon leaned back again, she saw Link staring at her with a stunned look in his eyes. By the look on her face, even Malon hadn't expected to hear herself say that. Another bolt of lightning crackled across the sky, lighting up their faces for a brief moment before plunging them back into a grayish gloom. Neither of them spoke, as if waiting for some kind of response from the other…

Just then, a faint smile appeared on Link's lips as he raised his right hand and used it to brush some wet hair from Malon's eyes.

"Link…" the farm girl muttered delicately.

"You silly little girl. I'll never understand you."

Malon remained motionless after hearing those words, her mouth hanging open in quiet thought. Then, without warning, Malon's eyes burst into tears and she threw herself forward, planting her face directly in Link's chest, where she started to cry her eyes out.

"I'm…I'm sorry I…I made you angry…" she bawled, her words partially muted by Link's damp shirt. "I'll never…never do that again…I promise…I…I swear…just please don't…don't ever leave me again…"

Link placed a hand gently on Malon's head to comfort her, widening his smile as he realized her acknowledged he had forgiven her. But he still couldn't believe it. Even after all those nasty things he called her and accused her of, Malon still dared to chase after him and _apologize_ to him. She really did care about him…and she was willing to remain by his side to learn his side of the story.

So the eventual mistake ended up not being a mistake after all…

_—What are you doing? That girl is corrupting you with her little crybaby act! You're letting her influence you!—_

The Voice…

_"No, you're wrong,"_ Link sternly thought. _"Malon's not influencing me at all. She simply wants to stay by my side and learn what I know…"_

_—But that's her ruse! She's winning your trust so she can get to you when you're most vulnerable! You can't let her take you in like that!—_

Link could feel himself grow angry again, only this time it was at the Voice. _"And you can't get all paranoid just because I happened to find someone who is sympathetic to what I feel."_

_—Paranoid? How dare you accuse me of being paranoid! Need I remind you that I'm the one who exposed the lies you've been living ever since you picked up that wretched sword…?—_

_"And need I remind you that _I'm _the one who makes the decisions here! You're just a guide, nothing more. I've heard your advice, and I've found it to be wrong in this case."_

_—But I'm _not_ wrong! Can't you see that? Open your eyes and see…—_

_"I will not let you control me like Sheik once did, you bloody-well understand?"_

The Voice fell silent for a moment inside Link's head after Link made the threat, and when it spoke again there was a noticeable sneer in its voice.

_—Yes…I understand perfectly. But mark my words…you will regret the day you didn't listen to my advice—_

_"Oh, and what are you going to do about it?"_

That was the last time Link heard the Voice that night…


	54. Sinister Eyes

**Chapter 54: Sinister Eyes**

Leaning against the tree felt noticeably more comfortable that evening for Link, though he didn't notice until he almost feel asleep. He guessed it was because he had gotten rid of that annoying root that had been protruding from the ground and digging into his hip – the hookshot really had countless uses – but he shrugged it off and took advantage of the relaxing position he was in. Who knows? Maybe another root would bother him tomorrow…

Using his hands as a pillow behind his head, Link sighed softly as he watched Din's Eye set over the distant horizon. The hill on which the tree grew provided not only a magnificent view of the sunset, but also a fantastic view of the land surrounding Lon Lon Ranch. Sure, about the only things he could see were vast plains and maybe the distant silhouette of a village where Talon liked to do business, but it was a splendid view, nevertheless. The sunset only made it more stunning.

He could watch this view all day, every day, if only for the fact that it reminded him of better days…

Just then, he heard soft, rustling footsteps behind him. Footsteps he already knew all too well…

"Hey, Malon," Link unhurriedly uttered before the farm girl even had a chance to draw up next to him. "Work finish early today?"

Malon positioned herself directly beside Link, her hands clasped together, before she answered his question. "Actually, I've still got some hay bales to finish tying, but dad said I deserved a little break after fixing some of the roof tiles from last night's winds."

"I see…" Link nodded, not looking up at Malon. "You know, I could easily help you with stuff like that. It's not like I have anything else to do around here…"

"Yeah, I know," Malon sighed, "and I think my dad is starting to realize that as well. Maybe if you ask him, you can help me finish the job tomorrow."

"Hmmm…sure, why not?"

Link' flat response was followed by an almost uncomfortable silence. Then Malon scratched the back of her neck before timidly looking down and asking, "So, um…how are you feeling this evening?"

Malon's seemingly innocent question to Link actually held another meaning. It had only been three weeks since Link accepted Malon's invitation to live on the ranch with her, but already he had developed a sort of habit. Whenever he was alone and Malon approached him, her question was really asking whether Link was in the mood for her company. Sometimes Link was, sometimes he wasn't, and Malon graciously respected his wishes whatever they may be…

Link blinked slowly a couple times before he gently nodded. "You may join me, if you wish."

A faint smile crept upon Malon's lips, though she didn't say anything in reply. Instead she calmly shuffled her way beside him, pushed the back of her white dress against her legs, and sat down next to the silent Link. Link had somewhat grown used to Malon sitting so close next to him, but when he felt a familiar item brush against his neck he grimaced.

"Could you take your hat off?"

"What…oh, sorry," Malon apologized before quickly removing the offending straw bonnet and placing it in her lap. "I forgot I had it on."

Link shakes her head with a sigh. "Don't worry about it…"

Another silence followed as both Link and Malon quietly watched the sunset, Malon occasionally glancing at Link while Link refused to take one glimpse at the girl sitting next to him. Even though Malon had sat with him like this several times now, he still felt a little uncomfortable being this close to her, especially after he snapped at her during that stormy night.

But something inside him told him to trust his instincts on this one and not the Voice, who had made several attempts to get him to leave the ranch. Normally Link would listen to the Voice's advice and seriously consider it, but he noticed that the Voice was recently in the habit of trying to _force_ its advice on Link.

All this after the Voice taught Link how to think for himself and get rid of that horrible burden of being the Hero of Time…

"What are you thinking about?" Malon suddenly asked softly, her hands playing with the edges of her straw hat.

Link looked down at his own lap for a moment before looking up again. "Just…stuff, I suppose."

"About your better days before you became the Hero of Time?"

Link's hesitation came about only because he felt a little drowsy. "That's one thing, yes."

"And how your friends betrayed you?"

This time Link nodded before replying, "That's another."

Malon sighed as she placed her straw hat to the side and tucked her hands into her lap. "Do you ever think about the days we spent together when we were younger?"

Malon's question almost caused Link to look at her this time. It wasn't the first time he had been caught off guard by her desire not to ask him anything that might offend him. Whenever she was around, he had expected her to say something relating to Sheik or Navi or the Hero of Time in an attempt to make him at least consider returning to those wretched aspects of his past.

But she never did. Not once did she ever make such an attempt, and he didn't know why. He could only guess that she was trying her best to be the friend everyone else couldn't be…and after her crying in the rainy fields, that wasn't too difficult an idea to swallow. And although he found it unusual, Link also found it welcoming. Malon's apparent attempts not to betray him made him feel more relaxed than he had ever felt since he lost Saria…

Forcing a smile, Link nodded. "Yeah…I think about them sometimes. They do make me feel relaxed."

Link heard a soft sigh from Malon before feeling her body weight gently lean against his shoulder. Unable to stop her, Link was forced to allow Malon's head to rest upon his shoulder. The only reaction Link made was to keep his body deadly still so as to allow her to make herself comfortable…

"Just relaxed?" Malon asked with a girlish giggle as she closed her eyes.

Link glanced down, not quite sure what she meant. So he answered the best way he could at that moment. "That and…more?" He then cleared he throat before adding, "By the way, how long is your break?"

Another girlish giggle was heard from the farm girl. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, Fairy Boy."

Link finally briefly looked at Malon, his eyes blinking several times upon hearing that. Fairy Boy…it had been a while since she had called him that name. Maybe it was because she was growing more comfortable around him. If only he could feel the same way…

"No, that's not what I mean, I…I just, I…" stammered almost nervously.

"I'm just teasing you, silly," Malon sniggered, her weight slackening more noticeably on Link's shoulder. "It's not like I can do that very often anymore."

Link opened his mouth to protest…but then shut it. She was right. Ever since he had awoken from his seven-year slumber, everything he had encountered was either dangerous or depressing. He never had a chance to experience what he had lost from his earlier years when he still believed he was a Kokiri – the simple things in life that make one feel…needed…and content…

A weak smile formed on Link's lips as he relaxed his back completely against the tree, dragging the almost limp farm girl with him. He looked out at the sunset again for one moment before he started to say something…and then stopped himself when he noticed Malon's breathing had grown deep and rhythmic. He carefully glanced to the side and saw that the red-haired girl had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Strangely enough, Link felt a soft chuckle emerge from his smile. "Silly girl…" he whispered softly before returning his gaze to the sunset.

_"Still…"_ he added in his thoughts, _"…thank you…for sticking by me..."_

The next thing that crossed his mind was wondering how long it would be before Malon woke up…

* * *

"Hey, Link!"

At first Link didn't hear Malon's voice – he was too busy hammering furiously into the roof beams, his eyes filled with sweat and his teeth clamping down hard on several metal pins intended to hold the tiles in place. It was only when he ceased pounding a nail into the wood in order to wipe some sweat from his brow when he heard a second shout out from the farm girl.

"Link! Hey, Link!"

Carefully standing up on the sloped roof, Link peered as cautiously as he could over the edge and saw Malon standing on the ground a short distance away. "Yeah?" he called down with the nails still in his mouth.

"You've been up there for two hours. Fancy a break?" A wry smile formed on her lips. "I've got water."

"Water…" Link repeated with several rapid breaths. He turned around and spat the pins between his teeth into a nearby bucket filled with tacks. "Sounds good. I'll be right there."

Wiping his brow one more time, Link placed the hammer inside the pin bucket before making his way to the ladder leaning against the edge of the roof. Sure, he could've easily jumped down from the roof and landed on the ground with ease…but not today. He wasn't in the mood. Still, that didn't prevent him from using the ladder as a sort of slide, placing his hands and feet against the edges and skating along them without setting one foot on the rungs.

Upon landing of the ground, Link took one final series of rapid breaths before he made his way to Malon, who was waiting patiently for him with a bucket of water and a handled cup. She smiled cutely as she placed the bucket on the ground and drew some water from it using the cup. "Here you go," she grinned, offering Link the cup.

Link accepted the cup with a nod. "Thank you," he uttered before partially turning around, taking a sip of the water. "Ahhh, that hit's the spot…huh? What's this?"

As he lowered the cup from his lips, he felt something soft drape across his shoulders. He looked behind him to see Malon wrapping a towel behind his neck. The girl looked up at him and gave him her recognizable, cutesy grin. "Thought you'd might like to wipe yourself off."

A faint smile formed on Link's lips. "Again, thank you…"

Link then proceeded to sink his free hand into the towel and use it to wipe off the sweat under his chin and around the base of his neck. He immediately felt cooler than before, but he didn't stop there. Though he had taken his shirt off, he could still feel sweat dripping inside every crevasse of his muscular chest and along his burly arms. He dabbed across his torso and along his pecks, trying to cleanse as much sweat off his skin as possible, before he took the cup and splashed the remaining water across his face to soak out the sweat in his hair. Without his hat, his golden locks fluttered in the gentle breeze as he combed his hair back with his fingers, feeling the water drip down his bare skin…

Just then, he caught sight of Malon out of the corner of his eye. Her gaze was fixed firmly on him, watching him closely and quietly. Her mouth gaped slightly open…and she was blushing…

"Are you all right, Malon?" Link inquired.

Malon instantly snapped out of her stupor, her eyes widening in surprise and realization. She looked around frantically, her flush growing redder as she tried covering her cheeks with her hands.

"You're looking a little red there," Link continued. "Are you feeling okay…?"

"I'm fine!" Malon suddenly squealed, her voice filled with embarrassment. "I just…need to…find my hat…yes, that's it…this heat must be getting to me…I need to go find my hat…"

Link cocked his head a little to the side, one of his eyebrows raised in puzzlement. "It's on your head."

Malon's eyes somehow got even wider as one of her hands reached up to her scalp. Sure enough, her straw sunhat was resting upon her brow, protecting her from the sun. She remained silent and still for an entire minute after that, frozen as if being caught for something she didn't want anyone else to know about.

But before Link could say something, Malon abruptly laughed. It was a noticeably forced laugh, but a laugh nevertheless. "Ah, ha, ha! So it is! Yes, you're right! It _is_ on my head! Thank you for finding it for me, Link! Now I must go and attend to the Cukoos! Work hard and…stuff! Good bye!"

Without another word, Malon swiveled around and started marching rigidly away towards the Cuckoo coops, still giving off that same uneasy laugh. Link watched her strut away for a couple moments…before grinning ear to ear with a snicker.

"Silly girl…" he mumbled to himself before wiping some water from his eyes with the towel.

As he lowered the towel from his eyes, he caught sight of moment again out of the corner of his eye, this time in the direction of the horse barn. He turned his head to see Ingo entering the barn through the large double doors, carrying a bucket and a pitchfork. The farmhand didn't seem to notice Link, but he did appear to be in some kind of a hurry.

As he watched Ingo disappear into the barn, Link's eyes narrowed…

* * *

"There's a good girl. You really like these things, don't you?"

Ingo's mustache twitched as he smiled; he even emitted a soft giggle as the tongue of the brown mare Lana tickled his palm to lap up the food in his hand. Once his hand had been completely cleaned out, Ingo used the same hand to pet Lana's snout; the mare responded with an approving snort.

"You've got to keep up your strength," Ingo added as he reached down to pick up his bucket of feed. "You never know when Talon might need you."

The farmhand then looked around for the next horse to feed. Twilight had set in several hours ago, and the only light available was that of a few candles perched on candlesticks in the middle of the barn, away from any possible flammable material like straw. Only now was he even remotely close to finishing his chores for the day, but he didn't mind. After all, he appreciated the extra time as a way to bond with the horses.

Funny, isn't it, he thought. Almost all his life he considered horses to be mindless beasts whose only redeeming value was their high prices to potential sellers. It was only after that green-clad boy came close to killing him and when Malon took pity on him did he realize what he had been missing out on. Sure, he was still terrified of that boy – why was he still here, anyway? – but it was because of him that he felt more at peace than before…

"Hmm, who's next?" Ingo wondered aloud as he shuffled his way towards another stall…

"Nice to see you're doing your job, Ingo."

_"That voice…"_ Ingo felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end when he recognized the owner of that voice. He turned around, expecting to see the owner standing behind him with a sword ready to sink into his back…but he didn't. There was nobody there.

"Wh-where are y-you…?" Ingo called out, trying to sound as brave as he could.

"You're scared of me, aren't you?" the owner of the voice called out, refusing Ingo's request to show himself. "That's good. You _should_ be afraid of me, because I can kill you where you stand if I so desire."

Blood drained from Ingo's face when he heard that, and his feet glued themselves to the floor as if they were lead. But he somehow found the courage to call out again, "Where…are you…?"

"I'm right here, to your left."

Ingo's head twisted itself in the indicated direction, his eyes wide with anticipated horror. At first he didn't see anything but shadows hiding from the candlelight, but he soon saw something hiding in the shadows just a stone's throw away. The outline of a tall boy cloaked in shade was visible, and twinkling in the faint torch light was a pair of narrowed, piercing eyes glaring in Ingo's direction.

"You…you…" Ingo uttered, his voice completely hoarse as he looked into those cold, uncaring eyes…

"My name is Link, for your information," the green-clad boy interrupted as he stepped forward into the candlelight, allowing his entire body to be seen clearly. Unlike earlier in the afternoon, Link was wearing all of his clothes, even his trademark long hat. However, Ingo noticed something curious about the boy: he wasn't wearing any of his weapons…but not that that made much of a difference. As Ingo knew all too well, the boy could kill someone with just his bare hands…

"Go ahead, say my name," Link stated as he crossed his arms. "It won't hurt you."

Still frozen in fear in his place, Ingo forced himself to say the boy's name. "L-L….Liiii…Linnnnnnn…L-L-Liiiinnnnnkkkkkk…Link…"

A grin formed on the boy's lips. "There, that wasn't so hard, now was it?"

Ingo could feel his throat grow numb as he nodded in agreement. "What…what do you want…Link…?"

"What do I want?" Link asked as he rolled his eyes upward to glance at the ceiling. "Why, I wanted to talk, that's all."

Ingo blinked his eyes several times. "T-t-t-t-talk…?"

"That's right," Link nodded as he took a step closer to Ingo, almost startling the frightened farmhand. "I've been thinking, Ingo…don't you think it's time we buried the hatchet?"

At first Ingo thought Link was going to produce and actual hatchet and bury its blade into his back…but when he realized Link wasn't using the phrase literally, he had to shake his head a little before he could say anything. "W-what…?"

"I can still remember that day…the day you hit Malon after getting angry with her. I can still remember you pinning her to the ground and punching her face with your fists…over…and over…and over…so you can understand why I wanted very much to kill you, right?"

Though a little confused, Ingo forced himself to nod at Link's question.

"And then I saw you again upon returning to the ranch. Boy, you have no idea how much I just wanted to wring your filthy little neck and squeeze your windpipe until you dropped dead at my feet."

As he revealed this bit of information, Link held out his hand and clutched his fingers together, as if demonstrating to Ingo how he would've done so. Into could feel the fear returning inside him, and he half-expected Link to leap forward and complete the deed right there and then…

"However…"

Link's hand drooped to his side as he relaxed his shoulders and released a soft sigh. Ingo felt his jaw drop in confusion.

"…it seems that Malon does see you worthy of such a fate. According to her, you've changed from that ugly little man who liked to beat up little girls into a hard worker who loves what he does…as well as the horses he takes care of." Link then stole a glance towards the mare Lana. "And from what I've seen lately…there is no reason _not_ to believe it."

A little bit of courage returned to Ingo, but he still felt glued to the floor with the towering figure of Link over him. "What…what are you saying?" the farmhand asked nervously.

"What I'm saying," Link uttered with a grin as he faced Ingo again, "is that I see no reason to hold any animosity towards you any longer. Therefore, I think it's time we became friends. I'm going to be staying at this ranch for quite a while, so it probably wouldn't be a good idea for one of us to harbor any bad feelings about each other, right?"

Ingo couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was this boy really trying to be…_friends_ with him?

"Are you…serious…?" Ingo asked, almost flabbergasted.

"Why would I not be?" Link asked. "As you can see, I carry no weapons with me. This is a goodwill offering, my dear Ingo. I want to end all this tension between us and get to know each other. Who knows, maybe we can actually eat with one another at the same table?"

Ingo was still too astounded to really grasp what he was hearing. "Well, I…that does sound…sound rather nice…"

"Then it's settled!" Link cried as he slammed one of his hands on Ingo's shoulder. "Glad to hear it!"

Ingo nearly leapt into the air in panic when Link placed a hand on his shoulder, but the farmhand somehow forced himself to relax. He could still feel himself shaking rather nervously, but when he looked up into Link's eyes he noticed they were no longer cold and hostile. They actually looked…sincere…and inviting…

"So how about we shake on it?" Link proposed with a grin as he stretched out his hand.

Ingo glanced at Link's hand warily before slowly raising a noticeably quivering hand and slipping it into Link's. Link's smile widened even further as he firmly gripped Ingo's stubby hand and shook it firmly. As he did, Ingo could feel his worries starting to melt away. Maybe Link really did want to be his friend and bury all the negative feelings between them. Maybe he really did want a fresh start.

Even though it sounded corny, Ingo almost wanted to cry…

"Thank you…very much, Master Link…" Ingo muttered happily.

"Please, just call me Link," the boy insisted as he slowed down the shaking of their hands.

For the first time since seeing Link in the barn, Ingo finally smiled. "Very well…thank you very much, Link. Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Link stated.

Feeling much better, Ingo nodded in Link's direction. He then shook Link's hand himself before trying to pull it out of Link's grip…but was unable to do so…

"Um, excuse me…?" Ingo politely asked as he looked down at his hand caught in Link's firm grasp. "Could you please…?"

"Oh, there's one more thing I need to tell you, Ingo," Link calmly pointed out.

Ingo again looked up at Link, who was still grinning from ear to ear. "One more thing? What's tha….eeeeeeaaaaaaaah…"

"Just this," Link asserted coolly, ignoring Ingo's cry. "Even though we're friends now, don't think for a second I'm not keeping an eye on you. You changing into who you are now does not mean you can't change back into what you were before."

"But…I….eeeeeooooooaaaaaaa…." Ingo moaned, his arm quivering as he grit his teeth together.

"Just remember, Ingo. I have no patience for people I don't trust. You were lucky that Malon was there to save your hide, and you're lucky again that you are who she claims you are. I'm willing to put aside my desire to kill you and get along with you. But if I see you step out of line, if I see you harm even one hair on Malon's head, don't think for a second I won't cut off your head and use it for a ball. Do we understand one another?"

"Aaaaaaaarrrrrrreeeeeiiiiiii…" Ingo grunted. "Aaaaaaiiiiiiii…I understand…eeeeerrg…!"

Link nodded. "Wonderful. In that case, why don't you come up to the farmhouse once you're finished with your work? Talon made some delicious ham sandwiches tonight, and I'm sure you'd love some, right?"

"Eeeeeerrrrr…yes…I'd love some…"

"Excellent. I'll see you later then, Ingo."

"Yes…see you…eeeeeeeeee…later…"

With a final nod, Link released Ingo's hand, turned around, and disappeared into the darkness of the barn, leaving Ingo to kneel the ground and tend to the throbbing pain in his crushed hand…

* * *

The study was quiet. So quiet that Malon could swear she could hear the heartbeat of a field mouse outside the chamber window. But Malon was grateful for the silence, as it allowed her to hear anyone approach the room. The door was closed and the only light source came from a single candle resting on the tabletop. That was all Malon needed as she silently sat in the chair at the table, reading the letter in her hands.

She scanned the letter thoroughly, reading every word carefully. Not that she needed to: the letter's intent was clear from the very first line. She knew very well that if Link read this letter, he would be furious. Therefore, she had to make sure Link never did read this. After reading through the letter a final time, Malon folded the letter and reached for an envelope resting on the table…

"Malon? Malon, are you in there?"

_"Link…oh, no!"_

Malon didn't even need to hear Link's voice to know that he was approaching the room, his footsteps growing louder with every step. Wasting no time, Malon quickly stuffed the letter inside the envelope and held it over the candle flame. The paper envelope instantly caught alight, the fires beginning to eat away at the packet and the documents contained inside. The farm girl then looked behind her and tossed the burning package into the fireplace; the envelope landed among the charred coals with barely a fuss, the only sound heard being the flames eating away at the paper…

Just then, the door to the study opened, the flame from the candle giving off enough light to illuminate the framework of Link standing in the doorway.

"Oh, hi, Link," Malon said with a wide smile.

Link looked around the room for a moment before looking back at the farm girl. "What are you doing in here? It's too dark to do anything…"

"I was just taking a brief nap, that's all," Malon calmly revealed. "I was reading a good book earlier but my eyes felt heavy after the long day's work, so I decided rather than walk all the way to my bed I'd just sleep inside this cozy chair."

A look of misgiving crept into Link's eyes. "All right, but…are you sure you're all right?"

"Positive," Malon insisted with a girlish grin. "In any case, what did you want me for?"

Link suddenly shook his head in remembrance. "Oh, yeah…Ingo coming in later to join me for a bite to eat. I was wondering if you were interested in joining us."

Malon's eyes lit up as she clasped her hands. "Ingo…you mean you and Ingo are actually…?"

"Yeah," Link admitted sheepishly. "You were right about him. He has changed. I guess there's no harm in getting to know him."

Without another word, Malon threw herself to her feet and danced her way towards Link. "In that case, I'd love to join you two, if only to see you two get along."

A gentle smile emerged from Link's lips…before it disappeared as he scanned the dark room one more time. "Good to hear…but are you sure everything's all right in here?"

"Of course it is, silly," Malon giggled as she stepped her way next to Link and slipped her arm around Link's, leaning her head partially on his shoulder. "So come on, how about being a gentleman and leading a poor, defenseless girl through this dark and dangerous house to the kitchen?"

Link wanted to open his mouth to protest, but the look in Malon's eyes – that look all girls had perfected to bewitch any and all guys they saw – made him close his mouth. "Very well…mi'lady. Right this way."

With a final glance inside the room, Link led Malon out of the study and down the passageway toward the kitchen, where Ingo would be waiting for them soon enough. Malon, clinging to his arm like a Barinade, hummed a tune softly to herself; Link smiled a little as he listened to the tune, but he couldn't get something out of his mind…

_—She's hiding something from you—_

The Voice…

_—That little wench clinging to your arm is hiding something from you. You saw it. I know you did. Something was burning inside the fireplace—_

_"Yes, I did,"_ Link admitted to the voice in his mind. _"So what?"_

_—So _what_? She's deceiving you! Can't you see that? She's plotting something against you! I warned you not to stay here, and look what's going on! When will you open your eyes and see her lies…?—_

_"I trust Malon! Malon will not betray me! Unless I see solid proof that says otherwise, it's _your_ lies that I refuse to believe!"_

Link could swear he felt something snap inside him when he said that.

_—You…you…how dare you tell me something like that after all I've done for you!—_

_"You've been very useful to me, and I have followed your advice more times than I can count. However, when you slander the only person who actually understands how I feel, then you're pushing your limits."_

Link's skull almost became an echoing chamber when the Voice responded.

_—_Pushing my limits_? Are you mocking me now?—_

_"Maybe I am,"_ Link responded with an irritated sneer. _"You've been trying to convince me to leave this ranch every other day since I got here…and my patience is wearing thin. I am not your slave. You were born from an accident, and you should be damn-well grateful that I've allowed you to stay a part of me as long as I have!"_

The rage building up inside Link was so powerful that Link had to grit his own teeth to hold it back.

_—You…ungrateful…little…bastard…you've insulted me before, but now _you've_ gone too far! I said you would regret not leaving this ranch and that little witch behind…but what I wouldn't give to personally make that come about…—_

_"Are you threatening me?"_ Link demanded.

The Voice's answer itself was a question.

_—What do _you_ think, you son of a…?—_

"Link…are you all right?"

Link snapped his attention back to Malon, who was looking up at him as they passed by a torch in the hallway.

"What…do you mean, Malon?" Link asked.

"Your face…it looks tight, almost as if you're…angry with something. Did I do something to upset you?"

Upon hearing that question, Link quickly countered with a sincere smile and a shake of his head. "No…of course not. Forget about it. It's nothing important."

Neither Link nor Malon – nor the Voice, for that matter – said another word as they headed for the kitchen.

* * *

"Hey, Ingo! Ingo!"

As the farmhand scuttled his way towards the chicken coop with a bucket of feed in his hand, he heard Link's cry behind him and stopped, turning around to see the green-clad boy slowly heading his way from the farmhouse.

"Yes, Link?" Ingo called out.

"Have you seen Malon anywhere?" Link asked, twisting his head around in every direction. "I can't find her."

"Miss Malon? Oh, I believe she's currently in the milk storage barn at the other end of the farm."

"What's she doing there?" Link inquired with a curious look.

"We've managed to store enough milk to begin making milk products again," Ingo answered. "She wanted to test the churning equipment with some excess milk."

Link turned his direction to the milk storage barn, standing quietly at the far end of the ranch on the other side of the horse field. He smiled a little before looking at Ingo again. "Much obliged," he uttered with a twist of his hand.

"You're welcome," Ingo nodded with a grin of his own before turning back around and continuing on his way to the chicken coop.

Link could've paused for a moment to watch Ingo leave, could've paused to think how the farmhand no longer feared Link as he once did. It was about a month ago when Link had given Ingo his offer of conditional friendship, and Ingo had naturally been very cautious of accepting the offer. However, after looking past Link's understandable suspicions, Ingo saw that Link really was sincere in establishing a friendship with him, if only for convenience. Of course, Ingo had to get past several days of jitters for just standing within ten steps of Link, but within about two weeks both Link and Ingo were waving to one another with smiles on their faces.

But Link didn't pause to reminisce – in fact, he didn't pause at all. Instead, he wiped some hair from his eyes before marching his way towards the milk house.

He reached the milk house after a fifteen-minute walk, the mighty Din's Eye in the sky indicating it was a little past noon. The door to the house was slightly ajar, and inside Link could hear soft squelching sounds, following by several huffs that definitely belonged to a certain farm girl – she was apparently doing something that required manual labor.

Without bothering to knock, Link pushed the door open and stepped inside the barn. "Hello? Malon?"

He spotted her instantly as he entered the dimly lit shed, the only light coming from sunlight shining through several windows dotted around the room. Standing at the far end of the chamber with her back to Link, she was hovering over a large vertical tub. In her hands she held a thick, wooden staff with an enormous, knotty head at one end, the other plunged inside the tub. And even from where he was standing, Link could see a milky substance swirling around the container…

"Oh…Link," Malon called out in surprise as she turned her head, her hands still holding the rod. "What are you doing here?"

"I was waiting for you to come to lunch, but you never came," Link answered as he stepped into the room calmly. "So I went looking for you. What are you doing, exactly?"

A smirk formed on Malon's lips. "Isn't it obvious, Fairy Boy?" she asked. "I'm churning butter."

Link scratched his head as he moved up next to the farm girl. "Butter? I've never heard of butter. What is it…?"

"You know that gooey, yellow stuff dad likes to put on our bread?" Malon giggled softly before she took the staff in her hands and thrust it several times firmly inside the milky soup, creating more of the squelch sounds Link had heard earlier. "That's butter. We've had a good supply for a while now, but we're beginning to run out, so I decided to try out some of the equipment again."

Link took a brief stroll around the butter churner, tilting his hear curiously at the tub as he watched Malon give several more firm pitches into the broth. "It looks tiring," he commented.

"Yes, it is," Malon admitted as she paused for a breather. "This used to be done by some of the stronger farmhands on the ranch before Ingo…I mean, before Ganondorf ruined everything, but since they're all gone…"

Link looked up to stare Malon in the eyes. "So you do this all by yourself?"

"Sadly, yes…but my dad says he is hoping to hire more hands within the upcoming weeks. This'll be one of the first jobs he'll be looking for. But until then…" Malon then hammered her point home with another thrust of the butter staff.

With a grin and a soft chuckle, Link shifted his eyes to the staff. "Mind if I…give it a shot?"

Malon, who had been focusing more on the butter than Link the whole time, looked up. "You want to? It's nothing glamorous, I can assure you…"

"Sure, why not?" Link insisted. "I fixed your roof, so this should be no trouble at all."

Malon couldn't help but chuckle a little herself. "Well, if you're so dead-set on trying this out, then okay. I see no harm in it." She then shifted her weight a little to the side before using her eyes to point towards a portion of the staff above her hands. "Grab that, would you?"

Link wasted no time in wrapping his hands around the rod, gripping it tightly.

"Good," Malon said with a smile. "Now, then…churning butter is actually a delicate process. You might think you can just pound away at it as hard as you can, but you mustn't. You have to be firm but gentle, and move at a very leisurely pace. Got it?"

Link replied with a nod.

"All right, then…on my count, begin churning as slowly as you can. One…two…three…"

On the last count, both Link and Malon yanked the staff upward in a firm but slow tug. The two of them then initiated a downward pull, dragging the sunken end of the rod into the murky mixture sitting in the tub and creating another soft squelch. A soft thud was heard as the end of the rod struck the bottom of the barrel, and Link and Malon began the cycle again with another upward pull.

They performed this cycle several times before Link started to get the hang of it. "Hmm, this is pretty fun, actually."

Malon gave Link a raised eyebrow. "You do, do you? After several straight hours of doing this, you'd probably beg me to take over for you."

"No, I'm serious," Link asserted. "It's a good way to get some exercise. My arms are already burning with all the movement."

Malon's face twisted into a typical, girlish "oh, really?" type of look. "Oh, really? So you're really growing stronger because of this, Fairy Boy?"

"Naturally," Link uttered with a confident look in his eyes. "My muscles are already feeling stronger, and my grip is growing tighter…"

Just as he said that, Link's hand suddenly slipped free from his grip across the staff as he attempted to pull the rod downward too fast.

"Oh, cripes!" he mumbled loudly as he attempted to grab the shaft again. But instead of grasping the long, hard wooden bar, Link's hands instead wrapped around something far more softer: Malon's own hands.

"Oh, bugger, I'm sorry about that, I…" Link muttered apologetically as he looked up…before he fell silent upon seeing Malon's face.

The farm girl's cheeks were flushed all over, and her mouth was hanging slightly open in gentle surprise. Her eyes gazed quietly into Link's, her voice unable to say a single word. Link himself was a bit surprised by how Malon looked, and he waited for her to do something to move her hands away from his.

But the movement didn't come. He could feel her hands quivering underneath his, but they weren't shivering out of fear – there was a look in her eyes that instead hinted at something else. The quickening pulse in her wrist indicated her heartbeat was racing, and he could hear her breath grow short. And yet despite her obvious tenseness, Link couldn't help but think that Malon was _liking_ this uncomfortable moment.

In a delayed reflex, Link's hands carefully wrapped around Malon's trembling palms. "Malon…"

"You want to continue churning the butter while I go get us a drink?" the farm girl abruptly interjected, her anxiety vanishing as she beamed the largest grin Link had ever seen from her. "That's wonderful! You seem to have a hang of this."

Before Link could even respond, Malon jerked her hands out from beneath Link's, leaving his palms wrapped around the churning staff. Malon seemed to giggle as she clasped her hands behind her back and staggered backwards away from the butter barrel, still grinning like an idiot.

"I'll be right back, okay? You just continue churning like I showed you. See you in a bit!"

Without another word, Malon turned and started skipping – yes, _skipping_! – her way outside the milk barn, her arms waving around gracelessly and her voice singing a bizarre "la-la-la" version of Epona's Song. Within a matter of moments she was gone, leaving Link all alone in the shed, dumbfounded and still grasping the churning stick.

It took him a moment to snap out of the stupor. He wanted to shrug off the incident and once again label Malon as a "silly girl", but he couldn't this time. Something was going on with Malon…heck, something was going on with _him_. There was something about that girl that was having an effect on him. He thought he could ignore it, but apparently even that was starting to become difficult. Not just five minutes ago he had her hands in his, and he was about to say…to say…what _was_ he about say to her, anyway?

He really needed to talk to her about this. He wanted to set things straight with her…sometime…some…day…

But for now, he had butter to churn…

* * *

The day was a bright and cheerful one, Ingo thought. There was supposed to be rain coming sometime within the next couple weeks, but that didn't detract from the beautiful day it was _this_ day. As he paused his shoveling of horse manure into a cart outside the barn to wipe some sweat from his brow, Ingo couldn't help but grin to himself as he thought for the millionth time how lucky he was to work for this ranch.

Even Link was no longer an issue for him. Three days ago Link had casually asked him where Malon was, and only yesterday he had talked with Link over a friendly bottle of wine. Sure, he knew that Link was still "keeping an eye on him", but Ingo was sure that even Link realized that such a precaution was no longer necessary. In fact, Link was actually a decent fellow, and until Talon hired new hands for the ranch, Link was basically the only real friend Ingo had while doing his chores. The boy even volunteered to shovel the manure tomorrow!

Giggling softly to himself, Ingo released a contented sigh before returning to his work…

Just then, a large shadow fell over him. The farmhand instinctively looked up, expecting to see a cloud blocking the sun…but to his surprise he saw Din's Eye's face staring back at him unhindered.

"That's odd…" Ingo started when he heard a loud and scratchy voice behind him.

"'ello, Ingo. Fancy seein' you 'ere doin' the muck work."

Ingo instantly froze in alarm. _"No…it can't be…"_

Before he could turn around to confirm it, Ingo felt a sharp blow against his chest…

"You coming outside to help feed the horses?" Malon asked Link at the doorway of the ranch house, her straw hat partially blocking her eyes.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute," Link answered, his right foot resting on the lowest step of the staircase to the second floor. "There's just something I need to pick up first."

Malon smiled. "All right, but don't keep me waiting. I'll scold you if you make me impatient."

Link snickered. "Don't worry. Just go on. I'll be out quick, I promise."

Malon giggled. "You'd better, Fairy Boy." With those words, Malon turned and disappeared outside.

When the last trace of the farm girl was gone, Link hurried up the stairs to the top floor. He then made a dash for his room, entered it, and quickly began searching his chamber for one of his pouches. He found the pouch rather quickly lying on his dresser, and he fished his hand inside to dig out something from within. When he pulled the object out, he smiled, satisfied.

The Ocarina of Time seemed to glisten in his hands against the light peering through the window. Link hadn't used the instrument in a long time, but he decided that now was a perfect time to use it. He had been using Saria's fairy ocarina to practice Epona's Song for the past couple days now, and he felt now was a good time to play it for Malon. And what better instrument to play the song on than the Ocarina of Time? Sure, he still loathed what the instrument stood for, but that didn't diminish the fact that the sounds it produced were utterly gorgeous.

Still smiling, Link returned the ocarina to its pouch and clipped the pouch to his belt…

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!"

* * *

Malon could feel her legs grow numb as her face drained of blood, growing a shade of ghostly white. She had only taken a few steps out of the farmhouse when she noticed Ingo lying on the ground, clutching his side while moaning in agonizing pain. Horrified, she had attempted to rush to his side…before seeing what had knocked him to the ground in the first place.

And it was the sight of Ingo's attackers that sent an icy chill up Malon's spine.

She had only seen Moblins once in her lifetime, and that was seven years ago. When Ingo had sworn allegiance to Ganondorf, the King of Evil had sent some of his vicious animal-like troops to clear the farm of everyone Ingo wanted gone, including Talon. Malon could still vividly remember watching a Moblin grab her father and carry him away from the ranch, never to been again for seven long years. It was that image that sometimes haunted Malon in her dreams, and standing before her were not one but _three_ incarnations of that image.

All three Moblins were dressed in a thick, protective armor decorated with intricate joints and markings, suggesting they were part of Ganondorf's more personal army. The lead Moblin carried a deadly-looking sword while the other two wielded a pair of blade-tipped pikes. Every inch of their bodies were hidden save their faces, which boasted the same ugly mugs that Malon could still see in her nightmares: rot-colored skin, dangerous jaws, and emotionless and cruel eyes. They carried an air of unusual intelligence, but it was obvious they could kill whenever they chose.

Perches on the head Moblin's shoulder was a giant vulture-like bird. Covered from tail to beak in pitch-black feathers, the bird seemed to twist its neck around into bizarre contortions every few seconds. Its beak was red with disease, but it snapped furiously as it released a series of ear-splitting squawks. But the most commanding feature of the bird was its eyes…those sinister eyes…

Just then, the head Moblin saw Malon. "'ello…and 'oo do we 'ave 'ere? Isn't this the li'l brat Ingo wanted 'o keep when we threw out 'er ol' man?"

Neither Ingo, Malon, or the two accompanying Moblins responded to the question, so the head Moblin spat to the side. "What's goin' on 'ere? Somethin' ain't right 'ere…"

Suddenly, before the head Moblin could finish, an exhausted-looking Talon ran into view. "Malon! Malon! What's going on? I heard you scream…by the Three Goddesses!"

As Talon caught sight of the Moblins, the Moblins caught sight of the ranch owner. The head Moblins sneered as he watched Talon quickly make his way next to his daughter, who was still terrified to move.

"Well, well, well," the head Moblin grunted. "If it ain't Talon, the former 'ead owner of this 'ere ranch. What are you doin' back 'ere? I though' we threw you ou' when I las' saw you."

Despite the obvious fear in his eyes, Talon wasn't about to let the Moblins stare him down. "What are you doing on my ranch, you blaggers?" he demanded.

The head Moblin jerked his head back in surprise. "You' ranch, is it?" He then returned his attention to Ingo, who was still sprawled on the ground. "I though' this was 'is ranch. Since when di' it become yours again?"

Talon's face curled up in anger. "That doesn't matter! It's my ranch again, and you are not welcome here! So either state your business or just get out!"

The head Moblin remained silent for a moment…before breaking out into a cruel snicker. "State our business, ey? Su'ah, why not?" The head Moblin then lifted his sword and used it to point to the squirming Ingo. "This 'ere li'l man promised our lord Ganondorf that should we e'er need 'orses, we could al'ays come by and buy some. Well, we need 'orses, so we're 'ere to buy 'em. And since you're now 'ead of this 'ere ranch…" The direction of the sword shifted, now pointing towards Talon and a frightened Malon. "…you'll 'ave to supply us wi'h wha' we need."

The head Moblin's voice was powerful and threatening, but Talon didn't seem swayed by it in the lead. "I'll do _no_ such thing!" he bellowed as bravely as he could. "I do not serve the wretched man you call your king, and I don't aim to start."

Talon's defiant speech could've easily angered the Moblins, but the head Moblin only laughed. "Oh, really? An' I suppose you'a goin' to jus' defy the great lord Ganondorf the res' of you' natural life?"

Talon hesitated for a moment, but only for a moment. "You bet I am!"

The ranch owner's answer made the head Moblin laugh even more. "This 's too rich, I tell ya! You really amuse me. An' I suppose there's nothin' I can do ta change you' answer?"

Talon's stern look in his face was all the answer the head Moblin needed.

"'ery well. Then I 'ave no choice but to make you eat those words you jus' spoke." The head Moblin's cold eyes then shifted from Talon to his terrified daughter standing next to him. "'ow's about I get a li'l frien'ly with the dame standin' next ta you?"

Talon's rebellious look instantly changed to one of horror. He glanced at Malon, who was on the verge of fainting, before looking back at the head Moblin. "No! I'd rather die before letting you do that to my Malon!"

"Malon…is 'at 'er name, is it? Marv'lous. I'd 'ate to do what I'm a'out ta do to 'er wi'out knowin' 'er name."

Then, with an evil sneer on its piggish lips, the head Moblin took a step forward, the vulture on its shoulder squawking loudly…

"You will not harm Miss Malon!"

Without warning, Ingo darted from behind the head Moblin and in front of Talon and Malon, his eyes full of determination. The farmhand glared angrily at the Moblin as he stood between the ranch owner and his daughter, his body shaking in fear but resolved not to let the evil brute past.

"What's h'is, ey?" the head Moblin inquired, perplexed. "I 'ought I knocked you ou'…"

"You thought wrong!" Ingo snarled, his hands held up in protection of the two people standing behind him. "And I will not let you pass! These people mean everything to me! To get past me, you'll have to kill me first!"

The head Moblin took less than a second to consider Ingo's challenge. He grinned with a ominous snarl and nodded. "All 'ight! If 'at's what you want…"

The head Moblin then raised his powerful sword into the air, ready to bring it down on the foolishly brave farmhand standing at his feet. Ingo's eyes widened in terror as he watched the blade rise, while Talon and Malon could feel their hearts skip a beat…

_EEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWW…TUK…_

A loud squelch sound brought everyone's attention to behind the head Moblin, where the two other Moblins were patiently waiting for their leader to finish his business. At first they wondered what had just happened, but it didn't take long for them to see: the face of one of the Moblins had a new decoration located deep within its right eye.

An arrow.

Without even moving so much as a muscle in response, the pierced Moblin took several seconds before his limp body collapsed to the ground, a loud clang erupting across the ranch as the armor buckled in on itself. The remaining Moblin squealed in shock as he finally noticed what had happened to his comrade, and everyone else's minds quickly wondered who had fired that projectile…

"Well, done, Ingo. I'm very proud of you."

Malon, Talon, Ingo, and the two Moblins looked up, their gazes fixing on an open window on the second floor of the farmhouse. There, peering through the window with an empty bow in his right hand, was a smiling young boy clad in green.

"Link…" Malon whispered.

""oo are you!" the head Moblin demanded.

Link didn't respond, but instead he threw the bow aside back inside the window and leapt out, his feet landing on the roof with a firm crunch. The boy then proceeded to _slide_ his way down the sloped roof, his feet kicking up tiles on his way down. Just as Link reached the edge of the roof, he dived into the air, twisting his body around a couple times before landing firmly on the ground. As he looked up, he grinned wryly in the direction of the head Moblin.

"'oo are you, you li'l bugger!" the head Moblin screamed. "Tell me or I'll…!"

But Link again refused to respond. Instead he darted forward, running past his farm friends and the head Moblin towards the other Moblin soldier. As he did, everyone thought they could hear a soft hissing sound…

"Get 'him!" the head Moblin ordered the other Moblin, the vulture on his shoulder screeching uncontrollably. "Get 'im an'…!"

But his cries were too little, too late. Before the other Moblin even had a chance to raise his pike in defense, Link reached the Moblin and made his move. With a powerful lunge, he thrust his left arm into the Moblin's face, pressing something into the Moblin's gaping, gnashing mouth. The Moblin, caught off guard by the attack, stumbled backwards and landed on his back with a loud bang.

Link could've easily made another move on the Moblin, but he didn't. Instead he turned around and started walking towards the head Moblin his friends. The head Moblin, confused, blurted out, "What's goin' on 'ere…?"

But he had little time to ask when the other Moblin started screaming uncontrollably, thrashing his arms and legs around feverishly. Everyone but Link took a closer look at the sprawled Moblin, and finally managed to catch a glimpse of why the Moblin was acting so frantically. Yes, Link had forced something into the Moblin's mouth, all right.

A lit bomb.

"Wha' the…?" the head Moblin stammered before he was again interrupted…

_FUUUUUUMMMM…_

The bomb exploded with a violent brilliance, creating a tall plume of smoke just seconds after it detonated, destroying everything around it…including the Moblin "holding" it. The Moblin's hysterical squeals were instantaneously silenced by the deafening sonic boom, and then a deafening stillness washed over the ranch.

And there, framed by the luminous blast and standing perfectly still with his back turned to the flash, was Link. His entire figure was silhouetted by the cloud for just a moment before the head Moblin could make out Link's features again, and when he could it was his turn to freeze in horror.

Link was still smiling, but now his smile was just like the Moblin's: cold, cruel, and threatening. His eyes were glaring directly at the remaining Moblin with a vicious look, one that wasn't satisfied with just killing two of the three Moblins in the immediate vicinity…

"You asked who I was?" Link stated loudly but calmly. "I'll tell you who I am. I'm your path to Hael."

Those words were enough to make the head Moblin tense up for a moment…and that moment was all Link needed. Without warning the boy charged forward, making a beeline straight for the Moblin. The head Moblin tried to fend off the attack by swinging its sword at its attacker, but the swing missed its target by a mile.

Link snickered loudly as he approached the Moblin and, with a powerful blow using his shoulder, collided with the Moblin and forced the beast to the ground. The vulture screeched angrily as the head Moblin fell, and the bird spread its wings and flew off its perch as the head Moblin landed on the ground with a soft thud.

The head Moblin tried to get up, but Link was too quick. Without giving the creature a chance to even think, Link thrust something into the Moblin's mouth. This time, however, instead of a bomb, Link pushed in the tipped end of his hookshot.

The head Moblin's eyes widened with terror as Link's eyes grew wide with anticipation. A laugh forming on Link's lips, he squeezed the trigger…

"Link…!"

_SKLIIIIIIISH…_

Malon's last-second cry did nothing. With a sickening squelch, the hookshot's arrowhead buried into the back of the head Moblin's throat, coming out the other end and sinking into the ground. The Moblin managed only a half-hearted squeal that was instantly gagged by its own blood before it fell silent, its arms not even getting the chance to flail about helplessly.

His own face, covered with the spatter of the Moblin's blood, Link maintained his sneer as he stood up, leaving the hookshot buried in the monster's mouth. His eyes were filled with sadistic satisfaction, and his smile was twisted into a laugh of inhuman amusement. He didn't look at the people he had just saved, but from where Malon was standing she was forced to realize that Link was possibly even more scary than the Moblins…

Aaaaarrrrrk!

At that moment, everyone looked up in the sky in time to see the vulture that had been perched on the head Moblin's shoulder attempt to fly away from the scene.

"That bird's getting away…" Ingo muttered without thinking.

"Like Hael it is," Link asserted as he took a couple steps forward and pulled something from his belt.

As Ingo, Malon, and Talon watched, Link pulled his arm back, aimed carefully, and with a loud grunt threw his boomerang in his hand as hard as he can. The bladed weapon sailed through the air like a spinning banshee, whistling its way towards its prey with deadly accuracy…

_CARAAAAAAK…_

The vulture didn't even have a chance to cry out in pain as the boomerang's bladed side sliced through its left wing, severing it from its body. When it finally did scream, the vulture was already plummeting back to the ground, followed closely by its detached appendage. Everyone watched as the bird landed with a loud plop just a stone's throw away from the blast area of the bomb used to slay the second Moblin.

Of course, the bird wasn't about to just lay down and die. It attempted to stand on its crooked legs and make a break for it, but without its wing it was horribly off balanced and couldn't even get a couple steps ahead without tripping over itself.

Not that it mattered. Before it even take two steps away from its crash spot, Link walked up to the crippled bird and grabbed it by the neck, pulling it into the air.

"Link!" Malon called out for no reason as she watched Link hold the bird roughly by the neck and force it to look at him straight in the eye.

"You thought you could get away from me, did you?" Link sneered at the bird, which couldn't even screech because Link's hand was clamping its beak shut. "Well, you thought wrong. But don't worry. You'll get to see your friends soon enough."

Then, as his lips curled up into a brutal smirk, Link's hand started to squeeze the bird's head…

* * *

"…get to see your friends soon enough."

After that, the vision from the crystal mirror started to grow hazy, almost as if the eyes of the bird were being squeezed. Confirmation was soon made when a loud crack erupted, and blood splattered in front of the buzzard's eyes. Seconds later, the crystal mirror's vision faded away, indicating the bird had been killed.

As he replayed the final moments through his mind of his Moblin soldiers and the bird he had used to "watch" over them using the vision mirror, Ganondorf growled to himself. He slammed his hand onto his throne's armrest, angry that some of his best soldiers couldn't take care of a little pest like that. But then again, look at what that boy had already done…

"My lord Ganondorf?"

Ganondorf looked to the side to see one of his Moblin generals standing a short distance away. "What do you want?"

"You look angry, my lord. Is something the matter?"

"You could say that," Ganondorf snarled. "You know that boy I've been trying to find these past couple months?"

"Yes, my lord?"

Ganondorf's eyes narrowed as he looked at the empty mirror again. "I finally found him."

"That's wonderful, my lord," the general uttered. "Where has he been hiding?"

"At that accursed ranch," the King of Evil answered. "Of all the places he could hide, he's been hiding somewhere I never thought to look." Ganondorf again slammed his fist against the armrest. "I _knew_ I should've visited that place earlier!"

"Yes, my lord," the general acknowledged. "Shall I send some troops out to take care of him?"

A brief silence followed before Ganondorf finally answered. "No."

The general gaped in surprise. "But…my lord…this boy is the one who awakened the Sages of the Fire and Forest Temples, and killed the dragon Volvagia. Why not get him now when we know where he is?"

"Because there's something about him…"

The Moblin general scratched his head in puzzlement. "Something…about him, my lord?"

Ganondorf rested his head on his hand before continued. "This boy has been a major thorn in my side ever since he defeated my phantom at the Forest Temple. I'll admit that seeing his rotting carcass hanging outside my tower window would be something I'd almost give the Triforce to see…

"However, when that boy killed my men just now, I noticed something…something in that boy's eyes."

"You saw something in his eyes?" the general asked. "What did you see?"

"A deep, unrelenting hatred. A dark, sinister power waiting to be awakened. This boy is no ordinary boy…he proved that by pulling out that damn sword. But now I see something _really_ special about him. I see an untapped power affixed to his soul, just waiting to be released. When I looked into his eyes as he killed that bird, I saw…darkness itself."

A ominous, toothy grin emerged on Ganondorf's lips. "That power…I must have it."

The Moblin general started to grow more confused. "Have it, my lord? But how can you have something like that?"

The King of Evil turned to face his general. "I have ways…" He then looked back at the mirror. "…and I already know of the perfect lure…"

* * *

Malon cautiously made her way towards Link, who had dropped the now headless corpse of the vulture and was staring quietly at the sky. She stopped a short distance away from him, cleared her throat, and called out nervously,

"Um…Link…?"

"Malon?"

Link turned around to face the farm girl. He was smiling blissfully and his eyes were filled with eagerness, as if he hadn't killed three Moblins and a giant bird only moments ago.

"Link…?"

"I'm afraid I'll have to fix your roof again. Sorry about that."


	55. Reflection of Shadows

**Chapter 55: Reflection of Shadows**

The daylight hadn't even peaked above the horizon that day when the back door to the farmhouse slowly creaked open. It stopped occasionally and paused for a moment, as if making sure nobody inside the house could hear it, before it resumed its gradual process of swinging ajar by a guided hand.

As soon as the door was open enough, a lone figure stepped outside. He looked around cautiously, his mustache trembling in worry, before he turned back around and closed the door behind him, hoping he hadn't left any trace of his exit. He knew very well that if the boy dressed in green, the one called Link – the boy who had only two days ago killed three Moblins as if they were nothing – if that boy saw him right now, he would make due on his promise made in the barn, even if this had nothing to do with Malon…

Hoping the wet grass would pad his boots, Ingo crept around the farmhouse until he was at its side. He peered around the corner to make sure no one was in sight around the front of the farmhouse, but he still gulped knowing it was very possible someone could be watching from a window in the farmhouse. Still, Ingo had to take this chance – he had given his word…

Taking a deep breath, Ingo closed his eyes for a moment, opened them again, and broke into a run. Though threatened by fear to freeze up on the spot, he pushed himself as hard as he could, darting across the yard in front of the farmhouse towards the horse barn several stones' throws away. As he clutched the satchel slung around his shoulder tightly, Ingo kept his eyes focused on the barn ahead, refusing to look behind him and maybe catch a glimpse of those eyes belonging to that boy…

_DOF…_

With a soft thud, Ingo collided with the small door that led into the barn. Without wasting a second he used his momentum to push the door open, almost falling down inside the dark shed. But he regained his balance and turned around to force the door closed, wincing when he accidentally caused the door to softly bang against the frame.

In the darkness, Ingo breathed heavily and loudly, his eyes looking nowhere in particular. Any second he expected to hear the voice of that boy call out to him from a window at the farmhouse, or worse…watch Link open the door and glare at him menacingly. But five whole minutes passed, and as agonizingly slow as they felt, nothing happened during that time. Still, it took another minute for Ingo to calm down, and yet another minute before he began moving again.

Making sure the satchel was still on his shoulder, Ingo looked around the inside of the barn, dimly lit by the fading light of the half-moon sneaking through the windows. It didn't take him long before he saw what he was looking for and made a bolt towards it. The stallion Torrence released a loud snort of surprise when the farmhand approached him, but Ingo quickly grabbed Torrence's mane to calm the horse down.

"Shhhh…don't worry, Torrence, it's me. It's just Ingo."

At the sound of Ingo's whispering voice, Torrence immediately relaxed, releasing another, softer snort as the farmhand gently petted its snout.

"We've got a long ride ahead of us, my friend. I've got something important to deliver, and it'll take us a couple days to get there. Are you up to it?"

In reply, Torrence shook his head wildly and brayed softly.

"Good boy," Ingo smiled. "Now then…"

Without another word – as if fearing Link could hear him all the way from the farmhouse – Ingo began the preparations. He had nailed horseshoes to Torrence's hoofs yesterday, and he had made sure the stallion had been properly fed last night, but he first needed to fit a saddle and some reins on the eager horse. Luckily, Ingo's experience in horse riding allowed him to complete those tasks quickly. Once they were done satisfyingly, Ingo calmly led Torrence out of his stable and towards the back sliding door of the barn.

The back door slithered open with a painful groan, but Ingo's fear of someone hearing it wasn't as severe as before. Din's Eye was beginning to rise to the east, so it was likely Link would believe either Ingo, Malon, or Talon was readying to do morning chores. Still, he did hope Link didn't suddenly grow curious…

After making sure again that nobody was outside waiting for him, Ingo nodded to himself before slowly trotting Torrence outside. Once out into the open, Ingo wasted no time in mounting the stallion and firmly grabbing the reins. Torrence remained quiet until Ingo cracked the reins, upon which the stallion reared onto its hind legs before propelling itself forward. There was no loud bray, though – Torrence was too well trained for that.

Within a few minutes, Lon Lon Ranch was far behind them, a mere speck dissolving in the ginger light of the rising sun. As he kept his eyes firmly on the horizon, Ingo again made sure that the satchel carrying the valuable letter was safe…

* * *

"Have you seen Ingo around?"

Link's question at first didn't get any kind of response from Malon, who was busy scattering some corn on the ground for the Cuckoos gathering at her feet. Link wasn't sure if she just hadn't heard him or if she was intentionally ignoring him. If the latter part was true…

"Hey, Malon!"

This time the farm girl responded, turning her head around to see Link, staring straight at her, standing outside the thin wire fence that kept the Cuckoos inside their pen. She blinked a couple times before smiling. "Oh, Link. I didn't know you were there. Is something the matter?"

"I was just asking if you knew where Ingo was," Link repeated. "I haven't seen him for four days now."

Malon's smile faded a little bit as her eyes glanced around, as if she were in deep thought…but then she grinned once more and shook her head. "I don't, sorry. Are you sure you've looked everywhere for him?"

"Everywhere I _could_ look for him," Link uttered with an irritated sigh, placing his hands on his hips. "But he's nowhere to be found."

"Hmmm," Malon pondered aloud. "Well, I'm afraid I don't know. Sorry about that."

Link gave Malon a very subtle glare, as if examining her face for something…but he then nodded and sighed again. "All right. Thanks for the help, anyway…hey, we're still churning butter later on today, right?"

Malon nodded with a smile that took up half her face. "Yes, that's right. I'll meet you in the milk house right after I've taken care of business here, okay?"

Link smiled himself. "Sounds good." He then turned and waved to the farm girl. "See you there, Malon."

Malon's final reply was simply returning the wave before she continued feeding the hungry Cuckoos at her feet.

As he scampered away from the Cuckoo pen, Link's mind raced with questions. _"Hmm, this is really odd. Ingo's been missing for four days, and yet neither Talon nor Malon knew he was gone…and you'd think they would. I mean, who's been doing Ingo's chores since he disappeared? There are only four people who live on this ranch, and his vanishing act has cut it down to three. Something funny is going on here…_

_—How many times do I have to warn you? That little wench is hiding something!—_

Link's eyebrows instantly knitted together as the Voice appeared without warning and presented its usual argument. _"And how many times do I have to tell you that I'm not listening to your half-baked ideas concerning my friend?"_

_—As many times as you like, because I'm not listening—_

_"Well, guess what? Neither am I!"_

Strangely enough, the Voice didn't reply to that, though Link could've sworn he heard the mumbling echo of a really foul profanity float around inside his mind…

* * *

"How's your butter coming along, Link?"

Link forced his churning rod down the soup of thick slop one more time before he looked up to answer Malon, who was tending to her own barrel. "It's coming along nicely, I think," he answered, looking down at the liquid. "Just a little bit longer and it should be ready. How's yours?"

"I'm actually finished, I believe," Malon answered with a sly smile. "Guess you shouldn't have given me a head start."

Link twisted his lips into a playful grumble. "Whatever."

Malon giggled loudly, holding her hand over her mouth. She then churned the mixture with her rod one more time for good measure, before she wiped some sweat off her brow with her arm. "Well, it still took quite a bit out of me…say, you want to take a breather?"

Link's hands instantly let go of his churning stick. "I thought you'd never ask."

Grinning like idiots, the two teenagers abandoned their barrels full of churned butter and headed to a pile of crates at the far end of the milk barn. Upon one of the larger crates sat a jug filled with ice-laced water, two wooden cups, and a sack stuffed with several pieces of fruit. Using two smaller crates as makeshift stools, Link and Malon sat opposite one another around this "table" and started helping themselves to the snack laid out for them.

As Malon poured both of them some water, Link picked up a green apple and bit into it, taking off an enormous chunk. He smiled in satisfaction as he felt the tender juices fill his mouth, the sour taste tickling his taste buds…

"Link, there's something I'd like to ask you."

Link quickly turned his attention to the farm girl, who was taking a sip of water before picking an orange from the sack. As she started peeling the fruit, she looked up at the boy sitting across from her, awaiting a response.

"Sure, ask away," Link insisted before taking another bite of the apple.

"Those Moblins you killed over a week ago…are you sure it was a good idea doing that?"

Link scratched his head in puzzlement. "Why's that? Those things were about to kill you, so I couldn't just sit back and do nothing, now could I?"

"I…I suppose not," Malon admitted, her smile fading into a look of worry. "Still…I am a little bothered by the fact that we're not doing anything more concerning the matter."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, those creatures came to Lon Lon with a reason: they wanted to buy horses from the ranch, thinking Ingo was still in charge. Even after you freed the ranch and returned my dad, Ganondorf still believed he still owned the farm. He probably still does…but how long before he wonders what happened to the Moblins he sent here? He could send even more troops…"

"I'm not so sure about that," Link calmly interjected, swallowing the pieces of apple in his mouth. "Those Moblins could've easily been acting without Ganondorf's approval. It's not like he has to be in charge of every detail that comes his way. Buying horses is more than likely one of those things. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the three guards sent here aren't even missed by either Ganondorf or whatever army they came from."

"Yes, but…" Malon tried to protest but Link refused to allow her.

"It's going to be all right, Malon. We buried the bodies several miles away from the ranch, so anyone who comes searching for them will never find them. And even if they do find them, the odds of them thinking someone from the farm did them in is next to nothing."

Link's face then grew deadly serious. "But even if someone or some…_thing _ever does come around threatening this farm again…I'll protect you. With my last breath I'll protect you."

Malon turned away slightly and looked down to the ground as she felt her face redden. "Link, that's…a little over the top, don't you think?" she inquired, though with a noticeable smile on her lips.

"Maybe it is," Link admitted, taking another one final bite of his apple before tossing the core back into the sack. "But you're the only real friend I have left. I'd rather protect with my life the one thing in this world that makes me happy than something I never cared for in the first place."

Link realized too late he had made a reference to his title as the Hero of Time and half-expected Malon to say something concerning it. But Malon's blush only grew deeper as she muttered, "So I…make you happy?"

Unexpectedly hesitating, Link's lips curled up slightly on one side as he replied with a very simple answer: "Yeah."

A strange, comfortable-uncomfortable silence followed – neither Link nor Malon looked at each other after that response. Link took a sip of water from his cup while Malon removed the last of the peel from the orange and bit into its juicy core. They didn't say a word; they didn't even cough to clear their throats…

"So, uh…" Malon abruptly interjected into the stillness. "Any idea what we're having for lunch today?"

"Lunch?" Link repeated. "Well…I asked Talon earlier, and he said we were having egg salad. But he said he would be busy for a few hours during that time taking a look at possible farmhand recruits. And with Ingo gone, I guess that leaves just the two of us for lunch today."

"Does that, now?"

Malon's odd question caused Link to turn to face the farm girl, whose smile had widened considerably. She took another bite of her orange before placing the fruit on the makeshift table beside her. She then arched her neck back and combed her hands through her long red hair, shaking her head as her hands dropped from between the strands. Link was captivated by the dancing of Malon's hair as the farm girl twisted her neck back and forth in a deliberate tease.

When her hair finally stopped its mesmerizing ballet, draping almost completely across one shoulder, Malon turned her eyes to face Link at an angle, her eyelids partially closed and her lips smiling mischievously. Link's response was merely raising a curious eyebrow.

"Why don't you finish churning your butter? I'll go and get that egg salad ready for us, all right?"

Before waiting for a response from Link, Malon calmly stood up and walked slowly and celestially towards the barn door. She opened the door to step outside, but before she disappeared she paused and turned her head to face Link. The smile on her face was now undeniably beguiling. It was then that Link noticed for the first time in a long time the necklace hanging on Malon's neck, the necklace holding the red gem from his old Kokiri sword. The jewel was glistening in the sunlight peeping through the doorway, but it couldn't hold a candle to the glint in Malon's eyes…

"I'll see you in a few, Fairy Boy," she uttered softly with a grin before winking one eye and stepping outside, leaving Link with a slow, deliberate wave and a stunned look on his face.

Link stood still for an entire minute, his mind still trying to figure out what had just happened. Then, when he finally seemed to understand…he chuckled. He chuckled louder and louder under it grew into a full-blown belly laugh, one that lasted for about half a minute. When he managed to regain his composure, he had to wipe away a tear emerging from his eye.

"Oh, dear, dear, dear, dear, dear," he muttered amusingly to himself. "What am I to do with you, Malon? What am I to do?"

But Link's laughter eventually faded into a more serious expression as he pondered over Malon's little teasing, his right hand swirling the half-filled cup of water around. The farm girl's flirting could be nothing more than Malon acting like…well, Malon. Then again, she has been acting strangely lately, excluding the Voice's conspiracy theories. There was the day when he was fixing the roof…then there was the day she introduced him to churning butter…not to mention all the little things she did just to be near him. And now this…

Without so much as a sigh, Link looked down at the cup of water in his hands, looking back at the reflection staring at him. He quietly mused over Malon's behavior for a while, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on his likeness in the liquid…

He then snickered.

"Navi warned me about this, didn't she? She told me about Malon's feelings the first time I came to this ranch. Maybe I should've listened to her…I wonder how Navi is, anyway…?"

A sudden loud crack of light flashed outside the windows, followed by a dull rumble. Link, unexpectedly interrupted, realized that it was a thunderbolt. A storm must be heading in…

"And it was going to be such a beautiful day, too…" Link groaned as he stood up from his seat. He then took a long sip of his water before adding, "Meh. Who cares about Navi? Why even bother? She's no longer a concern of mine. I love my life here, and I won't let someone like that annoying fairy or that wretched Sheikah ruin it.

"Well, better finish churning that butter…"

"Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!"

_TUNK…_

The sound of the wooden cup hitting the floor didn't even have time to reach Link's ears as he raced to the door, the sound of Malon's scream acting like a catalyst to his reaction time. He shoved the heavy door open without even a second thought, and he immediately looked around for signs of the farm girl and the reason she screamed.

"Malon!" he called out, cupping his hands. "Malon, where are you…?"

"Link! I'm up here! Link, help me…!"

Link quickly looked up…and his eyes widened and his mouth gaped open in horror. Malon was being hoisted into the air by…by…the only way to even describe this creature was it resembled a monstrous, disfigured vulture, almost like the one that had been on the Moblin's shoulder over a week ago. But this one was bigger…_far_ bigger. The beast's wingspan easily beat the length of _two_ adult horses, and its body stretched bigger than any Moblin Link had seen. A crooked, lanky neck protruded from its torso, and attached to that neck was a face resembling that of a corpse. A vicious, diseased beak snapped ferociously every few seconds, and a gnarled set of tail features fanned out behind its rear.

But Link was more focused on the beast's powerful-looking set of three-clawed talons. All the talons' curved nails were digging into Malon's shoulders, carrying the farm girl further and further into the air.

"Holy…Malon! _Malon_!" Link bellowed, running to "catch up" to the creature.

"Link! Help me!" the panicking farm girl cried. "Let…got of me…you overgrown…Cuckoo…put me…down…oooowww, my shoulders…Link! Please…!"

"Malon, no!" Link roared back, futilely reaching out with his hand. "Come back! Put her down! I said put her down, damn it! _Put her down_!"

_"Curses…if only I had my weapons…"_

"Let me go! Let me go!" the farm girl continued to scream as the buzzard pulled her higher and higher into the air. "Let me go! Let me gooooooooooooo…eeeeeaaaaaaaaahhh!"

As if attempting to shut her up, the giant bird squeezed its talons harder, digging its claws deeper into Malon's flesh. The farm girl screamed for a few agonizing minutes…before she fell silent. Then, probably due to shock, her body grew limp, her arms and head slumping in the vulture's grasp.

Motivated by the accomplishment, the creature flapped its enormous wings several times to climb higher and higher, pushing itself farther away from the pursing boy on the ground.

"Malon, no!" Link hollered, still trying to run as fast as he could to no avail. "Come back here, you gods-damned bird! Bring her back! _Bring her ba_…"

Just then, Link felt something warm touch fall on his face. Instinctively, one of his hands reached out to touch it. When his fingers withdrew from his cheek so he could see it, he felt his face grew pale. It was blood…Malon's blood…

_"Malon…no…"_

Realizing the futility of his efforts, Link slowed down his pursuit until he came to a complete stop, his eyes looking back upward. Already the vulture carrying his friend was a mere speck on the horizon, disappearing farther into the distant storm clouds with every beat of its powerful wings. The former Hero of Time just stood there, staring in disbelief, a surge of conflicting emotions flowing through his mind and his heart.

_"I…I can't believe it…she's gone. Malone's gone…and after I swore to protect her…I bloody-well swore to protect her…and I failed. I completely and utterly failed…I…"_

"How does it feel, you little shit?"

All of Link's emotions suddenly converged into a single sentiment: shock. _"No…it can't be…"_

Link quickly turned around, expecting to see the person standing over him, but instead he saw something completely unexpected. Standing not too far away was the rotting carcass of the vulture he had killed with the Moblins…alive! There were very few feathers left on its body, and the remaining ones were covered in fungus. The body itself was covered in a sickening gray pulp that once was its skin, and its wings – or what was left of the stubby appendages – flapped feverishly as if they could still fly. But what was most horrific was its head: it didn't have one! Only the same, bloody mass Link had given it when he had squeezed the creature's skull between his fingers…

"Did I upset you by pinching your little wench from you?"

…and the creature had the voice of someone Link knew very well.

"Ganondorf…" he snarled, the shock beginning to dissolve away.

"So you still recognize me, do you?" the headless bird "said". "That's good, because I hate formal introductions, especially to little brats I met over seven years ago."

Link felt his fists clench up in unrestrained anger. "What in the name of the Three Goddesses have you done with Malon, you bastard? _Why did you take her_?"

"Oh, come now," the bird chirped mockingly. "Do I really have to explain it to you? You, the one who visited two temples and awoke two Sages? I'll admit I was a little amused when you defeated my phantom, but when you killed Volvagia I got really, really annoyed. Do you know how long it took me to capture that worm? All my hard work…ruined because you think, just because you pulled a sword out of a piece of stone, that you can defeat me.

"Well, the world doesn't work like that, you little punk. This is my world now. I rule it, I own it…and I will keep it that way. That means getting rid of every thorn that could be a possible problem…and guess what you are!"

"But why Malon?" Link demanded, not caring about Ganondorf's references to the Hero of Time. "She did nothing to you! Why didn't you come after me?"

"You really are stupid, aren't you?" the bird laughed as it took several hobbled steps forward. "I may hate you, but I know what you're capable of. I saw how you killed three of my best soldiers, and I doubt sending in even a whole battalion would phase you. So why go after you directly when I can exploit what you hold dear?"

A thunderbolt cracked in the distance behind Link as he realized what Ganondorf was talking about. "You're using Malon as bait…"

"Ah, so the little whelp understands. Wonderful." The bird's carcass then seemed to rear its "head" back as Ganondorf's voice laughed a strong, menacing laugh at Link's expense.

Unable to hold back his anger any longer, Link dashed forward and reached out with one hand, yanking the vulture's corpse into the air. "You son of a bitch! Bring Malon back! Bring her back and face me if you're so cocky…!"

"No, you listen to me, _boy_!" Ganondorf snarled through the bird's bloody throat. "I'm only going to say this once. Disobey me, and your little girl friend will meet the same fate of the helmaroc you're holding in your hands."

As much as Link wanted to snap at the voice of Ganondorf, he forced himself to remain silent.

"Good," continued the King of Evil's voice. "Now listen carefully: because you think awakening Sages in their respective temples is so much fun, I'll let you visit the next one. I've ordered the helmaroc carrying your friend to take her to the entrance of the Water Temple, located on an island in the middle of Lake Hylia. There is a wooden bridge that leads from the shore to the island at the northern edge of the lake. Cross that bridge and enter the small building you see there."

"And after that?" Link demanded when Ganondorf didn't continue.

The bloody mass that once was the helmaroc's head seemed to smile as Ganondorf answered, "You'll know when it happens. You understand, boy?"

Begrudgingly, Link nodded. "I understand."

"Good," Ganondorf smirked. "I expect to see you there within five days. If you're late, you'll greet your pretty little friend with her head on a pike. If you bring anyone else with you, I will cut up her corpse and feed them to my men. Are we clear?"

His teeth threatening to shatter upon one another as he gritted them, Link managed a muttered, "Yes…"

"Oh, and by the way," Ganondorf added with a snide tone. "After I take care of you, I hope you don't mind me having my way with that girl of yours…unless you were planning on doing something with her before I took her away from you? Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Eyah, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha…!"

Link couldn't stand it anymore.

"You…gods-damned…_bastard_…!"

As he cried out the final word, Link grabbed the helmaroc corpse in both hands and pulled it apart with all his might. The frail carcass ripped like wet paper in his palms, spraying rotten blood and decaying flesh in every direction, including on the former Hero of Time.

But Link didn't care about the mess. As he held the bloody remains of the headless helmaroc in his hands, he could feel something within him grow. Something dark, vile, and ominous. It could sense the situation, and it was feeding on his negative emotions, his anger, his hatred.

But that was all right. As another thunderbolt cracked behind him, Link knew he was going to use everything at his disposal to do what he was about to do…

* * *

By the time he arrived back at the farmhouse, the storm clouds were already partially blanketing the ranch, and the dampness in the air indicated rain was about fall. Ignoring the weather completely, Link burst into the house through the front door and wasted no time in heading up the stairs towards his bedroom.

Inside his personal chamber, he quickly searched for all his weapons: hookshot, bow and arrows, Megaton Hammer, bombs…anything that would be useful. He also decided to take along his ocarinas, though he didn't really know what use they might be. He did almost search for the one weapon he didn't have, but he quickly dismissed that.

_"Can't be helped,"_ he growled as he strapped his armaments to his belt and around his shoulders. _"That damn sword might've been useful, but I don't have it right now."_

He looked into the mirror to make sure he was dressed suitably. Satisfied, Link hurried outside his room and down the stairs. He had to prepare Epona for the journey ahead and afterwards return to the house to pick up some rations. Then he had to ride out to this Lake Hylia and…

…wait a minute. He didn't even know where Lake Hylia was! As he stopped at the bottom of the stairwell upon coming to this realization, Link's face tightened and he slammed his fist down on the banister.

"Damn it!" he cried out irately. "Where's Talon or Ingo when you need them…?"

"Link?"

Link quickly spun his head to the side…and saw a familiar, potbelly man standing in the living room located next to the staircase, framed by the doorway leading into the room.

"Talon!" Link exclaimed with surprise and relief. "You're still here!"

"Link, what's going on?" the rancher inquired as he walked into the room containing the stairwell, noticed Link's attire. "Why are you dressed like that? You've got your weapons and everything…"

"Talon, Malon's been kidnapped."

Talon immediately fell silent and his eyes widened with horror when he heard those words. "Malon's been…kidnapped?" Panic instantly crept into the farmer's voice. "By whom? Where? When? Where is she? Where's my Malon? What happened to her…?"

"Listen to me!" Link bellowed urgently, grabbing Talon by the shoulders and shaking the portly man to be quiet. "Malon's been kidnapped by Ganondorf. He's using her to get to me. He's going to keep her alive, but only if I do what he says. I need to know where Lake Hylia is. Do you know where Lake Hylia is?"

"My…Malon…kidnapped…" Talon whimpered, still unable to believe the news. "How can…they do this…why would they…my Malon…my precious Malon…"

"Talon, listen to me!" Link yelled, getting the farmer's attention. "If you don't help me here, then Malon is going to die. This is my entire fault, I'll admit that…but I can't save her if you don't help me! Tell me, where is Lake Hylia?"

Despite his growing state of agitation, Talon managed to calm himself down enough to respond to Link's demand. "Lake…Hylia, it's…it's located in the southern region of…of Hyrule. It's three…three…days ride. It's directly…south of this ranch…you can't miss it…you can't…"

"Thanks, Talon," Link nodded. "You've been a great help. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get going. I've only got five days to get there before Ganondorf kills Malon. Can you help me get Epona ready?"

"Why, yes, I can, I'll do that, I…" Talon's face suddenly lit up, as if he remembered something. "But Link, wait, you can't go just yet…"

"What do you mean I can't go just yet?" Link snarled in Talon's face. "Your daughter is being held captive and her life is in danger, and you tell me I can't go just yet? What's the matter with you?"

"I know, I want my Malon back just as much as you do," Talon insisted frantically, "but something's come up. You can't go yet…"

"Why?" Link demanded, shaking Talon harder than necessary. "Why must I wait? You're not giving me a bloody good reason! Tell me before I just do this all myself and…"

"Link, stop it!"

Expecting to see Ingo, Link twisted his head around to face the door to the living room, his face frozen in a menacing scowl. But instead of the missing farmhand, Link saw someone he thought he'd never see for a long, long time…if not ever.

Standing in the doorway, one hand rested on the edge of the portal, was Sheik.

"Sheik…?" Link uttered, flabbergasted…for about a second. He then returned to his menacing glare. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

The Sheikah glared back at Link for a moment, as if resisting Link's threat, but he then sighed and gave in to Link's demand. "I came here because I was asked to come here. A messenger arrived a couple days with a letter explaining the situation and…"

"A letter? What letter?" Link interrupted, thoughts he didn't want to even consider dancing through his mind. "Show me!"

Instead of complying with Link's demand, the Sheikah hesitated for a moment. And Link was not in the mood for hesitation.

"Give me that letter, Sheik!" the former Hero of Time demanded, shoving Talon out of his way and storming towards the masked boy. "Give it to me, _now_!"

Startled by Link's forcefulness, the Sheikah quickly dug into one of his pockets and fished out a crumpled parchment, holding it out for Link. Link snatched the letter from the Sheikah, unfolded it, and started reading it as fast as he could:

_To the one called Sheik,_

_I'm writing this letter out of a sense of urgency. Someone I believe you know is currently staying at my farm, Lon Lon Ranch. His name is Link. I don't know why he has come here, but to tell you the truth I am very frightened of him. He has threatened a good friend of mine with his life, and just recently killed three Moblins as if they were nothing. I don't know when he might go berserk again, which is why I'm writing this letter. You obviously know Link, so maybe you can help us. If you can help control his anger, I would be very grateful. And if you can get him to leave the farm, then even better. Please come to Lon Lon as quickly as you can, before things get beyond to where we can't control them._

The letter wasn't signed, but Link's heart began to sink with every word he read. Here in his hands was a confession by someone on the farm who wanted him gone…someone who called, of all people, Sheik to find him and take him away from the ranch….someone who probably would like nothing better than for Link to return to his "destiny" as the Hero of Time…

…and he had a very good idea of who that "someone" was…

"Link…if I may…" Sheik tried to begin before Link cut him off.

"I…don't believe it…" he muttered hoarsely, his hand gripping the crumpled note so tightly they threatened to tear it. "I just…don't…believe it…"

"What are you talking about…?" Sheik tried again but was again interrupted.

"She betrayed me…" Link sputtered, his body beginning to noticeably quiver out of restrained and rising anger. "She actually…betrayed me…"

"Link…" Talon tried to speak, but he too was interrupted.

But this time, Link interrupted by punching his fist into the nearby wall, sending fragments of plaster flying as his hand sank into the wood.

"Link, what in the world…?" Sheik cried out.

"She betrayed me!" Link bellowed, not hearing Sheik's plea. "Malon actually betrayed me! After all that I did for her, after all the trust I placed in her…she ratted me out to Sheik the first chance she got! I don't believe it! She was the one person I trusted…and she double-crossed me! Why? Why? _Why_, damn it _why_?"

Uncontrollable rage started building up inside Link, replacing the fierce determination to actually save Malon from Ganondorf's clutches. He wanted to punch the wall again, but he prevented himself from doing so in order to allow his feelings to sort themselves out. And as they rearranged into a clearer picture, he didn't like what he was seeing…but with the letter in his hand, he had to accept it…

_—I told you, didn't I? That girl was hiding things from you from the very beginning. The only reason she ran out to catch you during that storm was to make sure you didn't get away. I bet she was working with Sheik the entire time, waiting to inform him of where you were—_

As much as Link hated to admit it, the Voice was right this time.

_—Yes, that's right. She played you like an ocarina, and now the fruits of her labors stand before you—_

He was right…the Voice was right…

_—And you know what? Malon probably _deserves_ what Ganondorf does to her. She _deserves_ whatever terrors await her—_

Yes…she probably does…

_—In fact, you probably should've killed her yourself, just for good measure, eh?—_

For good measure…for good measure…

_—That little gods-damned bitch can rot in Hael, for all you care!—_

"Malon…can…go…to…"

"Link, stop! Malon didn't give you away! I did!"

Both Link and Sheik turned their attention to Talon, whose face was completely drained of blood. But while Sheik was mildly confused, Link was completely stunned, his mouth gaping open as his glassy eyes stared blankly at the farmer.

"What…did…you…say…?" he sputtered as he removed from the hole in the wall.

"I said _I'm _the one who betrayed you, not Malon!" Talon replied, unable to hold back any longer. "I didn't want you to think that! I left the letter anonymous so that it could look like a plea for help from the entire farm, not just one man who is concerned for the safety of his daughter. I don't hate you, Link, but the way you've been acting ever since you got here forced me to take what I believed would be best for you, for this ranch, and for Malon.

"But Malon didn't want any part of it. I tried to get her cooperation, but she refused. And whenever I tried writing a letter, Malon would somehow find it and burn it. I tried telling her to stop, but she continued doing it until I finally managed to sneak one letter out several days ago with Ingo. Malon was furious when she heard about it."

Now it was Link's turn not to believe what he was hearing. "Malon…was…protecting me?"

Talon had to take several deep breaths before he replied, "Yes…she was."

"But…why didn't she tell me any of this?" Link inquired gruffly. "Why did she just stay silent?"

The farmer lowered his eyes as he responded, "Because…she cared about you. She told me time and time again she wanted to be the friend you wanted her to be, no matter how unstable you were. I objected to it, but that beautiful smile I saw on her face whenever she was near you nearly broke my heart every time I wrote a letter to Sheik. She probably didn't reveal my scheme to you because she knew it would upset you, something she tried very hard to avoid."

Talon then raised his eyes again. "So please…don't blame my daughter. Her only crime is being the best friend you could ever hope for. If you must wish something horrible on someone, wish it upon me."

Link was speechless. He didn't know whether Talon was telling the truth or just trying to cover up for his daughter, but the sad look in the man's eyes indicated the former…

_—Don't trust him! He's lying to you! He's trying to transfer the blame onto someone other than that little wench so you can go save her! Don't listen to him—_

All of a sudden, Link's face grew tight. He charged forward and, without even a warning, collided with a very dumbfounded Talon. Link forced the chubby rancher backwards until his back collided with a wall, pinned between the plaster and Link's unforgiving arm.

Sheik was just as surprised as Talon. "Link, what are you doing?" he screamed.

"Maybe you're lying to me to shift the blame away from your daughter…maybe you're not," Link snarled directly in Talon's face, his arm pressed tightly against the rancher's throat. "But even if you _are_ telling the truth, you're still not off the hook for giving me away. I'm not one who likes to forgive easily, you know…"

"Link, stop this!" Sheik cried, running up to Link and grabbing his arm, trying to pull it away from Talon's neck. "You're acting insane! Leave this man alone!"

"You stay out of this, Sheik!" Link ordered, turning his gaze at the frantic Sheikah. "This is between me and Talon! I'll deal with you later…!"

"No, you have to listen to me! You're not thinking clearly! You're acting out of line!"

Link spat in Sheik's direction. "Says who…?"

_DICCCHHHH…_

Sheik's punch to Link's jaw was even more unexpected than Link pinning Talon against a wall. Unable to even blink in reaction, Link was sent flying across the room, landing on the wooden floor with a dull thud. He was so caught off guard that he was even slow to sit up. His eyes were as wide as dinner plates, and when he looked up he saw a very miffed Sheik staring down at him.

"Says who? Says _who_?" Sheik repeated angrily. "Everyone else who draws breath in this very room, that's who…and countless others who draw breath _outside_ this room! Look at yourself! You're changing your opinions based on your emotions, even if those opinions are completely irrational! One minute you come charging in here wanting to save this…Malon person, and the next you're threatening her father as if he were Ganondorf himself…and you dare ask 'says who'?"

Link's amazement only lasted for a few brief minutes. His snarling scowl returning, he again spat to the side. "What would you know about me, Sheik? After being betrayed by everyone I ever knew, do you honestly think I have no right to get angry when it happens again…?"

"Not when it turns you into a jerk!" Sheik bellowed as he helped Talon, who was trying to breathe again, back onto his feet. "I thought you were childish before, but now I see you're nothing more than a complete and utter jerk! The boy I met emerging from the Chamber of Sages must've been a fluke, because the boy I see lying before me is nothing like him. I find it hard to believe you were actually chosen to be the Hero of Time!"

Link remained quiet as he stood up onto his feet, his eyes fixed on Sheik's. When he was fully erect, he wiped the spot where Sheik had struck him with the back of his hand. "Feh! Like I give a damn about that. I quit being the Hero of Time for a reason, and I'm not about to go back because of a bloody guilt trip. You think you can push me around like you did before? You've got it wrong, you miserable Sheikah. _I'm_ the one in charge of my life now, and I'm not going to let you or anyone else ruins it."

Link then shifted his gaze towards Talon, who nearly jumped when Link looked at him. "And as for you, Talon…doesn't think just because Sheik saved your sorry hide means I'm through with you."

The former Hero of Time then turned his back to both the Sheikah and the rancher. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll leave you two and…"

"Link, I know about the voice inside your head."

Link couldn't have spun around fast enough when he heard that. Sheik's firm and unyielding look had softened, replaced by one of concern, but Link couldn't have cared less about that.

"You know about…how do you know about the Voice? I never told you or anyone about it…"

"The Fairy Mother told me, Link," Sheik interjected. "She told me all about how when you broke out of the trance she put you in, the link between your mind and soul remained intact. She told me how the darkness of your soul has been manifesting into a voice that is eating away at your very being. This voice is destroying you, Link…its taking all of your negative emotions and directing them towards hating everything you ever cared about. If you continue to give in to its demands…your soul will be torn apart by its thirst for more power."

At first Link didn't know what to say concerning how Sheik knew of the Voice, but he quickly found something to say to the apprehensive Sheikah. "Ha! You obviously think that the Voice is telling me what to do…well, you're wrong! _I'm_ still the one in charge here, Sheik. The Voice has only been a guide, a helpful companion to point out all the things that have held me back in this messed up world. For your information, I live the way _I_ choose to live. The Voice does _not_ control me!"

Link's fiery speech did little to quell Sheik's resilience in asking a follow-up question: "Are you sure about that?"

"What do you mean? Yes, I am sure about…"

_That little gods-damned bitch can rot in Hael, for all you care!_

A look of fright instantly flashed across Link's face, one that he tried to hide from Sheik. But the Sheikah's eyes were quick to notice the look, and Sheik nodded solemnly. "Hmm, I thought so. That voice is deceiving you, Link. You think that you're the one in control – and you very well might be the one in control – but that voice is doing everything it can to change that. It's trying to manipulate you, Link. It's trying to steer you in a direction where it can feed off of your negative emotions more readily. And once it figures out how to push you in just the right way…"

"Even if that's true," Link interjected, not confirming whether or not Sheik's assertions were correct, "that still doesn't take away from the fact that you lied to me! You've been pushing me to fulfill my so-called 'destiny' as the Hero of Time, even though you knew very well I hated it. You thought you could hide from me the idea that I could just do what I should've done when first stepped outside that bloody Chamber of Sages, which was thrown that damn sword away and rebuild my life. And for the longest time you succeeded…you succeeded until I lost Saria and Darunia to _destiny_…as well as almost everything I ever cared about! You made me buy into that garbage until I destroyed everything I loved _myself_!

"Do you deny this, Sheik? Well, _do you_?"

The sad look in Sheik's eyes was all the answer Link needed, but the Sheikah still gave him a reply in words: "No…no, I don't deny it. I did not intend to lie to you…but some things I suppose are just out of everyone's control."

Link snarled before spitting once again to the floor. "Yeah…I'm sure." He then started turning around to walk away…

"However," Sheik added, "I'm not the only one who's lying here, Link."

Link returned his gaze to face Sheik. "And that means what?"

"You are also lying, Link…but not to me or to Talon. You're lying to yourself."

The former Hero of Time blinked several times. "What…in the Hael does that mean?"

"You refuse to listen to anyone who has something to say that opposes what you believe, even if what you believe is absolutely ludicrous. You're building a protective wall around yourself, one that keeps in your own opinions and keeps out everyone else's. And even if someone smacks you in the face with reality, you simply dismiss it. You're lying to yourself to keep yourself inside that little world you've created, a world where only you are right and everyone else has to agree with you."

Link's face remained expressionless for a moment before it frowned deeply. "And I suppose you figured this out moments ago."

Sheik shook his head. "Not at all. I got a lot of the information from the messenger who brought me the letter – now what was his name again? – Ingo. He's been watching you very closely and had several personal talks with Talon here about you, and he learned quite a lot." His eyes seemed to loosen before adding, "Not to mention the way you abandoned us at Death Mountain…"

_CASSSSHHHHH…_

Sheik fell silent just as Link slammed his fist down on a nearby table, almost breaking the top with the force of his hand. "You know what? I don't have to listen to this garbage. You're making it all up."

Again the Sheikah shook his head. "No, Link, you're wrong…I'm telling you the truth."

Link growled impatiently. "And why should I believe you? You obviously came here to force me back as the Hero of Time…"

"No, you're wrong again," Sheik interjected. "I didn't come here to force you to do anything. I came here to help you."

A loud tsk left Link's lips. "Help me? Ha! That's rich! In what way, might I ask?"

"Originally, I was going to come here to reveal to you the truth behind the voice inside your head, but it seems that we have a much more pressing matter on our hands…" Sheik then slapped a hand gently on Talon's shoulders. "…to save the life of this nice man's daughter."

Link eyed Sheik suspiciously for a moment. "What makes you think I'll believe you want to help save Malon?"

Whether through habit or sarcasm, the Sheikah shrugged. "Perhaps…the same thing that made me want to save the Goron race even though you didn't want to?"

Again Link fell silent, unable to come up with a proper response. But in this instance Sheik decided to take advantage of Link's inability to reply. The Sheikah took several steps forward and placed his gloved hands on Link's shoulders. Link almost reacted by throwing Sheik's hands off, but he somehow didn't…

"Link, before you reply with a snide or witty response saying how you've been robbed of your life or how cruel everyone's been to you, think about this: right now, the life of a girl who has been friends with you for the past couple months is now being threatened. She cared enough about you enough to stick with you despite how violent you were capable of becoming, and she cared about you enough to keep you here as long as she possibly could, even though she undoubtedly knew what you had done.

"So answer me this: do you really believe this girl deserves to die at the hands of Ganondorf?"

Link opened his mouth to answer, but his voice couldn't say anything. Sheik again took advantage of the hesitation.

"Or do you really…really…" Sheik seemed to struggle for some reason as he finished the sentence. "…care…enough about Malon to save her?"

Link finally managed a response…kind of. "Well, I…I…"

"_Do you_?" Sheik demanded with a commanding tone.

"I…I…"

_She took another bite of her orange before placing the fruit on the makeshift table beside her. She then arched her neck back and combed her hands through her long red hair, shaking her head as her hands dropped from between the strands. Link was captivated by the dancing of Malon's hair as the farm girl twisted her neck back and forth in a deliberate tease. When her hair finally stopped its mesmerizing ballet, draping almost completely across one shoulder, Malon turned her eyes to face Link at an angle, her eyelids partially closed and her lips smiling mischievously._

Link's own lips pressed together firmly as he finally realized how stupid he was being concerning Malon. After all she had done for him, even sacrificed for him, here he was practically considering the possibility of leaving her to die just because he believed the impossible notion that she had betrayed him. As much as he disagreed with Sheik, he couldn't disagree with this…

Looking at the anxious Sheikah straight in the eye with the most genuine look he could give, Link nodded firmly. "Malon cared about me more than I could ever ask for…but I won't let her die for me. I'm going to save her."

A look of relief washed across Sheik's eyes – even Talon, who had been quietly watching the debate apprehensively, seemed to calm down.

"Thank you, Link," Sheik uttered with a smile under his mask, dropping his arms from Link's shoulders. "That's what I'd like to hear…"

"But remember this, Sheik," Link abruptly continued. "This still doesn't change a thing. I still despise the idea of being the Hero of Time, and I still trust the Voice more than I trust you. I'm only rescuing Malon because she's the only true friend I have left in this world. Do you understand me?"

Disappointment replaced the relief in Sheik's eyes, as if he had come so close to achieving something before watching it slip past him. Still, the Sheikah reluctantly nodded. "Yes…I understand."

"Good," Link asserted. "Now, I have no time to waste. Ganondorf wants me to get to Lake Hylia within five days, and he wants me to come alone. So I'm afraid I'll have to decline your offer to help." He turned to the silent farmer. "Talon, I'll need some provisions for the journey, and I'll also need you to help me ready Epona…"

"Wait, Link," Sheik suddenly cut in. "I may not be able to go with you, but I can still help you."

Link turned back to the Sheikah. "How so?"

"By giving you this."

Sheik then reached behind his back and grabbed something slung around his shoulder that Link hadn't noticed before. It was dressed in a tightly wrapped brown cloth, secured only by a piece of cord. The Sheikah wasted no time in holding the object in both hands and presenting it to Link with outstretched arms.

Even completely covered, Link could tell by the shape of the wrapped cloth what the item was.

"…The Master Sword?" he exclaimed, pointing at the draped blade. "You're giving me…the Master Sword?"

Sheik nodded in response.

Link glared warily at the Sheikah. "And why should I accept it? Are you hoping by taking this accursed blade back I would become the Hero of…?"

"Link, we have no time for your whiney little protests. I'm not trying to force you into anything. I'm merely trying to help you. Your empty scabbard shows that you've been unable to find a sword that comes even close to matching the Master Sword. I don't know Ganondorf has in store for you at Lake Hylia, but why take chances? Just take the Master Sword and use it to save your friend."

The former Hero of Time still eyed the Sheikah askance. "And after I save Malon with the sword? What then?"

Sheik paused for a moment before replying, "You can do whatever you want with it, I suppose. It's not like I have any say in what you do, do I?"

Link turned his attention to the offered sword in Sheik's hands, eyeing the shrouded blade carefully. It was true that since discarding the sword back in the chamber of the Fairy Mother he had been unable to find a blade that could match the Master Sword's magnificence. He hated everything the sword stood for, but if he could wield its power just long enough to save Malon…

"No, you don't," Link acknowledged before reaching out and grabbing the sword with his right hand. "I'll take the Master Sword, Sheik…just this once. And…thank you."

Disappointment still noticeably present in Sheik's eyes, the Sheikah simply nodded.

"Right," Link resumed. "It's time we got moving. We can't waste any time. Talon would you…?"

_—What in Hael are you doing, you idiot?—_

The Voice again…

_"I don't have to explain myself to you. You know damn well what I'm doing."_

_—No, I _don't_ know what you're doing. You're saving that little wench at the possible cost of your own life, and you just accepted the symbol of everything you despise! So please enlighten me on the logic here!—_

_"I don't have to 'enlighten' you on anything! I'm doing what I feel is the best thing to do, and there's nothing you can say that will change my mind…unless you _want_ to change my mind?"_

The Voice seemed to roar furiously before answering Link's challenge.

_—So you think that Sheik's right? You think that I'm trying to manipulate you for my own ends? How can you believe that filth after all I've done for you? I showed you Sheik's deceptions and lies…his trickery and his fabrications…and this is how you repay me? By listening to the very person I warned you about?—_

_"Whoever said I had to repay you?" _Link fired back. _"You're nothing more than a convenient accident. You gave me advice, and I happened to agree with what you said. As I said to Sheik, _I'm _the one in charge here, not you. If you even think for one second that you have some kind of hold on me, then you're in for a rude awakening."_

Link could feel anger build up to colossal proportions from deep within his mind.

_—There you go again…accusing me! You've given in to Sheik's lies by fingering me as the guilty one, when Sheik's the one who's been leading you by a leash. You're going on a fool's errand by rescuing that little slut, and by accepting that damn sword you've taken a step closer to being forced back as the Hero of Time…—_

_"Now you listen here! If you try one more time to change my mind, I will never listen to you again. You've been a constant pain ever since I got to this farm, but now you're _really_ starting to cross the line."_

_—And if you _don't_ listen to me, you're going to make the biggest mistake of your life—_

_"As if you would know! You may be part of my soul, but you are not _me_. I alone make the decisions here. All you do is give advice…in fact, I'm starting to think you're not even worth keeping around anymore."_

_—If you don't shut up and pay attention, you will regret going to save that bitch…"_

That did it.

_"If you speak ill of Malon one more time, you bastard, I will cut you out of my body myself!"_

The Voice responded with a screech so loud Link nearly went deaf.

_—And if I ever get out of this wretched body of yours I swear I will gut you and string you up alongside your little whore's corpse!—_

Link wanted to respond to that threat, wanted to give some kind of retort, but he stopped himself from doing so. It wasn't worth it. The Voice was trying to take control, and Link did not need to give it any leeway whatsoever.

He wondered whether he really did trust the Voice more than Sheik…

* * *

Link left later that night, the incoming storm now overhead, drowning the farm with torrents of rain and countless forks of lightning. With a final bid of farewell to Sheik – he had said goodbye to Talon inside the farmhouse – Link rode Epona out of the barn and into the tempestuous darkness, disappearing within the curtain of rainfall instantly.

As he watched Link ride off to save Malon from the clutches of Ganondorf, Sheik felt a stirring in one of his pockets.

"You okay there, Navi?"

A moment later, a familiar pink-lighted fay drifted from Sheik's pocket and into view, landing on the Sheikah's left shoulder. "Yeah…I'm okay."

Sheik nodded quietly before asking, "Is there a reason you didn't want Link to see you?"

Navi's voice stuttered a little as she answered, "Yes…be-because he…doesn't want to see me."

Sheik sighed softly. "We'll get him back, Navi. I swear we'll find a way to get the real Link out of that shell he's bottled himself up into."

Navi didn't acknowledge Sheik's promise, instead she asked, "I guess I don't have to tell you that Ganondorf is leading Link into a trap."

Sheik didn't even flinch at the remark. "No, you don't. I already knew that…as did Link, I'm sure."

"Then isn't there something we can do to help him?"

"If there is, I don't know what. That bastard Ganondorf is holding all the keys right now. If we make one wrong move, that poor girl will end up dead. All we can do is wait a while before riding out to meet him and hope that doesn't violate Ganondorf's rules…that and pray…"

* * *

Had the sun risen seven years ago over the sprawling acreage that was Lake Hylia, Din's Eye's rays would've shone down on a beautiful, expansive body of water filled with some of the clearest water ever seen by Hylian eyes. Those same rays would've awoken a multitude of exotic fish that dwelled within those waters, swimming and living within a vast ecosystem that rivaled any forest.

But not today. Today Din's Eye awoke to what was left of Lake Hylia: an empty, soulless hole in the ground, a shadow of what the lake once was. The lakebed was dry and parched, cracked after years of dryness. The remains of fishes that once lived within the crystal waters were scattered everywhere, reminding anyone who saw them of their untimely demise. In a place where splendor had once thrived, decay now flourished in its place.

But just because there was no water in the lake doesn't mean that the lake still possessed islands. Located at the very center of the dry lakebed was a pillar of land, its slope steeper than many faces found on Death Mountain. Rising to the same height as the shore and connected to the coast by a long wooden bridge, the island stood as the only notable place related to the dead lake.

Atop the island's peak, whose size was large enough to comfortably accommodate a house meant for a large family, stood a large, square building. Its base expanding well beyond the size of the farmhouse on Lon Lon Ranch, the building spared no expense concerning its appearance. Intricate decorations were carved all along its stony exterior, representing in many different artistic methods the natural beauty of water. Four pillars of a gold-like material outlined each corner, and the portal that led inside the building was a set of double doors carved out of a rich wood. Even the roof boasted luxurious tastes, the tiles lined with different colored bricks of various materials.

But the two Moblin guards standing at entrance to the building couldn't have cared any less about the exquisiteness of the entrance house to the Water Temple behind them. They only cared about one thing: how long it would be before they didn't have to wait any longer.

"'ow much longer 'til 'ee gets 'ere?" one Moblin asked offhand to the other guard.

"Like I would know," the other guard snorted. "I'm not 'is keeper."

"But we've been waitin' 'ere for three stinkin' days," the first Moblin complained. "'ow much longer before we can eat that l'il girl inside there?"

"Ganondorf said five days. If that boy doesn't show up by then, we can eat 'er. But not before. 'ow many times must tell you this?"

"I'm just so 'ungry. We've been eatin' nothin' but rat meat since we got 'ere. I want somethin' fresh, an' that l'il girl's lookin' mighty tasty…I can still smell the blood from out 'ere…"

"Just be patient and shut up!" the second Moblin growled. "Any mo' words from you an' I'll see to it you're…'ello, what's this?"

Both Moblins noticed it immediately: something was crossing the wooden bridge from the shore. The two guards immediately straightened themselves out and readied their weapons, their small, evil eyes watching the approaching stranger as it moved slowly across the rickety crossing.

It wasn't until the stranger had crossed the bridge two-thirds of the way before the Moblins could see who it was: it was a young man dressed completely in green clothes, weaponry fitted across every available location on his body. He walked at a sluggish and deliberate pace across the bridge, and his eyes were unyielding in their glare.

One of the Moblin guards smiled with a grunt. "Well, then…t'is must be the boy Ganondorf was talkin' about."

"'eh," the other snorted. "'e doesn't look so tough ta me. Looks a bit scrawny, if you ask me."

The guards relaxed a little but still held their pikes firmly in their hands. They quietly and eagerly waited for the boy to finish crossing the bridge. The boy stopped at the end of the bridge for a moment, looking around to survey the scene before him. He then glowered at the two Moblins and continued his slow advancement towards them.

Grinning confidently, the two Moblins took several steps towards the boy. One of them held up its hand, motioning for him to stop; the boy stopped without hesitation.

"Are you the one called Link?" one of the Moblins demanded.

The boy looked up at the Moblin, his face twisted into an angry scowl, and nodded. "I am Link. Where is my friend Malon?"

"Malon?" the other Moblin sniffed. "You mean the l'il girl we 'ave inside?"

Upon hearing that, Link clenched his fists together. "Is she all right? Because if you laid a finger on her, I swear I will…"

"Don' you worry, boy," the first Moblin snickered. "We 'aven't even touched her…though I would like nothin' more than to take a nice, big taste of 'er flesh, mind you."

Link seemed to grow tense at those words.

"Well, then," the other Moblin uttered. "Now that you're 'ere, we might as well let you in. Ganondorf told us to let you go straigh' in an'…"

"Tell me something," Link suddenly interjected. "Was one of Ganondorf's conditions that I not harm you two in anyway?"

The two Moblins looked at each other, confused. "No," said the first Moblin. "Why…?"

* * *

The wooden doors to the building were heavier than Link participated, but he managed to get them open with a final, strong push with his shoulder. Wasting no time, Link stepped inside the entrance house to the Water Temple, not caring that the Master Sword held in his right hand was dripping the blood of the two Moblins he had just killed outside.

Amazingly, the entire building was a single room, but boy, what a room it was! Like the exterior, intricate carvings depicting water ornamented the chamber everywhere, even the floor and ceiling. But they weren't even the most striking part of the building: in several key parts on the wall fell magnificent waterfalls from tiny slits in the ceiling, emptying into pools in the floor that seemed to have no bottom. Speaking of which, in the very center of the room was a large pool, filled with water that glistened in the flames of lit torches all around the hall. The pool was large enough to comfortably accommodate at most five people, but like the waterfall pools it seemed to have no bottom.

Curiously, all around the chamber, in select spots in the wall and floor, Link saw small square holes barely large enough to fit his hand through. He saw no reason or purpose to these holes, but when his attention turned to the far end of the room those holes quickly disappeared from his mind.

There, chained to the far wall by a set of shackles on her arms and legs, suspending her off the ground like a rag doll, was Malon.

"Malon!" Link screamed, instantly running around the large pool towards her.

As he ran, he stepped on one of the holes…and thought he stepped on something slippery, but he promptly ignored that, focusing only on the farm girl. Upon reaching her, he reached out with his free hand and grabbed her shoulder.

"Malon, are you all right? Malon! Are you okay?"

Link grew a little worried when the farm girl didn't reply, but Link instinctively pressed his hear against her left breast. To his relief, he heard a faint but strong heartbeat inside her chest – she was unconscious, but still alive.

"Thank the Three Goddesses," he sighed with release.

But Link had no time to be thankful – he had to get Malon out of here. Ganondorf was nowhere to be seen, and neither was the trap he was suspecting. So if he acted quickly, he might be able to get the farm girl away from this place horrible. Taking a step back, Link readied the Master Sword, aiming for the chains that shackled Malon to the wall. He raised the mighty blade above his head…

…and instantly felt something cold, soft, and gooey wrap around his left wrist.

"What the…?"

Before he could react further, Link felt similar gelatinous sensations ensnare his other wrist and his two ankles. He tried making a break for it, but the grips around his arms and legs held firm, refusing to let go. Then a final glutinous "something" encircled his waist…and pulled him up into the air, all the way back to the other end of the room!

"What's going on? Let me go!" he demanded, but nobody heard his pleas. Within a few seconds, Link was suspended a short distance above the ground, far away from the unconscious farm girl. But Link still attempted to struggle free as he looked to see what was holding him.

Tentacles. That was they only way Link could describe them. They resembled the small tendrils on some of the Bari inside Lord Jabu Jabu, but these were far longer and more deadly. But the odd thing was that these tentacles were not attached to any creature – instead, they were all protruding from the small holes Link had noticed earlier, one tentacle to a hole. The tentacles were also composed of a clear, gooey substance that resembled moist rubber sap…which explained what Link had nearly slipped on when running to Malon.

But as slippery as they felt, their grip was strong and unrelenting. As hard as Link struggled, he couldn't even free himself from their greasy hold…

"Hahahahahahahahahahaha. I didn't think it would be this easy…but I guess even I am wrong once in a while."

That voice…Ganondorf…but where was he? Link scanned the room for any signs of the King of Evil, but he didn't see any sign of him…wait, something was happening just below him. Something was seeping out of one of the tiny holes in the floor. Was it water…no, it was the same gel that made up the tentacles. Why was it pouring out like that? Was another tentacle…?

No, the leaking gel was starting to move differently. It was…forming something, materializing into some kind of shape. It looked like…a head of some kind, a head of…a person…of a specific person…a head of…of…

"Ganondorf…" Link sputtered in amazement.

"Ah, so you recognize my face do you?" the gelatinous head "said". Its mouth didn't move, but Link could tell the evil man's voice was meant to be coming from there. "I suppose I should be flattered, but that won't exactly help you now."

Getting over his astonishment, Link started to struggle again. "What are going to do with me, you wretched bastard?" he bellowed. "Are you going to kill me or what?"

"Kill you?" the gelatin head recurred. "Why, yes, I will. However, before I do, there's something I must do first. You see, you have something I want, boy, something I want badly."

"And what's that?" Link demanded, still thrashing in vain to escape the tentacles' hold. "The Master Sword?"

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no," Ganondorf snickered. "I have no use for that worthless piece of scrap. No, what I want…is your _soul_."

Link gaped in bewilderment. "You…what?"

"Morpha!" Ganondorf howled, ignoring Link's exclamation. "Extract it! Now!"

At that command, more gel began to seep from a hole close to the gummy head. This gel formed into a tentacle, and it snaked its way towards a still resisting Link.

"What…what are you doing?" he cried, tugging as hard as he could at the tentacles holding him to get free. "Let me go! Let me go, damn it, let me _go_!"

The jelly head didn't say anything just watched with what appeared to be a contented sneer. The spare tentacle drifted towards the struggling former Hero of Time until it stopped just short of his face, its glutinous tip squirming menacingly before his eyes.

"Now, open wide," the Ganondorf head commanded.

As if in response, the tentacle wrapped around Link's right wrist tightened its grip, almost twisting Link's hand off. The resulting pain was so unexpected that Link dropped the Master Sword and opened his mouth to scream.

"Yeeeeaaaaaarrrrgggghh…umph…uuuggggg…"

Link wasn't allowed to finish his scream when the lone tentacle thrust itself down his throat, gagging his yelps and muffling his moans. Link's eyes widened in horror as he felt the sticky tentacle climb down his gullet, clawing its way deeper and deeper inside his body. He quickly experienced the urge to throw up, but the gagging tentacle had ended any possibility of doing that. Some of the gel was even blocking part of his windpipe, making it difficult to breath.

Was this how Ganondorf was going to kill him? By suffocating him…?

Just then, Link felt a pain in his chest, as if thousands of tiny needles had simultaneously pierced his heart. He again tried to scream, but again the choking tentacle prevented him from doing so. Then he felt the pain again, almost as if something were digging deep inside his torso, attempting to extract something from within…

The pain scratched inside him over and over again, not giving Link any opportunity to recover from the previous "blow". Tears became his screams as the intense pain forced them from his eyes, and within a few moments he had no energy to even struggle. He could feel his body grow limp, and his vision was beginning to grow hazy. Unable to do anything else, his eyes drifted around, his gaze falling on everything they could: Malon, still unconscious, the gelatinous head of Ganondorf, the tentacles holding him prisoner, the tentacle buried inside his mouth, the…the…

…what was that? Strangely enough, the tentacle seemed to be "collecting" something. Although his vision was a little blurry, he could clearly see something being "gathered" at the end of the tentacle, just before it disappeared into the hole. The "something" looked strange, like a cross between a shadowy mist and black water. With each painful stab he felt inside his chest, more of the strange vapors seemed to be collected. What they were, Link could only guess…but not it mattered. Within a few moments he would be unconscious…

Then, all at once, the pain stopped. Seconds later, the tentacle began to remove itself from Link's throat. The extraction of the tentacle wasn't exactly quick and painless – it pulled out so slowly that Link wanted to vomit every time he felt the viscous substance scrape against his windpipe.

The moment the tip left his mouth, Link coughed as hard as he could, trying to regain his breath and getting rid of any stray pieces of gel that had been lodged inside his mouth. At first only saliva dripped from his mouth, but droplets of blood and pieces of bile also found their way onto the floor beneath him. It took several good gasps before he could finally breathe properly again…

"Ahhhhh…excellent."

The deep, sinister voice of Ganondorf compelled Link to look up. The gelatinous face was looking at what Link had noticed earlier: the collection of the dark, misty substance at the base of the tentacle. Now that his vision was back, he could just how peculiar it looked. It reminded Link of the mist he had seen countless times in his dream about Princess Zelda as a boy, but this mist looked a lot more ominous. It seemed to pulse with a kind of anger, a kind of darkness, a kind of…evil…

"This should be more than enough," the head of Ganondorf mused aloud. "It's even more potent than I first thought!"

Coughing one more time, Link gritted his teeth. "What…did you just do?" he demanded, feeling his strength returning.

Ganondorf returned his attention to the helpless Link. "That is none of your concern. But now that I have what I wanted…there is no further use for you or the girl."

Link growled loudly and began to thrash again, this time as vehemently as he could. "You gods-damned bastard! If I ever get out of this, I'll kill you! I'll bloody-well _kill you_!"

"Go ahead. Threaten me," the Ganondorf head mocked. "It'll make killing you all that more enjoyable."

The tentacle that had penetrated Link's throat then began to shift at its end. It trembled noticeably, its tip beginning to slenderize with each vibration. Within a few seconds, the tip had hardened into a sharp, razor-edges spike. Link, through his struggling, felt his eyes widen in panic: even though the gel of the tentacles felt soft, he had no doubt that that spike could kill him with a single blow.

"This is the end of your meddling, boy," Ganondorf sneered. "Save a place for me in Hael, won't you…? Huh, what's this?"

Ganondorf had noticed what Link had noticed: the spike-tipped tentacle was quivering again. At first the pulsations were small, but they quickly became more and more violent until the entire tentacle was shaking uncontrollably.

"What's happening here?" the gelatinous head demanded. "Morpha, what's going on?"

On an impulse, Link looked away from the spike tip and towards the collection of dark mist. For some reason, he wasn't surprised by what he saw: the mysterious substance was _struggling _to get out! Inexplicably, whatever the tentacle had extracted from his body was pounding against the inner walls of the tentacle, trying to break free.

"Morpha, control it!" Ganondorf ordered. "I said _control_ it, damn it! _Control it_…!"

But whoever this Morpha was couldn't do anything to stop it. Without warning, the tentacle containing the strange material _exploded_. Pieces of gel flew in every direction with a loud splash, landing against the stone walls of the chamber with a soft, sickening squelch. And it wasn't just the tentacle containing the dark mist that was effected – before Link could react, the five tentacles holding him in the air dissolved into the air, as if explosion of the first tentacle had sent a ripple effect throughout the rest.

In fact, the only gelatinous substance _not_ affected by the explosion was the one forming the head of Ganondorf.

Link landed on the ground with a loud thud, but he quickly recovered. He looked around for the dropped Master Sword, found it, and picked it back up. He then started to stand up, ready to face those tentacles again if they returned.

But they didn't return. As the Ganondorf head looked around frantically, it screamed, "Morpha! Come back! I order you to come back! Come back and contain that essence before I pluck out your core and cut it open! _Morpha_!"

But Morpha never returned, leaving Ganondorf alone in the chamber with Link, a still unconscious Malon…and the "essence".

And that essence quickly made itself the center off attention.

The mist swirled around a central point for a few moments, as if getting used to its surrounding, but then it started to collect itself. The mist began to orbit into a ball, assembling into a solid, unidentifiable shape. As soon as all of the strange substance had been amassed, the new shape pulsed several times, like a heart beginning to beat for the first time.

Link was unsure of what was it was doing…but then the shape started to restructure itself. It started to grow, expanding its form. Within a few seconds, he could make out the shape of a torso. Then appendages started to sprout…first a set of arms, then a pair of legs, and finally a head. Then details began to form: fingers, muscles, hair, facial features, clothes…the strange material was remaking itself into a person, apparently…

As Link watched, he started to see more details develop, all with the same dark texture as the strange mist: sturdy boots, short-sleeved shirt, leather-like gauntlets, a shield strapped to its back, a sword, a long cap on its head…

Link could've sworn he felt his jaw hit the floor when he recognized the "person" standing before him. "It…it's impossible…"

But it wasn't. As soon as the final features had been etched in the "person", its all too familiar face stretched back a little before looking straight at Link. The shadowy lips on its dark face flashed a smile his direction.

"Ahhhhh…sweet freedom…"

There was no denying it: the "thing" that stood before Link was…well, _Link_. Except for the pouches and many of Link's weapons, the "person" looked exactly like the green-clad boy in every respect – it even had the single earring that Malon had put in Link's ear seven years ago. In fact, it looked so lifelike that Link couldn't find reason to call it an "it". The only real difference was that this Link…this "Dark Link"…had no color whatsoever – everything from its clothes to its skin was shaded a murky, gloomy blackness that seemed to shimmer in the torchlight.

Even the gelatinous head of Ganondorf couldn't believe it. "What's going on here?" he roared in the direction of the Dark Link. "Who are you? What happened to my essence?"

Dark Link turned his attention to the head and grinned. "So…you must be Ganondorf." Dark Link then started slowly strolling his way towards where the head was formed. "It is an honor and a privilege to meet you."

"Answer me, damn you!" Ganondorf demanded. "What happened to my essence? What have you done with my essence?"

"Your 'essence'," Dark Link replied as he walked up next to the gummy head, "is standing right before you. I…am what you extracted from within that 'boy' – I just decided to take a different shape. What do you think? Do you like the way I look?"

Ganondorf was not amused by Dark Link's obvious taunting. "Don't lie to me! If you don't give me back my essence, I'll…"

"You'll what?" Dark Link interrupted. "You're not even here, are you? You're simply using some kind of magic to project your image to this location. And what would you do if I _did_ give myself back to you? Use me in your own experiments for your own ends? Sorry, but I've got other things to do that don't involve being your lapdog."

Dark Link then raised his right foot into the air, hovering it over Ganondorf's head. "Goodbye."

"No, wait, stop…!"

_SCHLEEELLLSSHHH…_

Ganondorf's cry went unheard as Dark Link stamped his foot down on the viscous head, crushing it beneath his heel and splattering it all over. A deafening silence followed as Ganondorf's voice was stifled from the chamber, as well as any possibility of this unknown Morpha from returning with its tentacles.

Dark Link then turned his attention towards Link, who was still stunned by what he was seeing.

"You…you are…" Link stammered, almost dropping the Master Sword in surprise. "…you are…"

"You?" Dark Link finished with an almost childish grin. "Yes, that's right. I _am_ you. More precisely, I am _part _of you, part of your soul, materialized as you see now. Oh, I could've chosen any shape I wanted…but somehow I found this shape far more fitting."

"But…but…" Link spluttered, "but why did…did…?"

"Why did Ganondorf extract me?" Dark Link completed, as if reading Link's thoughts. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe he wanted to harness me for his own interests. After all, I am quite potent, as he just said. Potent enough to break free of the control of that wretched sludge imprisoning me. I bet Ganondorf is pretty sore right now for letting me get away like that."

Link couldn't believe how flippant this Dark Link was. "But I still don't understand…"

"You don't need to understand!" Dark Link insisted with a smile. "Because it's not going to matter anyway for much longer."

"And why's that?" Link inquired.

"Because…"

Suddenly, Dark Link charged forward, drawing its sword and swaying it behind its back in preparation for a strike. Caught off guard, Link managed to duck just in time as Dark Link swung a horizontal attack right where Link's head would've been, barely missing Link's neck. But before Link could retaliate, Dark Link pulled back his right leg and sent a powerful kick straight into Link's side, sending the Hylian flying.

Link landed on the ground several feet from where Dark Link had booted him, landing on his face with a loud crunch. The resulting blow to his head caused Link to get up slowly, and as he did he felt compelled to cough. Seconds later, pieces of bile and some blood dripped from his mouth onto the floor.

"…because you are going to die."

Upon hearing Dark Link's statement, Link turned his head as quickly as he could in the direction of the doppelganger…and saw Dark Link staring at him with the most spiteful look imaginable.

"You may have noticed that the only weapon I chose to manifest was your sword," Dark Link stated in a snarling tone. "I did this for a reason: because I'm going to prove how easy it is to kill a spineless weakling like you."

Dark Link then attacked again, this time raising his dark sword above his head. Unable to raise the Master Sword or his shield in time, Link rolled out of the way as Dark Link sent his blade crashing to the ground with a deafening clang. Link rolled a short distance before forcing himself to his feet, preparing for another attack from his dark twin.

But Dark Link didn't attack again. Instead he lifted his sword off the ground and smirked. "So your reflexes were still good after that kick I gave you…impressive. This might be more fun that I thought."

His surprise long gone by now, Link felt his face display his usual signs of anger. "What in the name of the Three Goddesses are you?" he howled. "What do you want from me?"

"What do I want from you?" Dark Link repeated. "Oh, come now, isn't it obvious? I want to do to you what I promised I'd do."

A blank look crept into Link's eyes. "What you…promised you'd do? What are you talking about…?"

Dark Link didn't answer immediately, but first raised his shadowy blade up near his face. The blade's surface had no reflection, but it still seemed to glisten in the light of the torches around the room. "What I'm going to do…is gut your worthless carcass…and string you up alongside the corpse of that little slut behind you."

Someone may as well have slapped Link in the face when he heard that. "You…you're the…you're the Voice…the Voice inside my head…."

The smile on Dark Link's face widened. "Ah, you finally recognize me. And now that you do, what are you going to do about it, you worthless little shit?"

A thousand possible responses filled Link's mind, but only one was even remotely close to what he wanted to do. His muscles tensed up, his grip on the Master Sword tightened, and every ounce of his fury was projected into the look on his face. He then cried out a single phrase at the top of his lungs:

"I'm gonna _fucking kill you_!"


	56. Flesh and Blood, Light and Shadow

**Chapter 56: Flesh and Blood, Light and Shadow**

"Hurry, Sheik, hurry! Can't you make this horse go any faster?"

As she screamed into Sheik's ear while crouching on his shoulder, Navi ducked to avoid being struck by a low branch on a tree, another hurdle presented to them by the forest in which she and the Sheikah were traveling. Sheik, using most of his concentration to make sure his stallion Verci didn't collide with one of the enormous tree trunks in their way, didn't answer the fairy's question immediately. His hesitation made Navi impatient.

"I can _fly_ faster than this!" she snapped.

"I'm going as fast as I can safely go, Navi!" Sheik insisted. "If I go any faster, I could very well injure us with one wrong turn."

Navi wasn't satisfied by the answer, but instead of pressing the issue further she squealed, "How much longer to Lake Hylia? How much longer?"

"Not very long…woah!" Sheik answered as he pulled the reins to prevent Verci from ramming into a great oak. "Only an hour or so left. Link should've arrived there long ago, so hopefully we're not violating Ganondorf's rules…"

"Do you think he's all right?" Navi asked, suddenly looking a little worried. "I mean, if it really _is_ a trap and all…"

"Link's fine," Sheik asserted, though he didn't sound convinced himself. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he's already rescued that poor girl by the time we get there."

"If you really think that," Navi uttered, "then why are your hands shaking?"

The Sheikah's hands were indeed shaking, and it wasn't because of the jerky movements of the horse…

* * *

_CLAAAAAANNNNNGGGG…_

If one were able to contain the raw energy of a lightning storm within a single point, it would be found where the swords of Link and Dark Link collided, the Master Sword's blood-soaked metallic shell scraping against the gloomy rust of Dark Link's blade. Both opponents had swung at the exact same time; both found each other's weapon right in front of them. Sparks flew where the blades met, and muscles swelled as each swords' owner tried to overpower his respective adversary, the passion emanating from each fighter saturating the air.

However, nothing could compare to the pure intensity of the emotions locked within both Link and Dark Link's eyes…

"Heh," Dark Link spat with a smirk. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this moment."

Still straining to keep Dark Link at bay, Link snarled in his opponent's direction. "Like I give a flying flip, you wretch."

Without giving Dark Link a chance to respond, Link twisted his hands around to swing Dark Link's blade to the side, allowing him to maneuver his own sword more easily. The Master Sword skidded off the dark blade instantly, and Link used the momentum to bring his blade around into a powerful swing aimed at Dark Link's face.

Dark Link was there to counter. He raised his shadow sword to divert Link's attack – a loud clang echoed across the room as the Master Sword bounced off the sword and into a harmless direction. However, despite not injuring him, the Master Sword's blow did force Dark Link to step backwards, allowing Link to attempt another strike…only to find Dark Link's weapon to deflect the Master Sword once again.

For half a minute Link controlled the tempo of the fight: he viciously slashed at his foe from every direction as fast as he could, each attempt ending in a blow against Dark Link's waiting and defending blade. Every swipe forced Dark Link to retreat a step, and each failed effort to cut down his adversary only made Link swinging grow more violent.

Then, on an incredibly wild and uneven slash, Link's blade collided with Dark Link's sword and was pushed back as Dark Link used the momentum to form a sort of spring with his weapon. As the Master Sword twisted harmlessly away, Dark Link let go of his sword's hilt with one hand, curled that hand into a fist, and sent a punch flying towards Link's face…

_KERRUUUK…_

The unexpected blow struck Link's left cheek and sent him reeling backwards, his rearward movements erratic despite not losing his balance. As he steadied himself, his free hand reflexively moved to touch the spot where he had been hit…but he stopped it, his building rage over being struck in such a manner numbing any pain he may have experienced. Growling as a release of his frustration, he redirected his attention to Dark Link…

_SHIIIIINNNNGGG…_

Link reacted quickly enough to raise the Master Sword and redirect a sideways cut by Dark Link. The shadowy blade missed severing Link's neck, but the power behind the blow did compel him to step back. Before he could steady himself, Link saw another incoming attack and was forced to move the Master Sword in order to deflect the next slash.

Dark Link managed to get make more attempted hits before Link realized what was going on.

_"Trying to switch roles around? Like _Hael_ you will!"_

Not even waiting for Dark Link's next blow, Link ducked and pushed himself forward, barely missing his foe's next attack – a second too late and it would've been Dark Link's sword rather than his wrist that would've collided with Link's head. Unable to get a clear blow with his sword, Link instead used his free hand to pummel his opponent. This time, Link returned the favor by punching Dark Link in the stomach as hard as he could in such cramped quarters.

Dark Link, caught off guard by the attack, released a muffled groan as his body lifted into the air and crooked at the point of impact, like a bent twig that refused to snap. Taking advantage of the situation, Link stepped back and used the now ample space to raise the Master Sword above his head, ready to bring its edge down on his opponent.

As Link took a step forward, Dark Link's back abruptly snapped backwards, his arms outstretched and hands open. As his palms landed on the ground, Dark Link continued carrying the momentum in his legs, sending them into a deadly kicking arc over his head. Link had little time to respond when one of Dark Link's feet collided with his chin, sending Link into an unexpected flying retreat.

Link stumbled backwards for only a little bit, but the shockwave sent through his neck made sure he couldn't lower his head for at least several agonizing seconds. Even when he could finally drop his head once more, colorful patterns of light flowers danced around in his vision for a few seconds more before he could finally see straight. It was then that he saw Dark Link again, standing a stone's throw away, sword halfheartedly at the ready and eyes glaring sinisterly back at him.

"Heh," Dark Link sneered, rubbing his gut in mock agony. "You've got more surprises than I thought."

Stroking his chin, Link twisted his mouth to the side and spat some blood in his mouth incurred by Dark Link's sharp kick. He then grasped the hilt of the Master Sword with both hands and pointed the tip towards his opponent at an angle. He had no witty response or threatening rejoinder to Dark Link's comment, so he decided to let his actions do the talking for him.

Dark Link recognized Link's body language and snickered. "If that's the way you feel…"

Not bothering to finish his sentence, Dark Link twisted his blade behind his back, arm straight. He then bent his knees and pushed himself forward into a ferocious charge, his eyes locked on his waiting adversary. Link remained still as could be, gnashing his teeth behind his closed lips as he anticipated Dark Link's next strike…

_SWOOSH…_

As Dark Link reached his foe, he swung his blade out horizontally, trying to shear off Link's head with one clean cut. Link saw the attack coming and instantly ducked to avoid it, though he felt the serrated metal scrape past his cap. Trying to take advantage of the small window of opportunity, Link sprung upward and attempting to cut across Dark Link's torso with the Master Sword, but Dark Link retreated by bending his back and taking a couple steps rearward.

Sparks flew as both opponents' swords collided with one another as each tried again to skewer each other, but Link recovered more quickly this time. He pulled the Master Sword into a sideways arc to slash Dark Link's face; Link's counterpart tilted his neck just enough to avoid the attack. Dark Link then responded with a brutal upward assault; the blade only found air as Link twisted his arm out of the weapon's path.

Both Links then retreated a couple steps, but only to open the playing field. The adversaries then stormed towards each other again, swords ready. The scraping of metal lingered long after the blades clashed together during several more heated attacks, neither Link nor his shadow refusing to give his opponent an edge in the fight.

Finally, just as the two blades collided hard enough to send painful vibrations all the way to their hilts, Link tore through the sting felt in his hand to attempt a downward sideswipe across Dark Link's chest. Dark Link saw the attack and again arched his back, allowing the blood-soaked sheen of the Master Sword to pass harmlessly above his contorted body – he also used this unexpected moment to craft an opportunity of his own.

Planting his hands firmly on the ground, Dark Link threw his right leg into a powerful sidelong kick, landing his boot squarely in Link's hip. The blow sent Link reeling to the side and he landed on the ground with a soft thud. Blood from the wound in his mouth leaked onto the stone cobbles as he coughed violently from the attack. He didn't even have time to clean up before he saw Dark Link heading towards him, sword in a recognizable position above his head.

At the last second Link rolled to his left, the sharp ring of Dark Link's blade echoing very close to his ear as it landed a rather short distance from his face. But Link didn't merely try to dodge Dark Link's attack. Luckily his hand holding the Master Sword was directly beneath Dark Link's blade when it crashed to the ground, so a fortunate consequence of the roll was the Master Sword heaving upward and colliding with Dark Link's sword, knocking the weapon from Dark Link's grasp.

The sword sailed clumsily across the room before landing a short distance away from the two Links. Dark Link, stunned by the unexpected maneuver, glared down at his opponent before rushing off to reclaim his weapon. Link, still on his back, realized he wouldn't be able to get to Dark Link's sword before his foe could…but that didn't mean there was nothing he could do…

With lightning reflexes, Link withdrew the hookshot from his belt and aimed its ruby target at the dark sword. The recognizable bang was heard as the hookshot's arrowhead was fired, dragging its heavy chain along with it. Dark Link didn't seem to notice the sound as he dove forward, hand outstretched to retrieve his blade…

_KAPIIIINNG…_

Before Dark Link could wrap his hand around his sword's hilt, the hookshot's arrowhead collided with the blade, sending its spinning across the floor and away from Dark Link's grasp. Dark Link, unable to change his direction, helplessly tumbled into an awkward heap as he collided with the ground. He quickly tried untying himself and standing up in time, but he quickly discovered upon getting up that Link, who had returned the hookshot to his belt, was also back on his feet and readying the Master Sword for a rapid assault.

Dark Link didn't say anything or move from where he stood; he simply glared quietly and spitefully at Link, his twitching fingers boasting he was ready for any attack Link might make, even without his shadowy blade. Deciding to test Dark Link's challenge, Link dashed towards his opponent with a silent yet heated glower.

Upon reaching his rival, Link attempted a downward sideways slash. Dark Link nimbly tilted his torso to avoid the Master Sword's edge. Another attempted hack – this time a horizontal slice – also failed as Dark Link ducked beneath the blade's arc. Growing frustrated, Link made several more efforts to cut down his opponent from every direction possible, but Dark Link managed to evade every one; unburdened by the need to look for an opening to attack, Link's shadowy counterpart only focused on dodging.

Then, through his growing aggravation, Link made a careless forward thrust aimed at Dark Link's chest. Dark Link responded by nimbly sidestepping to the left, reaching out and grabbing Link's sword at the hilt. Link was a little surprised, but he refused to let go of the Master Sword. However, Dark Link had other ideas – with a swift tug, he yanked Link behind him as hard as he could, causing Link to stumble and almost crash to the ground. By the time he managed to regain control of his balance, Link turned around to see Dark Link making a break for his weapon.

Link reached for his hookshot again, but before he could even touch it Dark Link bent down and scooped up his weapon. Link's doppelganger then turned around and faced his opponent, armed once again. Angry at losing the opportunity given to him, Link roared deafeningly, blood collecting in his mouth spilling across his chin.

At first it seemed Dark Link would charge and resume the swordplay between the two fighters, but instead he lowered his sword as his baleful gaze was complimented by a sneering grin.

"You should see yourself," he smirked. "That blood dripping from your mouth…the look in your eyes…you're no better than a wild animal."

Link's only response was to growl before spitting some of the blood in his mouth to the floor.

"It's pretty obvious you hate me," Dark Link continued, "but why do you, I wonder? Is it because I tried to kill you…" Dark Link's leer widened. "…or is it because you can't stand the thought of something like me being conceived by your soul?"

The question caught Link off guard as he blinked in abrupt puzzlement.

"You call me an accident," Dark Link snickered as he swung his shadowy blade around lazily, "but I existed long before that fairy's magic connected me to your mind. Cooped up inside that wretched shell you call a body, buried deep within your soul…I've always been a part of you. It was only through convenient circumstances that I stand before you…a representation of who you _really_ are.

"So how does it feel?" Dark Link laughed maniacally. "How does it feel to look yourself in the mirror and see something you despise, knowing it's really _you_?"

Link hesitated for a moment…but only for a moment. Wiping some blood off his chin, he snarled before answering. "Feh. What is this, some kind of morality plea? A ploy to make me get on my knees and cry my eyes out over what I've become? Ha! Sorry, but I really don't give a damn what you really are."

Link's lips curled into a spiteful grimace. "All I know is that I trusted you…I believed what you said after everyone had deceived me…but when you had the chance you tried to kill me. You betrayed me, you gods-damned bastard…and you will not get away with it."

Dark Link's smile morphed into a frown, as if Link didn't get a joke of some kind. "Bah…you're no fun." He then raised his sword into a battle-ready stance…before lowering it once again. "In any case, I will admit that you're more trouble than I expected you to be…more trouble than you're worth, it seems. In fact, I'd say it's time to put an end to this little skirmish of ours."

A smile returned to Dark Link's lips as he lifted his free hand to the height of his shoulder and squished his fingertips together, palm facing upward. "So tell me," he uttered condescendingly, "if you're not bothered by what I am, then are you at least surprised that I can do _this_?"

With that last word, Dark Link's fingers swiftly sprang open…and a bright ball of light ignited in his palm. As Link watched in stunned shock, the ball of light instantly shifted into a ball of…_fire_! At first Link was unsure how his shadow counterpart was able to do that…but then his eyes lit up with realization.

"What in the name of all that is holy…you can use that?"

Dark Link appeared satisfied at Link's disbelief. "Yes, I can use Din's Fire. Are you surprised? That's nice…but not good enough! I want you to be _terrified_! I want to see you _beg for mercy_! But since you won't give me that satisfaction, you'll just have to die, you little maggot!"

Without giving Link a chance to react, Dark Link lowered his arm and aimed the ball of fire in Link's direction. Dark Link's fingers then sprang open as the ball converted into a undulating tongue of flame with a deafening, fiery roar. Link nearly found himself freezing in horror, but he quickly snapped out of it and jumped to the side, barely missing the scorching stream of flames as it sailed past him. But Link didn't just dodge – he summoned Farore's Wind and started sprinting as fast as he could away from the vicious flaming attack.

Dark Link was not far behind, swinging his arm so that his fiery tongue could follow the retreating Link and start a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" bellowed savagely. "Burn! Burn! Burn! Burn! _Burn_! _Burn_, you son of a bitch, _burn_!"

With Farore's Wind driving him, Link easily outran the relatively slow jet of fire trailing him, but the approaching wall of the chamber quickly reminded him he couldn't outrun it forever. Link knew that a direct charge at Dark Link would burn him alive; he had to get closer before he could attempt something like that. But he first had to get around the trailing stream of Din's Fire nipping at his heels…

As Dark Link continued to cackle while trying to incinerate the former Hero of Time, Link reached the wall of the chamber…and continued running straight up the wall! Borrowing his spontaneous act of desperation from the Fire Temple, Link used his momentum to sprint up across the wall about halfway to the ceiling before he launched himself outward. Dark Link, noticing this attempt to escape the barrier of fire blocking the only escape route, tried to head Link off and block his path by raising the fire's arch.

But Link sailed over the flaming attack with ease and landed on the ground on the other side of the inferno. By the time Dark Link changed the direction of his magical assault, Link was already heading straight for him, sword in one hand and his other hand's fingers twitching for some reason.

"Why don't you just _die_?" Dark Link ordered as he once again aimed the flames at Link, who was closing the gap between them at blistering speeds.

But Dark Link was too late. Just as he properly positioned his Din's Fire attack towards his opponent, Link again used his momentum to his advantage. This time, instead of ducking to the side, he _jumped_. Even Dark Link was caught by surprise as he watched his foe leap into the air and sail over his head, safely away from the threatening flames. And Dark Link was still astonished when Link, while in the air, aimed his free hand down at his shadowy counterpart.

It didn't take Dark Link much to figure out what Link was doing…

_FWOOOOOOSH…_

Seconds before a cascade of fire was released from Link's own hand, Dark Link ceased his own production of Din's Fire and speedily rolled out of the way, barely missing the unexpected counterattack. The bewilderment affected Dark Link's ability to stand up, and by the time he was on his two feet again he turned around just in time to see Link land on his feet and waste no time in making a charge, Farore's Wind still flowing through his body.

Irritated at Link's defiance, Dark Link made a charge of his own, his dark sword raised to slice open his opponent's innards. At the same time, Link readied the Master Sword for another strike, hoping to separate his adversary's head from his body…

_KLIIIIIIIISSSSHHH…_

A hail of sparks and embers lit up the room as the two blades collided and locked together once again, each fighter struggling to overpower the other but unsuccessful in getting his foe to budge. Grunts of agony and relentlessness were heard from both warriors, and again the air became soaked with passionate ire.

"Heh…" Dark Link groaned as he stared into his rival's eyes. "Back where we started, is it? This is becoming a nasty habit for you."

Link didn't say anything; his narrowing eyes and his gnashing teeth behind his closed lips were more than enough to speak for him.

"You think you can beat me, but you can't…" Dark Link boasted, unsuccessfully trying to twist his sword to disrupt Link's balance. "I can fight you like this forever…but you will wear out. So how does it feel to know that you will die, you filthy worm? How does it feel…?"

"Peeaaaaaahhh!"

All of a sudden, Link _spat_ at Dark Link's face, and blood that had been collecting inside his mouth sputtered directly into the shadowy creature's eyes. Dark Link shrieked as huge globules of blood blinded him, and he instinctively shifted his attention to getting the warm liquid out of his eyes.

That was all Link needed.

"_Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa_!"

With his first war cry since the battle began, Link threw all of his weight against his opponent, throwing Dark Link askew as the shadowy doppelganger thrashed and tumbled backwards. Not wasting any time, Link rushed forward and planted a solid punch in Dark Link's gut, this time aiming the punch downward to force his foe to the ground. Dark Link, unable to even see the attack coming, screeched madly as he crashed to the floor with a soft crack.

With Dark Link firmly planted on the ground, Link stood up and set his foot on Dark Link's stomach, pinning his adversary tightly. Then, leaving no opportunity for any kind of escape, Link took the Master Sword in both hands with the sword pointing downward. Link raised the blade into the air like a dagger, his spiteful gaze staring down at his now helpless opponent.

"Die…_aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh_!"

_KUUUUUUNNNNNNNGGGGG…_

All the air around him seemed to vibrate deafeningly as the Master Sword sank deep into Dark Link's throat and struck the stony floor beneath it. Dark Link continued to scream for what seemed like an eternity…before he abruptly fell silent, his thrashing body growing still. The sinister look in his eyes seemed to fade away slowly and eerily, as if whatever spirit dwelling with him refused to accept this unexpected conclusion to the battle.

Dark Link…had been defeated.

Link didn't smile, cry out in victory, or anything of that nature; instead he took the time to catch his breath, allowing the wound in his mouth some air in hopes of stopping the bleeding. Not once did his eyes leave the body of Dark Link beneath him, rather gazing over the caress of the dark side of his soul…

_"You know what _your_ nasty habit is?"_ Link snapped at the shadowy corpse in his mind. _"You talk too much!"_

As silence filled the chamber and Link's breathing evened out, he studied his shadowy counterpart's carcass slowly, his eyes tracing each murky appendage carefully. Even though he knew that Dark Link was a physical manifestation of essence stolen from Link's body, Link was still mystified by this…this…_creature_. He had so many questions he wanted answered, but now he would never have that chance.

Dark Link had appeared so suddenly, and now he was gone just as quickly. He had desired to kill Link out of loathing, but he had been slain by the hand of the very person he wanted to kill.

If anything, it was rather anticlimactic…

Finally lowering his eyes away from Dark Link's body, Link smiled weakly, releasing a long sigh of relief. Whatever this…_thing_ was, it was no more. And unexpectedly, it had also helped him get Ganondorf off his back…

_"Wait a minute…Ganondorf…_Malon_! I forgot about Malon!"_

Link quickly glanced up and turned his head to face the end of the chamber. He half expected to see Malon affected in some way by the skirmish, but to his relief he saw the farm girl was unharmed. He relaxed even more when he noticed that Malon's breathing was noticeable even from this distance – she still wasn't yet awake, but her breathing was stabilizing. She was going to be all right.

"Malon!" he called out happily as he started to straighten his back. "I'm coming, Malon! Just hold o…!"

_CHIIIIIIIIIIIIKKKKK…_

At first Link only felt something prod him, but it only took a moment for him to realize it was more than that. Pain soared up his torso like liquid fire, paralyzing his muscles and forcing his eyes and mouth wide open in excruciating shock. Time seemed to slow down as Link's instincts took over and compelled his neck muscles to move. He turned his head slowly and deliberately, as if one wrong move would mean his demise, before he listlessly lowered his gaze.

The first thing he saw was his own face looking back up him, smiling wickedly with malevolence buried deep within his eyes. He then saw the Master Sword, still buried within the shadowy corpse's neck…having absolutely no ill effect on the carcass! And he saw an arm, extending upward with something in its hand…it was a sword…a long, deadly, shadowy blade…and its tip was buried deep within Link's stomach.

As he looked back up, he hear the familiar, mocking voice of Dark Link…

"You gullible little sod."

With a widening smile, Dark Link used his arm to thrust the black blade deeper into Link's stomach, sending a fresh wave of pain crawling up Link's chest. Link coughed violently as every nerve in his body screamed, his voice unable to even cry out because of the overwhelming pain. In fact, it was a miracle that he was even able to hold onto the Master Sword, still lodged in Dark Link's throat…

"You actually let down your guard…and for _what_? That wench chained to the wall over there? You're more pathetic than I thought!"

With the frivolity of removing a speck of dirt, Dark Link used his free hand to casually brush aside Link's foot planted in his chest. Then, still keeping his sword inserted in Link's abdomen, Dark Link slowly and nonchalantly stood up…_with the Master Sword still stuck in his throat_! When Link's shadowy counterpart was completely erect, he gazed scornfully at the former Hero of Time, whose green shirt was stained with blood oozing from the wound in his stomach. Link struggled to look up and face his foe, but most of his strength was being used to hold on to the Master Sword…

With a snickering smile, Dark Link raised his free hand and used his fingers to trace along the edge of the Master Sword. "You really are full of surprises. Blinding me with your blood like that…something I never expected even after living in that pitiable body of yours for as long as I have. I'll admit it: I'd be dead right about now if it weren't for one tiny detail…"

Dark Link's voice seemed to grow more menacing as he revealed the answer to his own riddle: "I can't die."

Link didn't even have the energy to display shock on his face upon hearing that.

"Did you really think you can just kill me as if I were an ordinary person? Sorry, but I don't work like that. I'm the physical embodiment of the essence of your dark and twisted soul. In other words, I'm more spirit than flesh. I…don't…bleed. So no matter how many times you cut me down with that little toy of yours…I will never die."

It took a few moments for the revelation to sink into Link's mind, and when it did his face vaguely betrayed his frustration at being duped. He tried to say something to the sneering Dark Link, but he couldn't get anything out amidst several violent coughs.

Still, it didn't take Dark Link much to recognize what Link wanted to ask. "You're wondering why I made myself look vulnerable? I will confess I could've just walked up to you and run you through without a second thought…"

Dark Link's wicked smile somehow widened even farther as he trailed off. He then grabbed the Master Sword and, with one abrupt tug, removed the blade from his neck with nary a scratch on him. The Master Sword swung like a lazy pendulum to the ground, making a dull clang upon striking the cobblestones. Dark Link then finished his sentence with superfluous ridicule.

"…but where's the fun in that?"

When Link heard those words, he finally managed to properly express emotion on his face, this time displaying unabated anger. "Ack…you…gods-da…gods-damned…bas…ack…bastar…a-ach…tard…"

"Oh, did I touch a nerve?" Dark Link scoffed.

Getting sick of his counterpart taking pleasure in his helplessness, Link groaned as he summoned as many temple energies as he could. Some strength returned to his body, masking the pain emanating from his torso, and Link glared vindictively at Dark Link before he raised his hand towards his adversary's face, palm open.

But Dark Link didn't even flinch in surprise or terror. Instead he threw his head back and laughed as hard as he could. "Do my eyes deceive me? Are you _really_ attempting to use Din's Fire against me?"

Link didn't know why Dark Link found it amusing, but he didn't let up. "I'm…going to burn…you…ack…al…alive, you…bloody…"

"Oh, come now!" Dark Link interjected. "Like that'll do _anything _against me! I fed off your energies even before they awakened within you! Do you really think I can be _harmed_ by them?"

Link hesitated at those words. Was Dark Link telling the truth, or was it just a trick to throw him off…?

"You, on the other hand…"

Taking advantage of Link's pause, Dark Link lifted his right hand and placed it directly in front of Link's face. Before Link could even protest, Dark Link grabbed Link's face between his fingers and squeezed as hard as he could, making sure Link couldn't wrestle his face away. But Link didn't even have time to react when a bright flash erupted in Dark Link's hand, and a sudden burning sensation instantly seeped into Link's skin wherever Dark Link's hand touched his face.

But the worst part wasn't the painful scorching, as Link made perfectly clear when he finally screamed:

"Aaaaaaaahhhhh….my eyes! My eyes! I can't see!"

Dark Link sustained the bright light against Link's face for a few moments longer before he finally removed his hand. Link, forgetting he still had a sword in his belly, let go of the Master Sword and raised both hands to his face in a futile effort to save his vision, all the while screaming at the top of his voice.

"My face! My face! I can't see a thing! My eyes! My…_eeeeaaaaaarrrrrghhh_!"

Without warning, Dark Link grabbed his shadowy blade with both hands and yanked its tip from Link's stomach with a brutal wrench. Then, not giving Link the chance to respond, Dark Link planted his foot against Link's chest and shoved him to the floor with a powerful kick. Link landed on his back with a loud thud, but the pain from the impact was nothing compared to the pain clawing from his stomach and crawling across his face. He squirmed on the floor in agony, his hands covering his seared face as he struggled in vain to see again.

Then, amidst the cries of suffering and distress, Link heard someone clapping. Even though he could barely see anything, he didn't have to guess to know who it was…

"Very, very good," Dark Link's voice derided as Link's doppelganger walked around him at a slow and steady pace. "This is absolutely brilliant. The former Hero of Time rushes out to rescue his girl friend from certain death, and now he lies on the floor crying like a little baby, completely and utterly helpless."

Dark Link then stopped clapping and his voice took on a more irritated and threatening tone. "I warned you, didn't I? I warned you what would happen. I told you not to go on this foolish rescue, but did you listen to me? Did you listen at all to my advice? _Did you_?"

Without waiting for an answer, Dark Link swiftly kicked Link in the stomach, right where he had skewered Link's belly. Link released a muffled cry of anguish as he rolled powerlessly across the floor, finally using one of his hands to grasp from where the pain in his stomach was stemming.

"Of _course_ you didn't!" Dark Link accused as he casually strolled up next to the vulnerable Link. "You had to actually come all the way down here to save her! And what happened because of it? Now you're lying on the floor like the pathetic piece of filth you _are_!"

Dark Link then sent another powerful kick into Link's stomach, sending the former Hero of Time reeling across the ground like a rag doll.

"And all of this could've been avoid if you had just _listened_ to me!" Dark Link continued, his rage noticeably building with each sentence. "I told you never to go back to that wretched farm, to never see that little bitch ever again! If you had just listened to me, you would never be here! But what did you do? _You had to go ahead and disregard my advice, you little shit_!"

Another kick landed in Link's stomach, this one more violent than the first two. Link had no idea how far he rolled across the floor this time, but when he stopped he felt pain in almost every fiber in his body. But he did notice his vision was returning…

"You truly are pathetic," Dark Link spat as he again walked up to the ineffective Link. "With my help you could've been the most powerful being in this world. But you gave in to the whims of a girl, and look at you now. You're worthless. _Worthless_."

Link expected Dark Link to kick him in the stomach again, but this time his shadowy counterpart landed a blow directly in the back of Link's head, knocking out Link's returning vision for a few moments. However, after those few moments passed, Link could amazingly see properly again, no longer blinded by the bright light.

And the first thing he saw was the Master Sword, lying just out of arm's reach from his head.

Link had no idea how or why Dark Link had kicked him all the way back in the direction of the Master Sword, but that didn't matter. He needed that sword. Yes, Dark Link couldn't be defeated by physical attacks, but maybe he was lying about the temple energies not affecting him. If he could get the Master Sword back, he just might be able to defeat his dark counterpart.

Without even thinking, Link reached out feebly with his right hand, hoping to grab the sword and somehow turn the tables against his opponent. He was so determined to retrieve the legendary blade he didn't even notice how slow his hand was moving.

_"Almost…almost…"_ he whispered hoarsely in his mind. _"Nearly there…"_

_CHUUUUNNNNKKK…_

"_Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh_!"

Despite being impaled through the stomach and kicked around and blinded, nothing compared to the pain he experienced as Dark Link's blade flew out of nowhere and skewered the back of Link's hand, tearing through flesh and bone and emerging effortlessly through the palm. The intensity of Link's scream was only matched by the sadistic pitch of Dark Link's laugh.

"What are you trying to do now?" Dark Link sneered. "Thinking you can get back into the fight by picking up your precious Master Sword? Did you not hear a single word I said? Maybe I wasn't clear enough for you…"

Dark Link then firmly gripped the hilt of his sword…and _twisted the blade around_! Link's agonizing scream continued as the bones and muscles in his hand were torn apart from the inside. Blood splattered everywhere as the wound was opened by the sword's twisting, and the hand's fingers quivered ferociously before finally growing limp, unable to move.

With a loud, sickening squelch, Dark Link withdrew his sword from Link's hand, which was now a warped, bloody mess. Link, who didn't have enough energy to scream anymore, gaped in disbelief as he saw what had happened to his hand. He tried moving it in the slim hope of it still being able to work, but the pain that shot up his arm at the attempt made it clear his hand had been permanently crippled.

"No…" Link whispered, unable to tear his eyes away from his disfigured appendage. "My hand…my hand…"

"As I said before," Dark Link growled, as if disappointed with Link's reaction. "You're pathetic." A loud clang was heard as Dark Link's sword's tip landed on the ground a mere few inches from Link's face. "Why don't we cut to the chase and finally end your miserable little existence. You…"

"Link…Link…is that…you…?"

The soft, weak voice drifted towards the two Links' ears from far across the room, and both turned their heads to see a familiar figure slowly drift out of unconsciousness. As if unaware she was chained to the wall, Malon looked around the room lazily and unhurriedly, as if she were still half-asleep.

"That girl…she's awake," Dark Link snarled.

"Malon…" Link murmured loudly.

"Link, I…" the farm girl weakly uttered as she continued to scan the room. "I can't…see you. Everything…is so…so…hazy…Link, where are you? Where are you, Link…Link…"

Dark Link glanced back and forth between Link and Malon for a moment, noticing Malon's dazedness and Link's obvious concern for her…before smiling evilly. "Hmmm…maybe there's more fun to be had, after all," he grinned down at the helpless Link before walking off in Malon's direction.

"Wait…what are you going to do?" Link whispered at the departing Dark Link. "Stop! Leave her alone! Don't you dare go near her!"

But Dark Link didn't pay attention. Instead he leisurely strolled his way across the chamber and towards the chained up Malon, who was still looking around in a sort of dazed stupor. Upon reaching her, Dark Link turned back to look at Link one more time, smiling sinisterly, knowing Link's frail voice couldn't reach Malon's ears.

Dark Link then turned his attention to Malon and spoke in a soft, gentle tone. "Malon…Malon, I'm here."

At the sound of what appeared to be Link's voice, Malon's head perked up. "Link…is that you?"

"Yes, it's me, Malon," Dark Link caringly replied. "Don't worry, I'm here now. Everything is going to be all right."

Upon hearing those words, Malon's blank eyes started to fill with fragments of emerging tears. "Link…thank the Three Goddesses…I knew you would come for me. I never gave up hope. I knew you would rescue me. I knew…"

"Shhh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh," Dark Link whispered softly to Malon, placing a finger delicately on her lips. "It's all right, Malon. You're safe. I would never abandoned you. I would never abandon the girl I care most about in this world. Never."

A noticeable flush emerged on Malon's cheeks. "Link…I don't…"

"You don't have to say anything," Dark Link whispered as he leaned in close to Malon's face, blowing delicately on the farm girl's lips. "I'm just glad to have you back, safe and sound, Malon…my dearest, precious Malon."

Malon's eyelids fluttered gently as her lips quivered. "Oh, Link…I…I…"

_WHAP…_

"Malon, no!"

But Link's croaky voice could barely even reach the poor farm girl as Dark Link abruptly took the back of his hand and _slapped_ Malon as hard as he could across the face, almost sending Malon's head crashing into the wall behind her. The farm girl, completely surprised at being struck by "Link", looked up with her blank stare with a look of shock.

"Link…what are you…why are you…?"

"If only you knew, you little whore," Dark Link scoffed in a deeper voice before using the same hand to slap Malon's other cheek.

"Link…Link…" Malon uttered shakily before being interrupted by another slap across the face.

"Did you say something?" Dark Link roared. "Did I give you permission to speak, wench?" He then slapped her again. "I don't think so. I don't _think so_!" Several more slaps across the face followed, each one with enough force to knock Malon off her feet if she were actually standing.

Malon's tears of joy quickly turned into tears of heartache. "Link…what are you doing…please…stop…"

"Shut up!" Link bellowed, silencing the farm girl with several more slaps. "I don't want to hear your voice again, you little wench! The sound of your voice makes me want to retch!"

Dark Link then slapped Malon again, this time hard enough to send her head flying into the wall behind her. She released a painful gasp as her skull cracked against the stone, opening a wound just above her right eye. As her head sagged back in front, blood started to drip down her cheek and into her gaping mouth, ignoring the trail of tears trickling down her face.

"Link…how could you…how could…?"

"Don't ask me such stupid questions!" Link snapped after adding several more slaps. "You make me sick! I don't know why I came here, but it certainly wasn't to save a wretched little girl like you!"

"Link…"

"_Silence_!"

Dark Link then proceeded to smack Malon's face repeatedly at a blistering pace, each slap seemingly harder than the one before it. Malon's face soon became red all over, and the blood crawling down her cheek slid off her face in rapid succession. Dark Link then finished the barrage of blows by curling his hand up into a fist and landing a solid punch against her cheek, once again sending her face crashing into the wall. As Malon's head hung limply from her head in front of her, the farm girl started to cry more openly, tears streaming down her face in torrents.

"Pah! You're worthless," Link barked at the bawling redhead. "You don't deserve any sympathy, you pathetic little…"

"_Maaallooooonnnn_!"

The sudden cry behind him caused Dark Link to turn his head and look behind him. He wasn't all that surprised to see Link crawling his way along the floor towards Malon, his good hand scratching against the ground and his crippled hand curled up against his bloody stomach. Burn marks were seared deep into Link's face, but the look in his eyes was one of determination and resolve despite the evident pain racing through his body. The Master Sword, oddly enough, was in his left hand…

"L-Link…" Malon spluttered, looking around with her blind gaze again. "Link…?"

"Malon…I'm…I'm coming…" Link called out as loud as he could, struggling to suppress the pain caused by raising his voice. "Hang on…"

Malon's eyes lit up with understanding, and she directed her gaze towards Dark Link. She still couldn't see very well, but she could obviously make out shadows. "You…you're not Link…you're not…my Link…"

Dark Link paused for a moment…before erupting into a vigorous cackle. "Oh, isn't this precious?" he howled before looking back at Link. "Here comes the great hero to save the damsel in distress from her tormentor. But what can he do when her tormentor is immortal? What, pray tell, can he possibly do to save her?"

Link's eyes narrowed as he glowered angrily at his counterpart. "If you touch Malon again…I will _rip your heart out_!"

Another loud laugh was heard from Dark Link. "Oh, really? How wonderful…although I do wonder how you can accomplish such a task when I don't even have a heart."

As Dark Link spoke, Malon's head gazed around the room frantically, trying to see any possible trace of the real Link. "Link…where are you…I can't see you…where are you, Link? Link…"

Malon abruptly stopped speaking when she felt something sharp press against her throat. She couldn't see what it was, but Link certainly could, and he stretched out his good hand in desperation as he watched Dark Link's sword rest against Malon's gullet.

"How about shutting that little trap of yours, girl?" Dark Link smirked.

"Get your filthy hands off Malon, you bastard!" Link demanded. "If you harm her, I will…!"

"Harm her? You mean like this?" Dark Link then jerked his blade across Malon's neck brusquely, long enough to cause a small trickle of blood to dribble down her neck.

Link nearly lost it when he saw that. "How dare you! Let her go! Let her go now or I swear you will rue the day you ever crossed me!"

Dark Link tilted his head a little bit…before snorting loudly in laughter, obviously trying to hold back much of his mirth. "Oh, boy…this is better than I expected! Even your _threats_ are as weak as you!"

Then, to Link's surprise, Dark Link lowered his sword from Malon's neck. "Still," Link's double continued, "I would certainly love to see if you can carry out your threat – it'll certainly amuse me before I cut your head off. But what can I do to provoke you into doing that? I wonder…" Dark Link then glanced knowingly at Malon. "Oh…I know…!"

When he saw Dark Link raise his sword into the air, Link's eyes widened in horror as he realized what his opponent was about to do. "No! Don't! Stop! Leave her alone!"

A wicked smile emerged on Dark Link's lips. "Too late! You came here because you wanted to save her, so now you must pay the price! Say goodbye to your little whore!"

"No! _Don't_!"

"_Yeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa_…!"

_CLAAAAANNNNNGGGGG…_

As first Dark Link didn't know what had happened. As soon as he had swung his sword to cut down the farm girl, the blade had…_bounced_ away harmlessly, not getting anywhere near her. But it took him a second to discover the reason: surrounding Malon was a kind of pinkish barrier of light, wrapped around her like a protective ball. And he instantly knew where this barrier had come from…

Dark Link returned his attention to Link, who had dropped the Master Sword and was now aiming his good hand at Malon with his palm open. The former Hero of Time was calling forth another one of his spells, one that didn't involve fire or speed…

"Heh!" Dark Link leered. "So you think you can protect you little girl friend by using Nayru's Love, do you? What kind of idiot do you take me for?"

Link expected Dark Link to rush up to him and somehow get Link to remove the barrier…like maybe _lopping off_ his hand this time. But instead Dark Link raised his free hand and placed it against the cherry-colored barricade.

"I was born from these exact same energies, so I'm not only immune to them…I can also _negate_ them!"

Suddenly, the light barrier surrounding Malon _exploded_, shattering into a thousand tiny pieces that quickly dissolved into the air. Dark Link's smile widened as he clenched the fist that had "negated" the protective shield, proving that his claim of being immune to Link's magic was no idle boast. But only one thing was on Link's mind, and that was the horrific fact that his defense for Malon had…had…_failed_!

"Okay, enough of this garbage," Dark Link announced. "It's time to end this."

Instead of raising his sword again, Dark Link instead carefully positioned the tip of his sword against Malon's left breast. He then gripped the hilt tightly with both hands and positioned himself directly in front of her…before turning back to look at Link one more time.

"Say goodbye…hero."

"Malon! No, Malon!" Link pleaded, struggling to scrape his way towards his friend as fast as he could despite the futility of doing so. "No! Please! No, please! _Pleeeeeaaaaassssseee_!"

"Link!" Malon called out, recognizing the urgency of the situation. "Link, help me, please! Link…Link…_Liiiiiinnnnnnkkkk_…!"

_KRUUUUUCCCCKKK…_

"_Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo_!"

The sound of Dark Link's sword entering Malon's chest with a firm thrust was probably the most stomach-turning thing Link had ever heard. The sound of his foe's gloomy blade ripping through her flesh, cracking her bones…possibly penetrating her heart…it was enough to make him vomit in revulsion. Time seemingly slowed down as Malon's body jerked backwards in response to the sword piercing her chest, her eyes growing wide with fear and hopelessness, her mouth open with a voiceless scream. The final nail in the coffin came when the familiar sound of Dark Link's sword hitting the stone wall _behind _her was heard, signifying the blade had gone all the way through her body.

As blood began to drain from the fresh wound, Malon's body seemed to suspend itself in the air for a few brief seconds…before her lips mouthed off a single word:

"Liii-iiinnn-nnkk…"

With that single word, her head dropped down and her eyes closed. Not a single movement was seen from her afterwards.

Link's face grew white as a sheet, his breathing rapidly deteriorating into stuttering gasps as he witnessed something he was unable to accept. He wanted to look away, try to tell himself that what he saw didn't happen, but the image of Malon wilting like a plucked flower was now forever burned in his mind as a reminder of her death…and his failure to save her.

"Malon…no…" he mumbled, his throat choked with tears he refused to cry. "Malon…you can't be dead…you can't be…no…Malon…"

He didn't know how he finally managed to look away, but even then he still couldn't rid himself of the memory of Malon's slaying. His raised hand slowly lowered itself to the floor, followed soon by his head. His strength began draining from his body, and pain from every single injury on his person took the opportunity to attack him from all fronts. But Link didn't care about the physical pain.

It was the pain in his heart that tore him apart…

"It's not true…it's not true…it's just not true…"

As he stared out into nothingness, images of Malon started flashing before his eyes. Memories of her during his days as a child…dreams of her during his recent stay at Lon Lon Ranch…every single recollection he could have of her seemed to enter his mind within a fraction of a second. He so desperately wanted to ignore them, but he forced himself to watch them, as if in penance for letting her die at the hands of Dark Link…

No…Dark Link didn't kill her…

_"I did it…I killed her…I killed her…"_

It was true. Link was responsible for her death. Dark Link may have been the one who had slain her…but who had _created_ Dark Link? Who had allowed that abomination to fester inside his mind for as long as he had? Who had ignored the warning signs…not to mention Sheik's advice?

_He_ had.

And for _what_? For independence? For his own selfishness? So he could say that he made a _choice_? He had forsaken that dreadful title as the Hero of Time and everyone who had betrayed him…at the cost of Malon's life! He didn't want to even _think_ that such a hideous idea was even possible…but it was staring at him straight in the face, as undeniable as the magic that dwelled within his soul.

_"It was me…it was me…it was me…"_

The line rolled inside Link's mind over and over as he forced himself to accept it. His egotism had led him to this point, and now he was paying for being so blind to the rest of the world him…just as Sheik, the one who had betrayed him, had just several days ago. And when Link first confronted Dark Link in this very chamber, he completely forgot about Malon, thinking only of killing the Voice who had turned against him. If he had thought of getting Malon to safety, she would still be…still be…be…

It was at that moment that Link's warped mind focused on a single thought that played inside his head over and over despite how ludicrous it sounded:

_"I…want to protect her! I want to protect her! She's dead, but…I want to protect her…to protect Malon…I want to protect my friend! I want to…to protect my…my friend! To protect my friend! Even if I die…I want to protect my friend! Malon…even though you're dead…I want to protect you…I want to protect you…I will protect you…I…will…protect…you…!"_

Somewhere, deep inside Link's heart, something began to stir…

* * *

"Ah, now that's more like it!"

Dark Link's smiled with satisfaction as he slowly withdrew his blade from Malon's chest, marveling at his handiwork. The poor farm girl hung from her chains as if they were a crucifix, blood pouring from her wounds and covering her body all over. When his sword was completely extracted, Dark Link took one final look at the sagging farm girl.

_"Such a stupid little girl,"_ he grinned inside his mind. _"Her attachment to that weakling was nauseating. But at least she's finally rotting like a good carcass should. Now to take care of…wait, what's this?"_

Noticing some movement, Dark Link leaned in closer to Malon's blood-soaked mouth. To his astonishment, he heard the faint signs of breathing escaping her lips. The farm girl was still alive!

_"What in the Hael…? She's not dead? Damn it! I must've missed her heart! Still, that's easy enough to rectify."_

Taking a step back, Dark Link raised his sword once again, this time to cut off the farm girl's head with one clean stroke. _"This time for sure…"_

"_Yoooooooooouuuuuuuuuuu_!"

The passion heard in the cry was more than enough to get Dark Link to turn around…and for the second time in the same minute he was astonished by what he saw. Link, the boy who only minutes ago could barely crawl across the floor with a crippled hand, was _standing up_. Sure, he was _barely_ standing up, obviously feeling the effects of the wounds in his stomach and his mangled hand…but the look in his eyes told Dark Link that Link didn't care one bit about that…

"You're going to pay, you bloody bastard!" Link hollered at the top of his lungs. "You will _pay_! I will not rest until you are _dead_ for what you've done!"

At first Dark Link was speechless…but then his lips curled into a smile as he uttered, "Are you still around?"

Instead of answering Dark Link's contemptuous question, Link raised his left hand…which held the Master Sword in its grasp. It was glaringly evident that Link had very little experience in fighting with his left hand, but the fervor in his eyes made it clear he would fight with _no_ hands if need be.

Stifling a laugh, Dark Link shook his head. "Do you really wish to fight me in that condition?" He then twirled his dark sword around several times before nodding. "Very well…if it'll finally get you to lay down and die."

With a confident swagger, Dark Link began marching his way towards Link, his sword dangling casually by his side. Link, propped up only by his zealous resolve, started inching his way forward, unable to even take a step without igniting the pain inside his body. Both adversaries knew that this would be the final showdown between them.

Someone was going to die…

As he got closer and closer to his opponent, Dark Link noticed something interesting about the Master Sword: its blade was glowing white hot, indicating that Link was channeling the temple energies through his body, particularly the energies from the Temple of Light. This only made him laugh even more.

"Think I'm going to fall to your sword like those pathetic Poe Sisters did?" he cackled. "Think I'll burn upon touching whatever energy is channeling through your sword? Ha! If you won't listen to reason, I guess I'll just have to _show_ you!"

Without waiting for a retort, Dark Link raised his sword into the air and charged, intending to bring it down on Link's head and end this battle once and for all. Link, still quite weak, could only raise the Master Sword to block the attack. He couldn't run, he couldn't dodge, he couldn't even fight…all he could do was hope he could block…and pray…

"This is the end!" Dark Link bellowed upon reaching his foe. "Now _diiiiiiieeeeeeee_!"

_CLLLAAAAAAAANNNNNNNGGGGG…CLLLAAAAAANNNNNNGGGGG…_

The first clang the Master Sword as it struck the floor. Dark Link's sword had struck it with such frightening force that it knocked the Master Sword right out of Link's hand. Link, who was too weak even to withstand such a strong blow against his hand, nearly dropped to his knees as he helpless watched his blade tumble out of his gasp.

The second clang came from Dark Link's blade as it struck down the Master Sword…

…and snapped in two…

…and the broken tip rattled its way through the air before landing a long distance away, wedging itself between the cobblestones.

The deafening silence that followed lasted for what seemed like forever. Both Link and Dark Link were unable to move after what had just inexplicably occurred…but it was Dark Link who was frozen in pure shock. He gazed in bewilderment at his broken sword, forced to witness that somehow his blade had broken in two like a dried twig. It was the first time since being extracted from Link's soul that Dark Link experienced true confusion…

"What…what is this?" Dark Link finally blurted out. "What's going on here? What happened to my sword?" He looked down at Link, who was struggling to remain standing. "What did you do? Answer me, before I…"

Suddenly, with speed that neither fighter would've even thought possible in Link's current condition, Link leapt forward and reached out with his left hand, grabbing Dark Link's face and wrapping its fingers around his head…just as Dark Link had done earlier to Link. Almost instantly Dark Link felt something against his skin…something was causing his face to _melt_! A split moment later his skin started to _smoke_…

"Aahhhhhhh!" Dark Link screamed, quickly trying to tear his face away. Luckily for him, Link's grip on Dark Link's face wasn't too strong, so Link's counterpart managed to wrestle away from the former Hero of Time's grasp rather easily. But even then smoke still drifted from his skin, and Dark Link dropped the remnants of his sword and covered his face with his hands to try and subdue whatever was razing him.

"It burns! It burns!" he wailed, throwing his head in every direction imaginable. "It _buuuurrrrnnnns_!"

Dark Link thrashed around so much that by the time he lowered his hands he left quite a distance between him and Link, who was watching him with a kind of perverse satisfaction. Unable to endure seeing his adversary enjoy this, Dark Link lowered his hands…and revealed his face, now charred beyond recognition, burn scars running down everywhere in horrendous disfigurations.

By chance, Dark Link managed to catch his reflection in one of the waterfalls on the side of the chamber…and grew livid beyond comprehension when he saw what had become of his face.

"What did you do you me, you wretched bastard?" Dark Link commanded. "How can you do this to me? Din's Fire shouldn't even be able to harm me! What's going on? _Answer me_!"

Link didn't immediately answer. Despite the satisfaction in watching his dark counterpart in agony, Link betrayed in his eyes his true desire: to kill the creature who had dared harm his friend. Remaining silent, he quietly bent down and picked up the Master Sword, and then stood up as tall as he could in his condition. With a look of tenacity in his face, Link raised his blade and pointed it directly at his opponent.

It was a direct challenge…no, a _threat_.

"I didn't use Din's Fire, you bastard."

Dark Link snapped his head back in genuine surprise at Link's revelation. "_What_?"

"You lied to me. You _can_ be harmed by the energies that flow through me…because _that's all I'm using_!" Link barked with a fierce tone. "Now all I have to do is _touch_ you…and you will burn in the fires of Hael where you belong. I told you I will not rest until you are dead…and I am going to keep my word."

Dark Link gazed blankly at the intimidating former Hero of Time…before he snarled viciously. "I don't know what garbage you're spouting…but you honestly think I'm going just going to lay down and die for you? You think I can't beat you without my sword? You forget one thing…I can do things other than use a sword."

Dark Link then raised _both _of his hands and aimed their open palms directly at Link. "You say I should burn in the fires of Hael? Why don't you try it _first_?"

An instant later, two streams of fire burst forth from Dark Link's hands, soaring straight for the seemingly disabled Link to burn him to a crisp. Dark Link's look of anger turned one of glee as his logic told him that there was no way Link could escape this attack in his current state.

But Dark Link's logic proved to be wrong. Moments before being swallowed by the tongues of flame, Link reached behind his back with his right hand…and his right arm reemerged with his shield. Link then raised his shield up against the fires and, amazingly, started running at mild speeds that suggested he had summoned Farore's Wind to boost his flaccid swiftness.

Something was allowing Link to fight his crippling pain…something…

The flames collided with the shield with a loud sizzle, but Link managed to push against the flames with an unanticipated amount of force. Dark Link, shocked to see his foe wasn't as helpless as he had anticipated, tried summoning more fire to strengthen his attack. But still Link pressed on, using his shield to keep the jets of flame at bay as he trudged towards his shadowy doppelganger. The smell of blistered skin emanating from Link's arm indicated the shield was growing hot enough to burn his flesh, but he didn't seem to be bothered by it in the least.

After all, it was nothing compared to the pain from his other wounds…not to mention the pain in his heart…

_"Just a little closer…"_ Link whispered in his mind, inching his way towards his adversary. _"Just a little closer and then I will _kill_ this bas…"_

Just then, the flames stopped.

Link quickly lowered his shield, but he was too late to react to the sight of Dark Link charging towards him, hands still outstretched. Link tried to get away by leaping to the side, but Dark Link was too quick for him. The shadowy double collided with Link with tremendous might, throwing Link off balance and causing him to fall onto his back with a loud crash. Link rolled several times along the ground before he managed to stop himself, but before he could get up he felt a bony knee dig into his chest, pinning him to the ground.

Link didn't even have a chance to speak when he felt two cold, clammy hands wrap around his throat, their grip tightening around his windpipe. Looking up, Link saw his twin staring down at him with an uncontrollable rage in his eyes, his teeth gnashing ferociously as the burns on his face pulsed, as if trying to bleed blood that didn't exist. Vapors already began to drift from where Dark Link's hands touched Link's skin, but Link's counterpart didn't seem to care.

"I'll kill you!" Dark Link exclaimed as he squeezed as hard as he could, ignoring the burning sensation in his hands. "I'll break your filthy little neck before you can burn my hands off!_ I'll break your_ _gods-damned neck_!"

Link tried desperately to swing his sword at his foe…but to his horror he discovered he had dropped the Master Sword! He glanced to the left and saw the blade lying several feet away, just out of reach of his hand. Gritting his teeth in determination, Link tried stretching his arm to reach his weapon, but to no avail. As Link writhed in a vain attempt to get closer to his sword, Dark Link's sadistic grin widened.

"Yes! Squirm!" he roared. "Squirm like the maggot you are! Squirm, damn you _squirm_!"

In an apparent attempt to hasten the breaking of Link's neck, Dark Link shook Link's collar, whipping Link's head back and forth violently against the hard stone floor beneath him. Ordinarily such blows would've knocked Link unconscious, but all that resulted from these jolts were more wounds to add to his growing collection. Link refused to die like this…he would not give in to this…this…_monster_…

His instincts taking over, Link used the remainder of his dwindling strength to lift his hand - his _mangled _hand – towards Dark Link's hands. As carefully as he could, Link wrapped his broken, limp fingers around Dark Link's wrists. He didn't need to grab them or anything like that; simply placing them in this position would be more than enough.

Already Link's twisted hand was beginning to burn Dark Link's wrists, but the dark counterpart refused to loosen his grip on Link's gullet – if anything, he only tightened his stranglehold even further.

"Too late for last-minute heroics!" Dark Link sneered through his noticeable anguish. "Too late…!"

Suddenly, something started to glow on the back of Link's crippled hand, catching Dark Link off guard. Because Link's hand was at an angle, he couldn't see the source of the radiance properly, but he was certain that it was forming some kind of pattern…

"What in all of Hael is that…?"

Before Dark Link could finish his sentence, Link's palm erupted in a fiery ball as Din's Fire engulfed his entire hand. While they didn't harm Link's hand in the least, the flames, possessed by whatever energy was fueling Link's strength, lapped against Dark Link's wrists greedily, swallowing up the doppelganger's dark skin and shadowy clothes in their fiery cores.

Dark Link's face tightened in alarm when he realized what Link was doing. "No! You can't do this…!"

_CRAAAAAGGHHHHLLLLL…_

With a vile, curt snap, Dark Link's wrists _disintegrated_, separating his arms from his hands still wrapped around Link's neck. The hands themselves seemed to linger for a while around Link's gullet…before they, too, began to fall apart, crumbling into faint traces of black vapor that dissolved into the air.

As for Dark Link himself…

"_Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhh_! My hands! My hands! My _haaaaannnnnnnds_!"

Standing up and staggering backwards in shock, Dark Link stared in genuine disbelief at his now stubby arms, right where his hands used to be. His breathing grew rapid and unstable, and his eyes expanded to the size of his former palms. Countless emotions flooded his mind, trying to make sense of what happened, but the one sentiment that stood out was that of incensed bewilderment.

"My hands…", he gasped, still unable to comprehend what was happening to him. "My hands…what happened to my hands…what happen…eeeaaarrrrrgghh!"

Dark Link's wailing was interrupted by a sharp pain in his stomach. He glanced down to see that Link had taken the opportunity to drill the Master Sword deep inside his shady double's chest. The blade was glowing a fierce white, filled with an unknown energy that somehow could burn the essence from which Dark Link was born. Already, right where the blade was inserted, _cracks_ of light were beginning to spread all over his torso, dissolving the solid dark vapors that composed the physical form of the Voice.

Link, who was still lying on his back to allow his breathing time to stabilize, finally used his returning strength to stand up, his left hand firmly gripping the Master Sword's hilt. As he leveled his gaze with the dumbfounded Dark Link, Link narrowed his eyes, the raging passion in his eyes unmistakable.

"This one's for Malon, you son of a bitch," Link snarled as he twisted the Master Sword around in Dark Link's gut, spreading the cracks of light even further. "Now do us both a favor and _die_!"

Link then twisted the sword again, causing Dark Link to shudder uncontrollably in an attempt to hold himself together. As he struggled against the expanding light cracks, Dark Link's eyes accidentally drifted downward…and saw something on the back of Link's _left_ hand. It was a noticeable light source – just like the first one he had noticed – and this time he could now make out the pattern…

"It…can't be…" he muttered. "How is it…possible…?"

But Dark Link couldn't finish his sentence. Without warning, Link pulled the Master Sword from Dark Link's belly, tearing as much of the doppelganger's "flesh" out as possible in the heave. Link then raised his weapon high into the air, maintaining the aggressive luminosity radiating from the blade. Unlike previous instances, where Link's left hand wielded the legendary sword awkwardly, this time his left hand brandished the Master Sword with the skill of a veteran warrior.

Dark Link froze in unfamiliar panic. "No…!"

"_Eeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhh_!"

With seemingly every ounce of strength left in him, Link brought the Master Sword crashing down in a sideways slash, sinking the blade into the right shoulder of Dark Link and digging its way straight through his torso, leaving in its wake a gaping chasm of white light. The blade emerged just above Dark Link's left hip, finishing its spectacular attack with a metallic cry of victory.

Dark Link didn't scream at first – he was too stunned to even move. All he did was stand there, staring speechlessly at the gaping wound in his chest, which was pulsing like a swelling heartbeat. A saturated silence immediately followed, as both Link and his counterpart watched, seconds tickling by lethargically and agonizingly…

Then it happened. Cracks of light began to branch out from the enormous gash in Dark Link's torso, consuming every piece of dark matter it touched. In a panic, Dark Link tried reaching down with his hands to "stop" the spread, but the stubs that now remained at the end of his arms could do nothing to slow them down. If anything, Dark Link's frantic attempts only hastened the crack's assault across his body.

Within a matter of seconds, a web of fractures had crawled all over Dark Link's person: down his legs, around his waist, along his arms, up his neck, across his face. As the cracks multiplied they also widened, allowing more light to pour out and engulf the shadowy figure. Nothing Dark Link did seemed to dampen the scattering of the tiny rifts, and by the time they reached his face and clawed their way into his mouth and eye sockets he finally screamed.

"You can't do this to me!" he protested at the top of his lungs! "This cannot be happening! Not to me! _Not to me_!" By chance, his wild gaze fell upon Link, who was watching the scene with morbid fascination. "You bastard! What are you doing to me? What are you _doing to me_? Stop this at once! Stop this _at once_…!"

Just then, a whooshing sound was heard emerging from deep within the cracks of light. At first it started softly, like the gentle breaking of waves on the edge of a pond, but it quickly grew in volume and intensity, eventually drowning out the silence in the chamber. And as the sound deepened, Dark Link's body started to shudder vehemently, the vibrations eventually growing powerful enough to tear any normal person's body apart.

Yet through it all, Dark Link still objected.

"This isn't happening! I can't die! I am the perfect being! I am a god! I am a…!"

Suddenly, a sharp white pulse of light discharged from the main fissure in Dark Link's body, covering the shadowy double in a brilliant gleam as the hissing sound reached its highest tone. Right before Link's eyes, his shadowy foe started to break apart…

"_Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo_!"

Dark Link's defiant scream echoed across the chamber just moments before he abruptly and silently _imploded_. Almost every thread of dark vapor that made up his twisted body broke apart and was swallowed by the intense white light – all bits of hazes that managed to escape drifted lazily in the air before dissolving with a soft hiss. Even Dark Link's final scream's reverberations seemed to be drawn in to the white light, as if removing all traces of the demented doppelganger. And if Link had bothered to look, he would've noticed the fragments of Dark Link's sword also disintegrating into the air with a slight fizzle.

Then, almost as quickly as it had begun, the white light vanished with an immediate bang, collapsing in on itself and disappearing with only faint traces of colorless sparkle left in its wake. Soon, even those sparkles vanished, leaving an amazed and flabbergasted Link as the only witness to the incredible scene.

Initially Link didn't want to believe it – after all, the first time proved to be a ploy to get him to drop his guard. But the longer the time ticked by, Link was forced to accept it as truth, only this time he was more than satisfied with the outcome.

Dark Link was dead.

This time, he truly was dead.

As relief flooded Link's mind, his willpower ceased suppressing the pain coming from all corners of his body. All at once, Link felt anguish arise from the gaping wound in his stomach, the mangled remains of his hand, and the cracks in the back of his skill, as well as countless other smaller injuries. The rush of tenderness was so overpowering that Link's legs grew rubbery, sending him toppling to the floor helplessly.

But he didn't care about the pain. It was more than enough penance for what he had done…or rather, what he had _failed_ to do.

Despite his desire not to shed any tears, he felt several trickle down his cheeks as the memories of what had happened earlier returned to him. He so badly wanted to deny those memories, but he knew he'd be lying to himself if he did. Now he had to live with that knowledge the rest of his life, and it would be burned into his heart every time he remembered it.

Even so, at least he did one more thing for her: he protected Malon's body from being defiled by that despicable creature born from his own wretched soul.

And there was one more thing he could do for her…

* * *

_CLISH…CLASH…CLISH…_

As Link cut the remaining chain that anchored the farm girl to the wall, Malon's flaccid body fell to the ground in a graceful plummet. With his remaining strength, Link held open his arms and caught the diving redhead, though her weight was enough to force Link to his knees. But he didn't mind, now that he had freed her body from those vile shackles.

As he cradled Malon's body in his arms, Link again struggled to suppress the tears in his eyes. Propping her head in his left hand, he carefully traced the fingers of his destroyed hand across her face. His fingertips ended up leaving faint, bloody trails across her skin, but they were nothing compared to the bruises on her cheeks sustained by Dark Link's abusive slaps.

Link gazing regretfully at the farm girl's quiet face for a few precious moments before he finally spoke. "Malon…I'm sorry…I'm sorry I let you down. I'm sorry I let you die…I let you…die…I…let you…die…"

Pulling her body close against his chest, burying her face in his left breast, Link closed his eyes as he placed his cheek against her fiery red hair. "This should never have happened to you…I should be the one who was killed by that…that…_thing_…if I could, I would take your place…oh, gods, what I wouldn't give to take your place…"

He then loosened the embrace so he could look into her closed eyes again. "But at least…I protected you…one last time. At least…I saved your precious body from that monster…"

Link's voice trailed off as his ears suddenly picked up an incredibly faint sound coming from the farm girl's mouth. His heart leaping into his throat, Link gently lifted Malon's head close to his ear – he stopped inhaling for several seconds when he recognized the sounds as shallow breathing, partially drowned out by blood seeping into her windpipe.

"She's alive…" he whispered excitedly, almost dropping the poor girl's wilting body in shock. "She's alive…by the Three Goddesses, she's alive…"

He looked again at Malon's sleeping face…and for the first time saw tiny hints of color in her cheeks, buried under the redness caused by the Dark Link's clouts. The farm girl really was alive…her body was torn and lacerated, but somehow she was holding on for her dear life. But she probably wouldn't survive for much longer unless…

"I've got to get you out of here," Link proclaimed as he positioned the girl in her lap to lift her up in his arms. "I've got to get you to a doctor. I…wait a minute…what's that?"

Footsteps. They were footsteps, coming from the door all the way at the other end of the room. Someone was coming…

Link's face tightened. _"Damn it! Ganondorf must've sent more guards!"_ He looked down at the Master Sword before aggravatingly growling in his throat._ "Great! Just great! How can I even fight in this condition? My fighting hand can't even hold my bloody sword anymore! Curses! Damn it all to…"_

During his little inner rant, Link glanced down and again saw the frail farm girl nestled in his arms. The sight of her beautiful, blood-stained face was enough to calm Link down, and as he relaxed he swore he could almost hear her voice whispering to him inside his head, "It's all right…"

His eyes narrowed as he nodded to himself. _"No…it doesn't matter. I swore I would protect Malon...and that's what I'll do. I won't lose her again…not as long as I'm still alive…"_

Just then, a loud exclamation echoed across the chamber from the doorway. "Look! There they are!"

Quickly Link picked up the Master Sword in his left hand and pointed it at the now visible figure at the other end of the chamber. "Stay back!" he bellowed at the top of his voice. "Stay back! I'm warning you! You come near me and I'll gut you! Stay away from here…!"

"Link! Link, it's us!"

The familiar voice was enough to silence Link's threats, and that was when he could clearly make out the figure, who was running straight towards him. What's more, he noticed a familiar pink light hovering over the figure's shoulder…

An unexpected smile trickled onto his face. "Sheik…Navi…it's you…"

Suddenly, a pang of shock crept into his muscles – his sudden outburst had drained all the energy he needed just to remain awake. Link started to sway side to side gently as he began to feel rather lightheaded. Unable to remain awake any longer, he finally collapsed, drifting quietly out of consciousness with the severely injured farm girl still cradled in his lap…


	57. A Reluctant Hero

**Chapter 57: The Reluctant Hero**

Cold.

It was incredibly cold…almost frighteningly so. As Link struggled to open his eyes, whose lids felt tighter than a Goron's grip, he couldn't shake off the feeling of iciness running through his skin. He tried to move to warm up his muscles a bit, but he discovered his muscles refused to move. He also realized much of his body was coated in a dreadful itch, one permeated by a warm, uncomfortable fabric wrapped securely around many parts of his body.

Parts like his head…and his stomach…and his right hand…

It was then that memories were jolted in Link's mind, memories concerning what had happened to him not too long ago. He started to remember things…things he would much rather forget. Things like Ganondorf capturing him and extracting his "essence". Like that essence forming his dark counterpart, which tried to kill him. Like that counterpart nearly killing him…and Malon…

Malon…what happened to Malon…?

With a new motivation, Link found energy to open his eyes. He still could not move much of his body, but as his eyes unwrapped all the way he learned he could swivel his head a little bit, which was all he really needed. But when his eyes were completely open and he was certain he could see he was disappointed by what he saw.

Darkness. Nothing but darkness, as if his eyes were still shut. He tilted his head both ways slightly to see if it might change things, but he found inkiness in all directions. Either his vision wasn't working, or he was in a very dark place…or maybe a combination of both. Still, he did learn something else during his brief head twists: his head was lying on something soft and flexible, strongly indicating a pillow, which in turn suggested a bed.

_"Where…am I…?"_

Just then, Link's thoughts were cut off when light penetrated the darkness off to the side. He tried turned his head to catch a glimpse of the source of the light, but the light disappeared just as quickly before he could see it. Before frustration could set in, Link's throbbing ears heard a soft, rhythmic sound coming from the same direction as the light, a sound slowly but noticeably growing louder with each beat.

Footsteps…heading in his direction…

"Who…who's there…?" Link called out in a hoarse whisper, spending quite a bit of energy to just get his vocal chords working.

The footsteps stopped for a moment, as if hearing Link's voice surprised their owner. A ringing silence followed for about half a minute, and then the footsteps resumed, this time at a slower pace. The person who was heading towards Link in the darkness…had he become cautious? If so, why…?

"Who…who's there…?" Link cried out again, this time a little louder though still quite huskily. "Answer me…or I'll…"

"Shhhh…don't worry, Link, it's all right. I'm not going to hurt you."

The voice sounded very familiar, but Link couldn't put a name to it. Was the voice's owner a man or a woman? Old or young? Someone he knew, or a stranger with a recognizable voice? He tried as hard as he could to dislodge the memory that would reveal this mystery person's identity, but he still felt incredibly groggy despite being awake.

Miffed that he couldn't even recall something this basic, Link called out again, "Who…who are you…?"

"It doesn't matter who I am," the mystery guest replied. "I'm here to watch over you."

Watch over him? That didn't make any sense…

"What's…going on here…?" Link croakily demanded. "Where…am I…?"

Just then, something slender and warm gently fell onto Link's lips, preventing him from speaking. Link instantly recognized the object as a person's finger, and by the way the pressure was applied against his mouth the finger's owner didn't appear hostile…

"Shhhh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh…" the voice tenderly pleaded. "You'll have plenty of time for questions like that later. For now, you must get some rest. You've been through a lot, and you'll need to get back your strength."

Confusion sank deeper into Link's mind as he tried to figure out who this person was. Apparently this person knew him…and knew him enough to care about his wellbeing. But that still created a sizable list of people who could be identified as this familiar stranger. If only he could remember the voice…

Suddenly, the finger disappeared from his lips. Link glanced around as frantically as he could in the darkness, wondering where the mystery being had gone. He tried listening for footsteps or rustling of clothes that might give away the person's position, but he heard nothing. Was the individual still standing next to him, looking down at him while he couldn't look up at…at…whoever he or she was…?

A soft groan abruptly pierced the inkiness, and the bed – at least he assumed it was a bed – tilted downward a little. Link's bleary mind rapidly searched for an answer to this, and in his current state of consciousness he could only deduce that someone was sitting on the edge of whatever bed he was lying on…

"Where…where are you?" Link called out gutturally. "Stop playing games…with me. Tell me who you…are or…"

Once again Link's words were cut off, and once again it was by a finger…or rather, a whole set of fingers. Link's words froze in his throat when he felt about four or five fingertips begin to stroke the skin across his cheek, gliding down his chin carefully and affectionately before lifting up and returning to a spot near his ear, beginning the cycle afresh.

Was this person…_caressing _him…?

"You've endured a lot of pain, Link," the mystery voice abruptly yet tenderly uttered, "and I can only imagine what you've experienced. Some details about your ordeals I'm still unfamiliar with…but what you've been through is something I would never wish upon anyone. And I can't help but believe…that I'm responsible for it."

Responsible for it? Who _was_ this person…?

Before Link could reorganize his thoughts, he felt four or five _more_ fingers touch his face, this time on the opposing cheek. To his unforeseen embarrassment, two hands were now caressing his face in a manner that suggested this person had a little more interest in Link than he thought.

He only hoped it was a woman…

"Who…are…you…?" Link tried to ask again, but the mystery person didn't answer.

Instead the individual's hands stopped caressing and lightly cupped his cheeks, steadying his face so it was facing upward. His neck muscles too weak to shake free, Link was forced to stare up into the nothingness, wondering what this familiar stranger was up to…

"Link…"

The person's soft, almost sad sigh was followed by another gentle creaking of the bed, suggesting the person was shifting weight. But for what reason…? Suddenly, his question was answered when he felt more skin press against his face…only this time it was another _face_! There was no mistaking it: the large patch of elegant, warm skin against his forehead was another person's forehead. And that light feeling brushing against his nose…was that really someone else's nose…?

"What…the…?" Link gruffly blurted out, caught completely unaware by this strange turn of events.

Now he _really_ hoped the mystery guest was a woman…

"Link…forgive me," the stranger whispered as warm breath drifted down onto Link's lips. "This should never have happened to you. I should've been there to protect you. I should've been there to guide you…but I allowed something like this to happen. I'm sorry…I'm truly and deeply sorry."

As discomforting as this felt, Link couldn't help but wonder what this person was talking about. As this stranger referring to the events at the Water Temple, or something else…then again, what else _could _it be other than the Water Temple?

"You're one of the few precious things I have left in this cruel and terrible world," the stranger continued – where those eyelashes tickling Link's eyebrows? "I don't want to lose you…not again. Not again…"

Few precious things? Lose him again? Now Link was starting to get scared…

Then, without warning, the face gently pressed against his own disappeared…only to return as he felt a fragile chin dig into his forehead. Before he could even blink in surprise, a pair of moist lips planted a loving, delicate kiss on his brow. The kiss lasted for about five seconds, during which Link's mouth gaped open in stunned silence and his eyes stared blankly into the darkness, still unable to see the face of the stranger.

When the kiss finally withdrew from his temple, Link also felt the hands clamping his head in place leave…not that he cared. He was still too astounded to even think straight.

"When this is all over," the voice continued, "I promise I will explain everything to you. You deserve an explanation…but for now, you need to get some rest."

The next thing Link knew, he felt a small hand cover his eyes and gently slide down his face, bringing his eyelids down with it. Link tried to object to this, but for some reason he could resist this person's enigmatic, affectionate touch. He could also feel his strength slowly disappear, drawing him back into a dreamless sleep.

"We'll meet again, Link. I promise…"

It was at that moment that Link's mind found a memory that strongly hinted at the identity of the stranger. He tried search for related memories that might confirm this idea, but he was drifting off to sleep too quickly for him to get any verification. Still, that didn't stop him from giving himself an opinion on the possibility:

_"No…it couldn't be her…could it…?"_

_

* * *

_

Link had no idea how long he slept after that, but when his eyes opened once again he felt as if he had slumbered just as long as, if not longer than his seven year imprisonment in the Chamber of Sages. Also, as his eyelids slowly cracked open, he noticed he could actually see something other than a blinding darkness this time.

Rather, he could see a blinding _light_…

The brightness only lasted for a few moments, thankfully; by the time it faded, Link's eyelids were more or less open and his vision had returned to a stable normalcy. Things were still noticeably blurry, but he could make out objects clearly enough to recognize them. And, unlike before, he could actually move more than his neck muscles this time around.

The first thing he noticed was a ceiling reminiscent of the one found in Lon Lon's farmhouse, indicating Link was in somebody's home. A brief glance around revealed to him the size of the room in which he was located, a size only slightly larger than the bedroom he used back at the ranch. Only a few select pieces of furniture occupied the chamber, including a cabinet, a short one-legged table, and a wall mirror. A brown door stood closed directly next to the mirror, and on one end of the room a small rectangular window with transparent curtains sat fixed in the very top of the wall (odd place to put a window), explaining the bright light in the room.

Link inspected the room for another couple minutes before deciding to get a better look. Taking a deep breath, he prepared his muscles to help him sit up. As he shifted his weight, he heard a strangely familiar creak. It was then that he realized…or perhaps _remembered_ that he was lying on a bed. He glanced down and found himself covered by a thick red blanket tucked in around the edges of the bed. A quick shuffle of his body confirmed that the blanket was secured firmly around the bed, meaning either Link was a very light sleeper…or someone was caring for him.

With a feeble groan, Link used his elbows to lift his torso upward, forcing the blanket off his body. As he did so, he felt something soft and silky tickle his chest – Link didn't need to look down to figure out he wasn't wearing any shirt. He ignored this detail and continued to lift himself up until he was sitting, albeit with a noticeable slouch. Sighing tiredly and sleepily, Link instinctively raised his right hand to his head to protect his mind against an incoming headache…

…and felt a sharp pain race down his arm as his fingers collided with his face.

Surprised, Link glanced down at his right hand. The palm was covered completely in fresh bandages, and the fingers were straightened out by splinters. His grogginess making sure he was feeling confused, Link tried moving one of his fingers…and a painful throbbing sensation snaked through his arm, forcing him to grab his wrist with his left hand in an attempt to numb the sting.

While moving his left hand, Link felt something coarse and prickly scrape against his stomach, like a loose piece of skin that refused to shed. Link looked down at his stomach and saw more bandages, this time wrapped around his bare stomach. However, unlike the bandages on his hand, these dressings boasted patches of dried blood all over, suggesting the wound they were treating hadn't completely healed yet.

And as Link looked up again, he noticed the same scratching feeling upon his head. Almost nervously he let go of his own wrist and raised his right hand to his temple. Sure enough, several fresh bindings were securely draped around his skull. He felt around with his fingertips for a couple moments, as if fearing he had a hole in his head oozing fluids, but couldn't find anything of the sort, thankfully.

Gazing down once again at his bandaged hand, Link's mind filled itself with various scenarios of what had happened. Images of his skirmish with his dark counterpart abruptly reminded him of their existence, and Link forced himself to remember them all until the moment he collapsed just as he saw Sheik and Navi running towards him. Obviously they had gotten him to safety, else his wounds wouldn't be bandaged. He still didn't know _where_ he was, although he could find that out later.

But there was a more pressing question he wanted answered: where was Malon? He quickly checked around the room again and confirmed she was nowhere to be seen, which only fueled his desire to know what had happened to her. He doubted Sheik would abandon her…but he still wanted to know…if only to lift _some_ weight off his shoulders…

And then there were the other questions he wanted answered. How long had he been asleep? Did Ganondorf know where he was? If so, was he sending in troops to finish what Dark Link didn't? And, if only to satisfy his curiosity…

…what happened to him the last time he had opened his eyes?

_"Did that really happen?" _Link thought as he clutched the side of his head with his left hand in confusion. _"It seemed so real…and yet it feels so distant, so…dream-like. Maybe it _was_ a dream, because it _couldn't_ have been her. Not her…"_

Despite nearly convincing himself, Link reached out with his left hand to touch his forehead. Predictably, the patch of skin there was dry…though it _would _be dry by now, whether someone kissed him there or not who knows how long ago. Shaking his head, Link slumped forward with a deep sigh. He felt a bit of a sting as he applied pressure to his tender wounds in his chest, but he bit his lip slightly to numb the pain.

_"In any case,"_ Link continued, _"I guess I need to find out where I am before…"_

Just then, Link's ears heard something…a soft, muffled sound – more than likely voices – coming from behind the door. Link quickly looked up…as quickly as he could, anyway. As his gazed rested on the wooden portal before him, another sound started to accompany the voices: soft, rickety footsteps across stiff floorboards. Forcing his throat to swallow, Link strained to listen to what was being said; before long, he could make out some words as the person speaking them drew closer and closer to the door…

"…her bandages…cleaning…don't worry…take care of him…promise…"

Then, as Link struggled to hear more, a loud clack was heard as the door's handle unlocked and the door swung open, revealing a shadow-filled room behind it…as well as…as…

"Yes, I've got everything covered here, don't worry, I…oh ho ho ho?"

The person who had opened the door cut himself off when he noticed Link, sitting up in the bed and staring back at him with a wide-eyed gaze, gaping mouth, and a pale complexion. But by the mildly surprised look in the newcomer's eyes, Link could tell that the stranger was familiar with; Link, on the other hand, had no idea who this guy was.

The man was old…_really_ old – Link wouldn't be surprised by any large number the man might give as his age, no matter how absurd it sounded. His height barely reached the elevation of Link's chest, not to mention the man slouched even more than Link was at the moment. Dressed in blue robes with no discernable patterns or markings, the man wielded a crooked walking stick with hands as bony as an animal carcass devoured by forest vultures. But the man's face – with as many wrinkles as the number of rings of an ancient oak tree – revealed a look of vigor in his aged frame.

Both Link and the old man stared at each other for half a minute before the old man abruptly smiled, flashing a mouth filled with deformed, yellow teeth. "Yhoy hoy hoo huoy hoy!" he excitedly uttered, scratching the top of his bald head. "You're finally awake! How delightful!"

Still feeling a bit dazed, Link gently shook his head. "Um…who are you…?" he asked as loudly as he could.

"Oh ho ho ho ho ho!" the man giggled…_giggled_? "You've been asleep for almost a week. That must've been quite a fight. You'll have to tell me about it. You're one tough lad. You must tell me how you do it. Yhoy hoy hoy!"

Link couldn't possibly betray any more astonishment in his face. _"What…in the world…?"_

"Excuse me for a moment," the man continued. "I need to go fetch your friend and tell him you're awake. There's some water on that table next to you if you're thirsty. See you in a bit."

Link tried holding up a hand. "Wait…tell me…"

But Link wasn't in time to stop the old man from slamming the door behind him, leaving the room quiet once again.

An uncomfortably long silence followed as Link continued staring blankly at the door, expecting the man to return with his "friend" any time now. When the man didn't return, Link tore his gaze away from the portal, looking out into nothing for a few moments. Quickly growing bored with that, Link glanced down to the left side of the bed. Just as the man had said, a glass of water was sitting on the one-legged table, just within arm's reach of his bed.

Suddenly feeling parched in his throat, Link reached out and grabbed the glass, quickly bringing it to his lips and taking an enormous sip. He nearly sipped too much, sending trickles of water down his windpipe and forcing him to cough a couple times, but he managed a more stable swallow with the next sip. Refreshed, Link lowered the glass into his lap, sighing softly. He looked around the room quietly again for another moment before looking down at the glass, seeing his reflecting in the quivering liquid.

_"This 'friend'…that man said 'him', so it must be Sheik,"_ Link thought as he swirled the water around in the glass for no reason other than to keep himself occupied. _"But is Sheik really my friend, after all that he did to me…"_ A loud hiss escaped Link's lips. _"Listen to yourself…how can Sheik _not _be your friend? He tried to warn you about that bastard Voice and gave you the Master Sword when you really needed it. But then again…he did lie to you…"_

A little bit of water spilled onto Link's hand as he swirled the cup around. _"But he did save you…and Malon. He _had_ to have saved Malon. Sheik may have lied to you, but he's not heartless. He wouldn't leave Malon to die…dear gods, I hope she's all right. Sheik had better be taking good care of her. He would…he's my friend…but he did lie to me…"_

As if the conflicting thoughts were scratching against his mind, Link placed his right hand against his head…and quickly removed his hand when the resulting sting reminded him of what had happened to it. Frustrated, Link sighed loudly as he angrily look up…and caught sight of his reflection in the mirror.

He didn't know why he didn't notice it before – maybe he was too preoccupied with other things – but now he could see his reflection as clear as day. He could see what he truly looked like, see every intricate detail of how pathetic he had become. The bandages covering a good deal of his body, the pale skin stretched across his face, the glassy look in his eyes…he looked nothing like the Hero of Time…or even what he envisioned himself to be when he threw away that miserable title, for that matter.

His left hand squeezed the glass cup tightly as thoughts flooded his mind…thoughts of what had happened only a week ago – was it a week? Yes, it was – a week ago back at the Water Temple. Everything from Ganondorf's extraction of his "essence" to Malon's horrifying "death" to destroying that despicable bastard Voice. As images rolled across through his memories like a twister, one thought jumped out at him and refused to let go of his attention. One detail clawed against his heart with no remorse or pity, making sure he understood it perfectly.

He was responsible for what had happened to Malon.

There were many excuses he could come up with to shift the blame to someone else, but one fact was indisputable: that dark _thing_ that had come out of him, the physical manifestation of the Voice, existed because he allowed it to fester inside of him. Even if he had listened to Sheik's warning, it probably wouldn't have helped. That creature had grown too powerful, and once it got free it did just what it wanted to do: kill the one who had refused to do what it wanted.

Not to mention destroy everything Link held dear…

With that thought stuck in his mind, the reflection in that mirror looked all the more repulsive. Yes, Dark Link was a vile monster…but from where had that monster been spawned…?

_"How could I?"_ he cried inside his head. _"How could I let that…_thing_ exist?"_

As he asked this question to himself over and over, his kept staring at his reflection, forcing himself to stare at the person who gave birth to that depraved fiend. His body quivered more and more violently as he studied every detail of that reflection, watched it stare back at him with an aghast look, watched it slowly change…morph into something else…

…into the very image of Dark Link.

"How does it feel?" Dark Link asked from the mirror. "How does it feel to look at yourself in the mirror and see something you despise, knowing it's really _you_?"

Link covered his face with his bandaged hand in a vain attempt to look away. "Shut up…"

"How does it feel?" the reflection continued to pester.

"I said shut up…" Link demanded, clenching his teeth together.

"How does it feel? How does it feel? How does it feel?" As the likeness continued to press for an answer, the face of Dark Link abruptly covered the entire mirror, its hollow eyes glaring right at Link with its familiar smirk. "How does it _feel_? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha…!"

Link felt his teeth grind together…

* * *

"Oh ho ho ho ho huoy hoy! Calm down there, my boy. Your friend's not going anywhere soon in his condition."

Sheik tried to calm himself down upon hearing those words as the old man bent down to lift the trapdoor in the floor, but it was difficult. His hands were shaking with excitement and there was noticeable anticipation in his eyes. Hearing that Link had finally woken up clearly had an effect on him.

"I'm sorry…I'm just glad to know he's up and awake," the Shiekah admitted. "He was in such an awful state when we first found him and all…"

"Yes, yes, yes, hoy hoy houy," the old man chuckled as he lifted a large wooden slab cleverly concealed against the other floorboards, a soft groan emitted by the creaky hinges. "We know all that. Still, he does look quite fragile. Rushing in there wouldn't be wise with his condition. So let's take things slow, okay, oh ho ho hoy?"

Sheik admitted the old man had a point, but he still couldn't calm himself down. Still, he verbally acknowledged it. "If you say so, Dr. Garigan."

As the old man threw the trapdoor all the way open, he eyed Sheik with a strange, goofy look. "Dr. Garigan…it's been so long since I've heard anyone call me that."

The Sheikah scratched his head in confusion. "But I called you that just a couple hours ago."

Dr. Garigan blinked. "You did? Oh hoy huoy hoy, I must be getting senile…or eccentric. Either way, I'm getting old." Shaking his head, he took a step down inside the trapdoor, finding a staircase leading downward. "Never mind. Come on."

Chuckling to himself, Sheik followed the old man down the staircase. As he did, he made sure to pull the trapdoor back down with him, knowing very well why the doctor hid the rooms below his house like this. The door landed shut with a gentle thud, cutting off the room below from the outside world.

The staircase didn't go down very far – the cellar ceiling stood about as high as a regular room ceiling in the house above ground. Still, the journey to the cellar floor took longer than desired because of Dr. Garigan's slow and careful steps down the stairwell. Despite his obvious eagerness, his wrinkled body only allowed him to move one step at a time, planting both feet and his cane on each step before moving on to the next one. Sheik, though polite enough to follow the good doctor, divulged his impatience in his body language.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, both Dr. Garigan and Sheik reached the bottom of the stairs, finding themselves in a moderate-sized room underground surrounded by large stone bricks older than the Hylian Wars themselves. Illuminated by several torches hanging on the wall, the room boasted nothing except heaps of bizarre objects piled on top of one another carelessly. In essence, the only items truly worthy of interest in the rooms were a dark passage leading deeper into the ground and a couple wooden doors fixed into the wall.

Making sure he was steadily balanced on his wooden stick, Dr. Garigan chuckled again to himself before turning to the Sheikah. "Oh huoy hoy oh. So, shall we see how our patient is now that he's…?"

_KKKSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHH…_

A loud crash suddenly erupted from behind one of the doors, like the sound of a window breaking. Both Dr. Garigan and Sheik instantly recognized it as coming from the room where Link was located. The old man reacted first and started hobbling his way towards the door, but Sheik had the advantage and reached the door with his speed.

"Link! What happened? What's going on?" the Sheikah cried out, anticipating the worst as he fumbled with the lock and pushed the door open as quickly as he could.

As he stepped inside the room, Sheik felt a loud crunch under his leather boot. Distracted, he glanced down and was surprised to see tiny shards of glasses scattered all over the floor, combined with spilt droplets of water. But the shards weren't simply made up of ordinary glass – another type of glass was also mixed in the mess. Instinctively, Sheik glanced to the side…and confirmed his suspicion when he saw the mirror on the wall next to the door, shattered and cracked.

Starting to feel uncomfortable, Sheik tore his gaze away from the mirror and towards the bed, half-expecting Link to be gone or, worse, injured somehow. Thankfully, Link was still there, wide awake and unharmed…but hardly okay. The former Hero of Time was shivering violently, his breath composed of stuttering gasps released at random intervals. His face was paler than the white sheets he lay on, and his astonishingly wide eyes refused to blink. He held his face in his hands, as if expecting it to fall off his neck, and he didn't seem to react when Sheik burst into the room.

Horrified, Sheik darted across the room to Link's bedside, ignoring the tiny fragments of glass seeping through his boot and cutting his feet. "Link…Link, are you okay?" the Sheikah asked the shuddering Hylian. "Link…"

"He won't go away…" Link hastily and hoarsely muttered with a noticeable whimper. "He won't leave me alone…he just won't die…"

Sheik started to grow really concerned. "I don't understand…Link, what are you talking about?"

"He won't die…" Link mumbled, looking up at the mirror he had just destroyed. "He won't let me be…that bastard…that…"

Suddenly, Link's pupils grew to fill almost his entire eye. He threw his upper body back and started screaming uncontrollably. "No! No! Get away from me! Stay back! Get away from me! Don't come any closer!"

Sheik's gaze quickly darted towards the mirror…and saw nothing but his own twisted reflection in the crushed glass. Yet Link saw _something_, and despite his obvious lack of strength he struggled desperately to get away from it.

"Stay away! I killed you! Don't come near me! You shouldn't even alive! Get away from me, damn you! Get away! Get away, _get away_!"

"Link, there's nothing there!" the Sheikah tried telling the hysterical Hylian. "Calm down, Link! Calm down! There's nothing there! Please, stop this…!"

"Get back!" Link roared, not listening to Sheik's please. "Get back! I'm warning you! Get back! Get back! Get _baaaaccckkk_…!"

Suddenly, before Sheik could stop him, Link raised his left hand towards the mirror and a swelling stream of fire burst from his palm. The flames struck the shattered glass with a deafening sizzle, melting the fragments into a metallic goop and welding them to the wall. Dr. Garigan, who entered the room just as Link raised his hand, nearly fell over as the fires singed past him.

Sheik, growing frantic himself, did the first thing that crossed his mind.

He slapped Link as hard as he could across the face.

"Link! Get a grip!" the Sheikah pleaded as the blow caused Din's Fire to dissipate. "You're going to kill yourself if you don't stop this…!"

Sheik's words were cut off when Link did something completely unexpected. The Hylian reached out and grabbed Sheik's face with his left hand, clawing at the edges tightly to make sure the Sheikah couldn't get away. Sheik's face grew white with terror when he felt Link's palm begin to flicker with warmth.

"I'll kill you again! I'll kill you again!" Link uttered manically in a fit of hysteria, his eyes filled with panic and desperation. "I'll kill you again, you _gods-damned bastard_!"

Time seemed to stand still as Sheik froze where he stood, unable to move and escape Link's surprisingly firm grip. Link merely stared blankly at the Sheikah, his teeth gnashing together as he prepared to use Din's Fire once again. The air instantly grew thick with the anticipation of blood being spilled for reasons unknown…

…then Link saw the genuine fear in Sheik's eyes…

…and saw the face of someone he knew…

"Sh-Sh-Shei…Sheik?" the former Hero of Time burbled on his quivering lips.

"Link…" the Sheikah responded in the weakest voice imaginable.

The frenzy in Link's face started to fade, slowly replaced by recognition…and realization of what he was about to do. After a long, agonizing moment, Link removed his hand from Sheik's face, his hand shaking feverishly. The moment Link's grip on Sheik was gone, the Sheikah felt every muscle in his body grow limp and he plummeted to the floor, landing on his rear and somehow finding enough strength to remain sitting up.

Both Link and Sheik then sat there, quietly staring at each other for several minutes, their faces colored a deathly ashen. Then, without a warning of any kind, Link started doing something other than gape. With the look in Link's eyes, Sheik expected Link to cry….but he didn't.

He laughed.

It was a weak laugh – more of a giggle, really, that sounded like a muffled sob – and Link looked very uncomfortable as he seemingly forced each snigger out of his throat…but he laughed, nevertheless. As he strained to chuckle, he gripped the side of his head with his hands – even his bandaged one – and covered his ears, as if hearing something he didn't wish to hear. Tearing his eyes away from Sheik, he curled up into a ball, staring blankly into space as he whimpered words to himself that only he understood.

Sheik didn't move from where he lay – he simply sat there quietly, watching the former Hero of Time cry tears that didn't exist, laugh at something that no one found funny…

* * *

"How are…you feeling, Link?"

Sheik's question was asked about fifteen minutes after Link came close to burning the Sheikah's face off. Link had calmed down by then, his dry sobs and forced snickers evaporated into an uncomfortable silence. Sheik had dared to move from his spot on the floor and position himself next to Link's bed, while Dr. Garigan had opted to leave both of the boys to themselves to work out their problems without interference by an eccentric old man.

Link, while displaying neither a tear nor a snigger, was pale with an unknown fear. He didn't answer Sheik's question but instead chose to stare blankly at the shards of the mirror he had incinerated, rocking his tucked in body back and forth at a leisurely pace. The unpleasant stillness in the air was enough to motivate Sheik to ask the question once again.

"Link…how are you feeling…?"

"What do you think, Sheik?"

Link's terse yet subdued reply was enough to silence the Sheikah. The Hylian didn't look up at Sheik upon giving his answer, but he did continue speaking as he stared at the melted mirror fragments.

"I was stupid and careless and fell right into Ganondorf's trap and was about to be killed…only to be saved by a freak accident…a freak accident that tried to kill me …" Link suddenly winces as he clutches his bandaged stomach with his left hand. "…not to mention it feels like I'm being eaten alive under these damned bandages…and I can't think for even a second without pondering about what I've done and where in Hael I went wrong…and what's worse…"

Link glared at the glass remains before finishing, "That bastard is still alive…"

Sheik scratched his head as he cautiously sat on the edge of the bed. "Link…I'm not following you here…who are you referring to?"

Link finally turned to look at the Sheikah, his eyes wide with anxiety. "Who do you think? The very 'thing' you were trying to warn me about back at the farm…the Voice."

"The Voice?" Sheik parroted. "But...how could the Voice try to kill you…or be alive, for that matter? That doesn't make any sense…"

Link silenced Sheik by raising his palm in front of the Sheikah's face. Sheik, still remembering how Link nearly cremated his face, quickly fell silent. "Then allow me to help it make sense."

Slowly lowering his hand, Link then began to tell his story of what had happened inside the Water Temple. He revealed everything he could remember, from walking straight into Ganondorf's all-too-obvious trap to the extraction of the 'essence', from his intense duel with his dark half to Malon's impalement and how he had finally defeated that twisted abomination. By the time he finished, Sheik could feel himself shiver with dread at the thought of such a vicious creature dwelling within Link's soul, even despite Link's attitude lately…

"But since Ganondorf withdrew the Voice from you," Sheik uttered after a moment's pause, "then he's no longer inside you. You don't have to worry about being manipulated again…"

"That's not true, Sheik," Link interrupted, a sad look in his eyes.

"It's not? Why…? Can you still hear his voice or something…?"

"No…whatever connection that had been accidentally created between my mind and the Voice is severed, probably by whatever that…Morpha-thing did to me," Link admitted quietly. "But just because the link is gone…doesn't mean that the essence is as well."

Sheik took in the revelation for a few moments. "You mean…"

"That's right…I can still feel that bastard inside me, scratching to get out. I can still feel the urges…the desire to kill boiling in my blood. I can still hear his logic echo in my mind, the reasons he used to turn me against you…it's imprinted so deeply in my memory that even looking into a mirror could show his hideous face…_my_ face. But do you want to know the scariest part of it all?"

Link made sure there was a pause before he revealed the "scariest part":

"I still believe him."

The silence that followed felt almost suffocating, enough for Sheik to initially stutter when replying, "S-s-still believe him? What are you talking…?"

"Exactly what I mean, Sheik," Link almost snapped, giving the Sheikah a sharp look. "I don't believe him entirely – I'm not that stupid – but I can't deny some of the things he told me, things he…let's just say _revealed _to me. I can loathe that bloody gods-forsaken creature all I want…but that doesn't mean what he said is automatically wrong. Some of the things he said still haunt me…things that still scream at me…"

Link then tilted his head and stared into Sheik's eyes with a bloodshot gaze. "Things that urge me almost want to put a knife in your throat."

Sheik gulped upon hearing that as one of his hands crawled up his hands and reflectively covered his throat. Link simply stared at the Sheikah for a moment longer before looking away again. Lowering his hand, Sheik swallowed and paused for a minute.

"Things like…what?" he asked quietly.

"The biggest?" Link muttered with a sigh. "That you lied to me."

Sheik didn't respond to that, giving Link time to explain the accusation.

"I was told," Link continued, growing quieter with each sentence, "that there is no such thing as destiny…no such thing as fate. Destiny said I was meant to be the Hero of Time…but the Voice said I didn't have to be because I had a _choice_ not to be. I didn't have to carry that accursed sword if I didn't want to…and after what being the Hero of Time did to me…what carrying this title took away from me…"

Link raised his head and once more stared at the fragments of the burnt mirror on the ground. "I chose to believe in him, and even now I see no reason not to. I don't have to be the Hero of Time…and you never told me that. All you said what that I have to save Hyrule, a land I barely even know or care about, and let me go without so much as an objection. You treated me like a puppet who was meant to be a hero…something I had no interesting in being."

Link paused as he lifted his bandaged right hand at the same level as his face and tried to flex his fingers; instead he flinched as fire crawled through his muscles down his arm. Sighing, he lowered his hand again.

"I feel so alone…" he admitted. "I don't know who to trust anymore. That bastard tried to kill me, but…but if what he told me is true, then you're no better. I feel as if the whole world is against me – everyone either wants me to be something I hate…or die."

Without another word, Link curled up into a sitting ball once again, staring off into space blankly. Despite his adult body, at that moment he looked more like the child he was forced to grow out of when he drew the Master Sword those years ago.

Sheik slowly shook his head as he curled his feet up on the bed, looking almost as vulnerable as Link did. "I…I know how you feel, Link…"

"Oh, sure," Link snorted, as if expecting such a predictable answer. "What would you know about what I've been through?"

"Quite a bit, actually," Sheik replied in a surprisingly tender tone, enough so that Link turned his head slightly in the Sheikah's direction. "Like you, I lost someone dear to me because of this war – my father – and every day I wish to the Three Goddesses I could get him back. Like you, I've been forced into something I never wanted to do in the first place, which is lead a resistance against the man responsible for inflicting a living Hael upon Hyrule. There are days when I want to do what you did – throw everything away and start anew."

"Then why don't you?" Link asked, almost intrigued.

"Because…I have a responsibility. Just because I don't want to do it, doesn't mean I should just walk away from it. Without me, the resistance could very well crumble, and Ganondorf will win. That's all there is to it."

Link quietly stared at Sheik for a moment…before turning to look away. "Feh! Responsibility…that's a laugh. What good is responsibility when your whole life is destroyed because of it? You might think doing something like that is noble…but to me it's stupid and worthless, _especially_ in my case. You're fighting for something you obviously care about…but me? I'm fighting for a land I couldn't give even one damn about. No one cares about me in Hyrule, so why should I care about them?"

"But you're wrong, Link…there are those that _do_ care about you."

"Oh, yeah? Like who?"

"Well…" the Sheikah hesitated for just a brief moment, "I know of a very special girl who not only cares for you deeply, but proves that you're wrong about being alone. She loves you very much and will do anything to see you again, even after what you did to her."

Link's face tightened in uncertainty. "Excuse me? Are you talking about Malon…?"

"No, I'm not referring to Malon," Sheik uttered as he leaned forward. "Please, Link, don't tell me you've forgotten about her…"

Link blinked several times, wondering who Sheik was talking about…when suddenly he understood. His face lit up with remembrance, his eyes wide with realization…before a sad expression melted into his face. As if the very memory of "her" was too much for him, his head drooped down from his neck.

"Oh…her…" he whispered hoarsely.

"I can understand you not trusting me, Link…and hating being the Hero of Time," Sheik continued, "but do you honestly believe that she did anything to you to warrant you abandoning her like that?"

A long silence followed before Link finally replied. "…No, she didn't."

"Then why did you?" Sheik asked quietly. "Why did you do that to her?"

"Because…" Link gulped in his throat. "I was led to believe…that if I was to abandon that wretched title as the Hero of Time, I needed to leave behind everything associated with it…and that included her."

"Did the Voice tell you that?"

"Yes…but I believed it."

"But do you believe it now?"

Another stillness ensued. "…No."

Sheik nodded before placing a hand on Link's shoulder. "You want to see her again…don't you?"

Link raised his head, his lips pursed together. Without saying anything, he nodded his head slowly.

"She wants to see you too," Sheik revealed, "and she's waiting for you this very moment." The Sheikah moved to get off the bed. "I'll go and get her so you two can…"

Before Sheik could get off the bed, Link reached out with his right hand and grabbed Sheik's arm. He winced at the resulting pain, but he kept the bandaged hand wrapped around the Sheikah's wrist. Sheik stopped as soon as he felt the Hylian grab him.

"No…" Link said with some melancholy in his voice. "…take me to her. She shouldn't come to me – I should go to her."

"But…your wounds…" Sheik protested before Link leaned forward and narrowed his eyes.

"I said…take me to her…now."

* * *

By the time Link reached the top of the flight of stairs in the basement, he was flushed bright red and could feel scratchy heat flowing through every fiber in his body. He could still recall every step sending a wave of excruciating fire searing through his veins, how even getting out of bed and shuffling his way out of the bedroom felt like running a marathon twenty times over.

But he didn't care; he just grit his teeth together and forced himself to move, using Sheik as support. Still, by the time the trapdoor leading to the basement was closed behind them and both the Hylian and the Sheikah were above ground, Link's breath was heavy and strained. Yet he had to do this, if only for her…

Now standing inside a small but surprisingly adorned library, the pair were hardly amazed when they saw Doctor Garigan sitting in a chair, reading a book. He noticed the two as they emerged from the trapdoor that blended in with the tiled floor, but it wasn't until he himself stood up that he noticed Link using Sheik as a crutch.

"Wait a minute, hoy huoy!" the doctor cried, standing up. "What're you doing up? You're not supposed to be out of bed, you need to rest…"

Link didn't say anything, but he did turn his head slowly and lethargically so he could give the doctor a dark, cold stare. Dr. Garigan's eyes widened as the Hylian glared at him with an undeniable snarl, his legs beginning to shake enough almost to send him tumbling back into his chair…

"Link wants to meet with someone – if he doesn't, he'll have gotten out of bed with or without help," Sheik quickly informed the old man. "We'll try to be as quick as possible."

Sheik then as carefully yet rapidly as possible started ushering the sagging Hylian out of the library, leaving Dr. Garigan to stare back at them with a speechless tongue.

The moment they left the library, Link turned his gaze toward Sheik. "Who is that guy, anyway?"

"He's. Dr. Garigan," Sheik answered without halting their progress as they entered a hallway. "He's a marine specialist who also practices natural medicine. He lives on a hill overseeing the shore of Lake Hylia, which is why you're still alive. The next closest doctor sympathetic to the resistance lives far away."

"So he's part of your little movement, is he?" Link sighed.

"That's right. Obviously he's in no condition to fight or anything, but he provides a lot of valuable intelligence that might've slipped past our spies…it was he who first revealed the location of the Water Temple, for example. He's also sheltered several members of the resistance being pursued by Ganondorf's troops – the bedroom you slept in was occupied by many a freedom fighter over the past few years."

"I see," Link uttered as the two of them shuffled their way into a small kitchen. "He's a little…weird."

A faint smile emerged on Sheik's lips. "Yeah, he is quite…eccentric. Still, he's a really nice man and he has some fascinating stories to tell. Maybe when you're better, you can get to know him…"

"I'll think about it," Link hurriedly interjected. "So where is she? Is she not in the house?"

"No, she's outside, sitting underneath an oak tree just outside this door. She said she'd keep a lookout for Moblin patrols…but I think she wanted some time to herself."

"I see…" was all that Link uttered.

The walk across the kitchen to the door that led outside seemed to last an eternity as each step across the wooden floor scratched the wounds in Link's belly. Gritting his teeth to bare the pain, Link pressed on with Sheik propping him up, forcing himself to remain awake despite the pain threatening to cripple him.

Finally, the two reached the door and Sheik pushed it open. The direct sunlight in his eyes blinded him to the world for a brief moment, but Link managed to see properly as he carefully stepped outside of Dr. Garigan's house. True to Sheik's description, the house rested on the peak of a rounded but elevated hill, surrounded partially by tall trees in the direction opposite the drained Lake Hylia. Link assumed that the hill had a much prettier view seven years ago, but the sight of the lake only reminded him of how dead the world had become.

Also true to Sheik's word, a tall oak tree perched at the edge of the hilltop, its ancient roots digging into the ground in an attempt to stretch its branches out in as many directions as possible. A small natural garden of wildflowers was nestled in the grass at the tree's base, the various vibrant colors standing as a minor example that not everything in this world had been corrupted.

Resting on one of the brightest flowers amidst the patch was a familiar pink light…

Feeling a lump in his throat, Link hesitated before he took a couple steps towards the tree. She probably hadn't seen him, but she certainly knew he was there – Link could only imagine what was going through her mind right now. The Hylian swallowed his lump and took one final step before stopping a stone's throw away from the noticeably still fey.

Clearing his throat, Link finally spoke. "Um…hi…Navi…"

A painfully long silence followed before the fairy stirred slightly, though she didn't turn around. "Hi…Link."

Feeling more than a little uncomfortable, Link continued. "How…how are you?"

"I'm fine…thank you." It was clear that Navi was trying very hard not to cry as she spoke.

"I see…Link muttered before he scratched his neck for a moment. "Look, Navi I…"

He paused. For some reason he then glanced at Sheik, who merely traded stares at both the Hylian and the fairy every so often. Realizing the Sheikah wouldn't be able to help him in this matter, Link swallowed his pride and stared directly at the pinkish fairy.

"Navi, I…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have abandoned you like that. I was being stupid…there's not excuse for what I did. You've been a good friend to me and…and I'm sorry for leaving you behind and…and for hitting you like that. I don't deserve to be your friend but…but I want you back, Navi. I'm sorry…by the Three Goddesses, I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

Link expected Navi to react in some what after saying that…but surprisingly the fairy didn't move from the flower on which she was perched. She simply stared off into the distance, her only movements being a gentle swaying in rhythm with the warm breeze.

Growing worried, Link lifted a hand in Navi's direction. "Um…Navi…?"

"You…stupid…idiot…"

Link's jaw hung from its hinges when he heard the fairy's squeaky voice say those words. "What…?"

Suddenly, Navi launched herself into the air with tremendous speed and darted in Link's direction, her light flickering wildly. Unable to dodge in his condition, Navi collided against Link's chest with unexpected force, enough to knock the Hylian off of Sheik's shoulder and send him tumbling backwards. Link landed on his back with a muffled thud, instantly sending vibrations through his sensitive wounds.

But he had no time to even wince in reaction when he felt small thumping against his chest, as if tiny fists were beating against his skin. Struggling to lift his head, Link saw, to his amazement, Navi crouching on her hands and knees on Link's torso, banging her clenched hands furiously one after the other against his ribcage. The fairy's eyes were closed and her mouth was gnashing, as if she were struggling to hold back even more anger.

As Sheik kneeled down to see if Link was all right, Link blurted out in the direction of the fey, "N-Navi…"

"You idiot!" the fairy cried, continuing to slam her fists. "You stupid, stupid idiot! How could you do that to me, you big jerk? How could you leave me like that? I have a good mind to beat you senseless!"

Without missing a beat, the fairy started pounding Link's chest with only one hand, her teeth clamping together. "I should knock your head off your shoulders for doing that to me! I should slap you across the face! I've been with you through thick and thin, and how to you repay me, you ungrateful little brat? You flick me across the room like an insect and leave me behind without even saying anything! You thankless little bugger!"

Link was about to say something when he felt something cold and wet drip onto his chest. He didn't have to ask or squint to realize that Navi was crying and her tears were falling onto his skin. At that point, Navi's little body went limp, her fists no longer beating Link's body and her head hanging low as she struggled to remain crouched.

"How could you…how could you…?" She repeated this several times before finally raising her head to look at Link with her tear-filled eyes. "Don't leave me again…don't ever do that to me again. I don't want to lose you…not like that…don't leave me…please, don't leave me…"

Navi then collapsed, her body falling into a heap on Link's chest. Her pink light continued to flicker wildly as her wilted arms hugged Link's ribs, as if fearing he would leave her. All the while she continued to cry fiercely, occasionally mumbling the same plea that Link wouldn't abandon her ever again…

Partially because what he saw tugged painfully at his heart, but mostly because he had little strength left, Link's head drooped backwards against the ground, forcing the Hylian to look upward while his tiny companion cried her eyes out on his torso. He didn't say anything – not to Navi, not to Sheik – but instead stared up at the sky, his mind racking as hard as it can to come up with a suitable response…but finding none. Sheik, meanwhile, merely watched as an unwitting spectator to this heartbreaking drama.

The three of them remained there for what seemed like forever, the sun slowly beginning to set across the horizon…

* * *

"Can I see her, Sheik?"

Four days. That's how long after Link had met with Navi when Link finally asked that question. He had asked it once before, and he wanted to ask it again sooner – oh, gods, did he ever – but Sheik's response to the first time he had asked that question still echoed in his mind:

"Not yet, Link. She needs a lot of rest and care – she's in a very unstable state and we could send her off the deep end if we're not careful."

As much as he wanted to see her, Link knew from experience that a wrong move could result in catastrophic consequences – he simply had to try to flex his right hand to be reminded of that. So instead, he took the time to get reacquainted with his fairy, something he never thought he would be doing…or enjoy, for that matter.

Navi's crying that day lasted well until the sun was halfway behind the horizon, and it was then that Link was forced to give a response to her pleas. Still a little unsure about it, he forced himself to promise he would never abandon Navi again, privately uncertain if he would actually keep that promise. Navi, with her pompous attitude, told him that "Good…if you didn't say that, I would've killed you", but the tone in her voice betrayed her silent relief and undisclosed joy. Even then Link didn't know if he had made the right decision.

Over the course of the next couple days, however, he came to realize just how much he had missed the fey. Still too weak to really move about on his own, Link had returned to his bed, where he remained for the next two days. Navi remained by his bedside every waking moment, talking to him and teasing him incessantly, as if making up for lost time. At first the experience was uncomfortable for the former Hero of Time, but soon he wondered how he had ever gotten along without her.

If anything, having Navi around provided him with a relaxing connection with his past…or at least the fond memories he had of his Kokiri heritage.

By the time the second day rolled around, Link had regained enough energy to move about comfortably in his bed without feeling any pain flare up in his torso. Sheik removed the bandages around his stomach to reveal a nasty scar, but the mark only annoyed him with a severe itch for a while.

The bandages around his head came off on day three, and no permanent damage was discovered in that region. That left only the bandages around his right hand, but Link already knew the distressing truth concerning his hand, revealed by Dr. Garigan a couple days earlier: his right hand would never fully heal. His doppelganger's sword and severed vital nerves and destroyed a lot of the bones in his palm and fingers, meaning his hand could never do anything like hold a sword again…

Despite that unsettling revelation, Link kept himself occupied with Navi while regaining his strength and taking off his remaining bandages. By the time the fourth day arrived, Link decided it was time to see if he could as that "question" again. On the morning of the fourth day, when the Sheikah entered Link's bedroom with some breakfast, the Hylian wasted no time in asking:

"Can I see her, Sheik?"

Sheik froze for a moment, caught off guard by Link's swiftness, before he quietly placed the food down on Link's bedside. "I'm…not sure," the Sheikah replied. "I'll have to ask Dr. Garigan if you can…"

"Can you ask him now?" Link asked, both tersely and politely. "Please, I really want to see her…"

Sheik hesitated for a moment before he sighed. "All right…I'll go ask him. Just wait right here…"

The Sheikah then disappeared out of the bedroom, leaving Link alone with his fairy. Trying his best to be patient, Link picked up the plate of food Sheik had placed down and started eating with his hands. As he did this, Navi, sitting on the rounded end of one of the bedposts, kicked her legs a little as she watched her charge get some food in his stomach.

"You're really worried about her, aren't you?" the fairy asked as Link finished off the food on his plate.

"What a silly question …of _course_ I'm worried about her," Link uttered while licking his lips. "It was because of me that she was nearly killed, after all."

"Because of you…?"

"Ganondorf wanted me and the 'essence' inside me…so his kidnapped Malon in order to get to me. And I…failed to protect her when that bastard double of mine ran her through with his sword…" Link's hand started to tremble a little as the memories returned to the forefront of his mind. "It's almost enough for me…not to believe…she's alive…"

"But she is alive, Link," Navi reassured, flying off the bedpost and onto Link's shoulder. "That kooky doctor and Sheik are doing all that they can for her, I'm sure…and when Sheik gets back you might even get to see her…"

Just then, the door to the room opened and Sheik entered. "I just talked with Dr. Garigan. He says you can see her now if you want. Her condition has stabilized enough."

Link's eyes lit up with glee. "I can…? Wonderful!" He quickly hopped out of bed despite being slowed down by some stiffness in his joints. "Then take me to her!"

The Sheikah led Link out of the bedroom and into the garbage-filled room where the staircase was located. Link half-expected Sheik to take him into the other wooden door in the room, but instead he took him down the dark passageway at the other end of the chamber. With no torches to guide them, Link and Sheik had to rely on Navi's pinkish glow to see anything, though Sheik obviously knew where he was going…

"Where are we going?" Link asked as he followed the Sheikah, his movements noticeably laborious and tiring.

"To some of the deeper bedrooms," Sheik explained. "Dr. Garigan wasn't able to close your friend's wounds for the first few days, so he decided to relocate her to a deeper location so any patrolling Moblins wouldn't smell her blood."

Link's face lit up with worry. "He couldn't close her…her wounds are that bad?"

"They were more than that," Sheik admitted as they turned a corner. "She would' most certainly be dead if Dr. Garigan didn't get to her when he did."

"But she's okay…" Link uttered almost frantically. "Tell me she'll be okay…"

"I want to tell you that, Link, but…" the Sheikah paused awkwardly.

"But…what?" Link asked, his face almost growing pale.

Sheik cleared his throat. "I think…I should first show you…"

Without another word, the Sheikah led a visibly impatient Link further down the corridor until they came to a series of doors on either side of the hallway, a series of burning torches lining the walls between the portals. Sheik picked one torch off the wall and then opened one of the doors at the farthest end of the passage. Link and Navi were not too far behind.

Sheik opened the door slowly and meticulously, and by the time it was ajar enough for someone to enter Link had had enough. He pushed past the Sheikah, who made no motion to resist, and entered the dark room without caring he couldn't see where he was going. Navi trailed closely and helped illuminate some of the room inside, but it wasn't until Sheik entered with his torch that the Hylian could see everything.

The room mirrored his own very closely – he could even see some of the exact same pieces of furniture – though there was a noticeable exception of a window. The floor was also stone instead of wooden, further indicating this was the lowest location in Dr. Garigan's underground network of fugitive quarters. Still, he wasn't bothered by petty details like these; without hesitating Link quickly looked around for the bed.

He found the bed quickly…and instantly saw its occupant: a red-haired girl with her familiar farm attire draped over the edge of the bed. Upon seeing her face for the first time in a while, Link's face lit up.

_"Malon!"_ he cried out happily in his mind before rushing to her bedside. _"You're all right! You're…by the Three Goddesses…"_

It was only when he stood next to the farm girl's bed that Link realized that not everything was well with his friend. Malon was definitely alive – her breathing more than confirmed that – but she didn't appear to have that much _life_ left in her. Her skin was pale and deathly, and her hair withered and dry. Her eyes were closed lightly yet firmly, and her lips were blue and cold. Even in the dim light provided by Sheik's torch, Malon appeared more like a corpse than a living person.

But the worst was yet to come. As Link trailed down Malon's body, he noticed bandages all over…especially across her upper chest. White cloth was wrapped all around her bosom, many of the pieces soaked with dried blood. Some of the bandages were tearing apart because of the sogginess, exposing patches in between the dressing, and what Link saw amidst those patches sent shivers up his spine. A large, pus-filled wound seemed to cut all the way through her body above her left breast…the very spot where Dark Link had run her through. It was obvious the wound was trying its best to heal itself, but the trickles of blood spilling from the gash's edges indicated it was having a lot of trouble doing so.

Unable to look any longer, Link tore his eyes away from the farm girl…which was right when Sheik spoke.

"Now you can see for yourself, Link," the Sheikah said sadly. "Malon is alive…but she's gone through a lot to stay with us…and will go through a lot more just to get back on her feet."

Already shivering at the state of his good friend, Link turned his attention to Sheik, his eyes wide with genuine panic. "Is she…going to recover…is she really going to fully recover?"

The Sheikah hung his head sadly. "She will recover…but not fully. She's lost a lot of blood, which will take years for her body to rebuilt again. And while the wound in her chest thankfully missed her heart, the blade punctured one of her lungs. Dr. Garigan saved it as best he could, but it's not enough to return her to normal. He said that, at best, she will be able to walk around again, but she won't be able to perform strenuous activity without fear of collapsing. At worst…"

Sheik didn't finish that sentence, leaving it to Link's imagination to fill in the blanks. Deciding not to get the macabre details in that line of thought, Link didn't ask for them but instead forced himself to look at the corpse-like body of Malon once again. _"But…but farming is her life…"_

"There's even more bad news," Sheik uttered.

Link could feel a lump build in his throat. "Which is…?"

"Even before we left the ranch, I knew that if you rescued Malon, Ganondorf was not going to just leave her alone anymore. Ganondorf won't allow her to go back to her farm and live in peace like before. She's now a hunted target…along with her father, his farm hands, and all the animals on his ranch."

Link opened his mouth to say something, but Sheik didn't let him.

"So before I left, I told Talon to head to Kakariko Village and ask members of the resistance to help relocate his animals. By the time she's healed, Malon won't have a happy home to greet her…she'll be on the run until either she or Ganondorf is dead."

Now Link had no trouble looking at the pale body of Malon – the thought of her life being shattered just like that was more than enough for him to worry about. "No…that's not possible…" Link uttered in an almost breathless voice. "Malon has no part in this. She never asked to be part of this…she doesn't deserve this…not this…"

Link abruptly turned around and shouted with a surprisingly loud tone. "Why is this happening to her? This shouldn't be happening to her! She never wanted this! She doesn't deserve it! How can you just stand there and say stuff like that with a straight face? Malon didn't ask for this…!"

"Things happen, Link," the Sheikah interjected. "Whether or not we like the result, whether or not we asked for it, it doesn't matter. You can't stop the inevitable."

"Inevitable…_inevitable_?"

At first Link merely gaped at the Sheikah, but then he clenched his teeth into a vicious gnash. "Are you telling me that this was part of Malon's _destiny_? If so, then you'd better get far away from me, Sheik, before I wring your filthy neck…!"

"No!" Sheik suddenly boomed, taking a couple steps forward in an almost commanding form. "This isn't destiny – this is _life_! Destiny is only one part of the greater order of the world, it isn't the only one or even the dominating one. Even if you believe you can run away from fate, you cannot run away from life. Life happens because of the choices we've made, and once we've made those choices there are often times when we cannot undo them."

The Sheikah pointed at Malon, forcing Link to look at her once again. "This is an example of a choice you made. You chose to abandon the title of the Hero of Time and to reside on Lon Lon Ranch. As a result, Ganondorf seized the opportunity to use her as bait in order to get to you. Your choice led to this, and there is nothing you can do about it."

Despite his growing anger at Sheik's abrupt and unexpected boldness, Link couldn't find any words to argue with the Sheikah. He simply stared at the dormant farm girl, knowing full well that it was because of him that Malon was here in this condition. However, just because Link didn't have anything to say…

"Sheik!" Navi bellowed in her tiny voice as she fluttered up to his face. "How can you say that? Are you _trying_ to make Link feel bad…?"

"Only if it'll open his eyes, Navi," the Sheikah uttered. "Open his eyes to the truth."

"And what truth is that?" Link demanded, once again turning to face the masked boy. "That I'm supposed to be your bloody Hero of Time?"

"No…" Sheik stated with a shake of his head. "That you have a choice."

Link's face flowed instantly with confusion. "What…?"

"You said that you had the choice over what you wanted to do: whether to be the Hero of Time, whether to obey the Voice or disregard it, whether to stay with Malon or leave her…and you've chosen your paths. The choices you've made may not have had favorable results, but that doesn't mean that you still don't have a choice."

The Sheikah's eyes darted to the sleeping Malon. "Your choices led to this poor girl being in this state, and you cannot choose to undo what has happened…however, you can choose to _atone_ for it."

"A…tone for it?" Link repeated, not quite sure what Sheik was alluding to.

"Atone for it…fix what you can…make amends for what you've done wrong. You cannot return her body to how it was before, but you can destroy what tried to harm her in the first place."

Link's eyes suddenly narrowed – it didn't take a genius to realize where Sheik was heading with this…

"Ganondorf captured her to get to you, and his twisted desire to get to your essence led to her near death. And even should she fully recover, she will forever be on the run because of her ties to you. That is not what you want for her, is it? You don't want Malon to be a part of this terrible, cruel war. But that choice is forever gone now. Until Ganondorf is dead, she will never be truly safe.

"With that in mind…I'm sure you understand what needs to be done."

Sheik then fell silent, allowing Link a few moments to think the matter through. The Hylian remained quiet for a few moments, his head lowering down as his scruffy locks covered his eyes. Then, from out of nowhere, he chuckled…

"Yeah…I understand," Link said with a fake sense of irony. "You want to use this situation to your advantage…and use revenge as a way to motivate me. You want me to go after Ganondorf so I can not only avenge Malon, but also save your precious Hyrule, in essence killing two squirrels with one stone."

"I won't lie to you, Link," Sheik didn't hesitate to reply. "You want me to be honest with you, and I will. You were chosen as the Hero of Time, and nothing can change that. You may not believe in destiny or love holding that title, but you are the only one who can save Hyrule. We need your help, and I will do everything I can to get it…even if it means using something as shameful as revenge to enlist your help."

"So you want me to become the Hero of Time again, is it?"

Sheik wavered before nodding. "Yes."

"And you want me to save Hyrule in the process of defeating Ganondorf, right?"

"Yes."

"And to do that, I need to visit those three remaining Temples and awaken the remaining Sages, right?"

"…Yes."

Link nodded. "I appreciate your honesty, Sheik…but honesty alone isn't enough to make me became that which I despise. Why should I do your dirty work while trying to fulfill whatever motivation I might have?"

Sheik sighed softly before answering, "Because if you don't…there won't be anything for all the Malons of the world to live peacefully in anymore."

Link blinked. "Malon_s_? What are you…?"

"Look at Malon again, Link," the Sheikah pointed. "Look at her again."

Link did look at Malon again, still finding her image rather sad to look at.

"Do you think that she is the only person who lives in Hyrule? There are countless women like her…women with dreams of their own, with families and homes and lives that they live to the fullest. You only know one Malon in this lifetime, but there are many more that you will never know who will die with this world – along with this Malon – should Ganondorf continue his vile reign. Can you honestly live with that knowledge, Link?"

Link stammered for a moment, not quite sure what to say…

"And the Talons of the world…all the hardworking men who build good lives for themselves and their families, who raise their daughters with love and pride…the Talon you know and the many Talons you will never know will all be lost with this dying world should you choose to do nothing.

"You may not care about the land of Hyrule, Link…but how do you know that Hyrule doesn't care about you?"

The logic of Sheik's words refused to slip from his mind. As if in a vain attempt to escape it, Link stepped away from Sheik towards the bed, his eyes still fixed on the slumbering Malon. As Sheik drove his point home, Link knelt down beside the farm girl, still gazing at her pale face.

"We all have a responsibility, Link…" Sheik uttered. "We may not like the responsibilities we're given, but we have to fulfill them. You were given the responsibility to save this dying world, and you cannot run away from it no matter how hard you try. Ganondorf thought you were just a nuisance before, but now he will hunt you down relentlessly to find and kill you. If you don't accept your responsibilities…you will die."

As though trying to find comfort from Sheik's sound common sense, Link gently took one of Malon's hands in his own and squeezed it gently. Malon's eyes fluttered a little and her breathing deepened just a tad…but then she returned to her regular state of sleep.

"You have a choice, Link," Sheik said as he moved forward and placed a somewhat comforting hand on Link's shoulder. "You have a choice: to become the Hero of Time…or die. You don't have to become the legendary hero to save Hyrule, but you have to save this land if you are to save Malon. There is no way around it. I'm not hiding anything from you…not this time.

"The choice is yours and yours alone to make."

A thick, saturating stillness followed. Neither Link nor Sheik nor Navi moved from where they were for what seemed like an agonizing eternity. Finally, Link let go of Malon's hand and slowly stood up, still staring only at the farm girl in the bed.

"Link…?" Sheik asked when the Hylian quietly interjected.

"I'll…think about it."

* * *

Two days later, Link made his decision.

He burst into Dr. Garigan's study on the morning of the second day after seeing Malon, finding both the doctor and the Sheikah talking amidst themselves. Fully energized and almost completely healed, the Hylian looked almost exactly like the person Sheik remembered as the Hero of Time. His bandages finally gone – even from his right hand – Link was dressed in his usual green attire, cleaned up and looking strong enough to take on a pack of Moblins.

"Link…?" Sheik started before Link gave his reason for the rude entrance.

"Give me the Master Sword."

At first Sheik was confused…but then he understood. "You mean…" he blurted out as he stood up from the chair he was seated in. "You mean you're going to…?"

"Yes…" Link uttered reluctantly. "I will be your Hero of Time. As much as I hate that name…I will not allow Ganondorf to ruin Malon's life any longer…or the lives of anyone else. That man will pay for what he's done…he will pay dearly."

"Wonderful!" Sheik exclaimed, clearly excited by Link's decision. "Wait right here, I'll go get the blade." The Sheikah then darted out of the study, leaving Link alone with the old man.

The eccentric doctor tapped his fingers a couple times before he spoke. "Ho ho ho hoy…so you're actually going to go fight again, are you, hoo houy?"

Again reluctantly, Link nodded a confirmation.

"That's nice, huoy hoy," Dr. Garigan uttered with a toothy grin, "but I must inquire about something…you're right-handed, are you not?"

"I am," Link answered. "So what?"

"Your right hand was permanently destroyed, remember?" the doctor pointed out. "You can still hold some things normally, but holding a sword with that hand will be impossible now. So how can you possible fight with it, huee hoy?"

Before Link could reply, Sheik returned with the Master Sword in his hands. "Here it is," the Sheikah uttered, offering it to the Hylian.

Link smirked first at Sheik and then at the doctor. "Who says what I do with my right hand…?" Link answered to the doctor before taking the legendary blade in his hand…but not his…

"…I can't do with my left?"


	58. Realm of Forgotten Ice

**Chapter 58: Realm of Forgotten Ice**

Hidden behind the horizon in the faraway west, Din's Eye hadn't yet risen enough to shine its rays across the Land of Hyrule; all it could do was announce its approaching presence by highlighting one half of the distant sky with an orange hue, using the dark, graceless clouds as unwilling harbingers of the dawn. Few people in Hyrule ever greeted the sun in this desolate age, but without fail the eye of the fabled goddess performed its daily cycle for those who were willing to share such an experience with her.

On this day, there were three persons awaiting the morning, but they weren't there to watch the impending sunrise – they were there for another purpose.

Gathered at the edge of a hill overseeing the parched remains of Lake Hylia, the trio took their positions. The first of the three was a fairy, who sat perched on the edge of a small tree branch, the best place to watch what was about to happen. The second was a Sheikah, whose quiet and seemingly mysterious motions almost hypnotized as he slinked his way to a spot on the rim of the hill's crest. Once there, he turned to face the third of the three, a Hylian, who boasted a face with the uneasy calmness of a sea before a terrible storm.

The Hylian took his own place at the other end of the hill's peak, facing the Sheikah with nary a word. A brief silence followed before the Sheikah finally spoke.

"I'm ready, Link. Are you?"

Link nodded firmly without saying anything, a slight breeze beginning to pick up, causing his golden locks to flay in the air before his eyes.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sheik continued, maintaining a fixed gaze on Link. "You remember what happened yesterday, right?"

A hesitation emerged in Link's face before he nodded again. What happened just the other day was still fresh in his mind…

Sheik paused momentarily, contemplating something before continuing, "You know I won't hold back, and I could very well skewer you if you push yourself too far."

A tiny smile curled up on Link's lips. "We'll see who may or may not get skewered this time, Sheik.

Despite the enormous collar over Sheik's face, Link could tell that the Sheikah was smiling back at him.

"Oh, a challenge, is it?" Sheik grinned. "Let's see what you're made of."

"Just try me."

"I think I will."

The Hylian and the Sheikah then moved, though only slightly. Sheikah moved his arms behind his back, his fingers twitching carefully. Link, meanwhile, lifted his left hand and grabbed the hilt of the Master Sword, which was now angled towards his left shoulder, and removed but a tiny fraction of the blade from its sheath. The two boys then remained deadly still, watching each other with an eerie calmness.

Navi gingerly kicked her legs from her perch on the branch, her eyes willed with concern but her smile twitching with animation. She occasionally glanced at the two opponents in their silent stances, but her gaze was mainly fixed on the distant mountains that bordered the land of Hyrule to the southeast. The clouds were leisurely beginning to glow brighter…

"_Come on, Link!"_ the fey urged in her mind as she glanced down at her charge. "_Kick his behind!"_

At that instant, the crest of the sun's face burst from behind the remote crags, bathing the barren lake in the first morning rays…

_SHIIIINNNNGG…_

As the golden rays cast themselves upon the metallic surfaces of Sheik's daggers and Link's broadsword, they cast a powerful glint that caught both challengers' eyes. Eyes narrowed. Feet shifted. Lips smirked…

"Hyah!"

Piercing battle cries escaped both fighters' lips as Link and Sheik sprang forward towards one another. Sheik locked his blades into classic offensive and defensive stances, while the Master Sword hissed free from its sheath with a cold metallic chime into Link's hand. The dry grass crackled under their nimble feet as their weapons' edges cut through the morning winds to find their targets…

_CLAAAANNNNNGGGG…_

Sparks flew into the sunrise as Link send the Master Sword crashing down towards the Sheikah's face, only to have the mighty sword meet Sheik's knives crisscrossed into a protective clasp. With one powerful tug, Sheik yanked Link's sword to the side, leaving an opening for the Sheikah to use one of his knives in a stabbing attack.

But before Sheik's blade could even cut through Link's green clothes, the blade's tip bounced off the tough surface of Link's shield, which had been removed only moments earlier. Despite the mangled right hand, Link's fingers still managed to keep the safeguard firmly on his arm, defend against any attack Sheik might make.

Which was just fine with the mysterious youth…

Recovering from Sheik's tow, Link swung the Master Sword into an arc aimed at his opponent's neck; the Sheikah quickly ducked to avoid the swipe, and attempted to take advantage of the situation by thrusting one of his blades upward into Link's belly. Link leaned backwards to avoid the attack, using his shield to bat the dagger harmlessly away. The Hylian then tries using his legs as a weapon by directing a kick towards Sheik's ankles, but the Sheikah evaded the maneuver by simply jumping over it. Sheik landed a short distance away from his adversary, but he dove straight back into the fray the instant he landed

This wasn't over, not by a long shot.

As Navi watched quietly and eagerly, steel scraped against steel during barrages of endless attacks as Din's Eye crept across the horizon, bathing the world in its rays. Sweat glistened in the morning light as it danced off both boys' brows, and each swipe made by either the Master Sword or Sheik's knives seemed to add to the sense of resolve and grit that soaked the air.

Thousands of tense moments later, the sun hung in the air above the far-away mountains, bathing the clouds in their familiar paleness that would soon be replaced by a solemn gloom later in the day, a somber reminder of the twisted fate of Hyrule.

Not that the two boys seemed to care…

_ZIIIINNNNNGGG…_

The Master Sword sailed past Sheik's head as Link attempted to thrust it at his opponent, missing the strands of the Sheikah's hair dangling from the fringes of his mask. Sheik responded by attempted a similar thrust with his daggers, but Link skirted both blades by skimming them across his shield to the side. Their bodies collided thanks to their momentums, forcing them to take a step back in order to continue their melee.

But Sheik seized upon an opportunity.

Using the trained arts of body language deception, Sheik crafted the illusion of retreating in order to setup a new assault…before leaping forward with a swift kick, planting his knee directly in Link's exposed stomach. The Hylian, caught off guard, grunted loudly as the blow sent him lurching backwards. He landed on his back with a loud crackle in the dry grass, but attempted to return to his feet before Sheik could gain the upper hand.

He was too slow. With lightning speed, Sheik pounced upon his prey and buried a knee in Link's chest, pinning the Hylian to the ground. Link raised his shield, as if to use its weight to knock the Sheikah off of him, but Sheik raised his dagger and thrust it downward, aiming its sharp head at Link's throat.

Navi screamed.

Silence…

And then a smile…followed by another…

"You've improved since yesterday," Sheik admitted, keeping the dagger's tip partially sunk in Link's flesh. "I'm surprised you've learned how to fight competently with your left hand this quickly."

Link grinned as he narrowed his eyes at the Sheikah, feeling a soft, minute trickle of warm blood run down his neck. "You'd be surprised how I can adapt to things if need be. I don't plan on letting a little thing like a crippled hand stop me."

"As you so aptly demonstrated," Sheik uttered. "Still, you're still not good enough to best me in hand-to-hand combat…" He then carefully lifted the blade out of Link's neck, allowing the tiny droplets of blood to dangle on the tip. "…or should I remind you of how I just defeated you once again?"

The smile on Link's lips turned into a sly smirk. "Are you sure about that?"

Sheik tilted his head. "Eh? What do you mean?"

Not saying anything, Link used his head to motion to Sheik's left. Sheik turned his head…and saw something that left him speechless. Sheik had managed to stop Link from using his shield – now hovering precariously close to the Sheikah's head – to knock him away, but now Sheik could see that Link had a completely different objective. In Link's hand, its head glistening in the morning sun and aimed directly at Sheik's temple, was a very familiar weapon…

"…The hookshot…" Sheik stated, surprised. "How are you able to…?"

"Your doctor friend helped modify the grip," Link replied with a smirk. "All I have to do is slide my fingers through a few convenient finger slots and I can use it with my right as well as my left."

It didn't take Sheik much to realize all Link had to do was press the trigger and he could've won the fight easily…wait a minute…

"Ha!" Sheik laughed as he stood up, pocketing his daggers and dusting himself off as he glanced down at the still sprawled Hero of Time. "You might be able to hold it with your right hand, but it's still no better than a dull knife if you can't fire…"

A loud clack quickly silenced Sheik's words as a bright red light beamed from the hookshot's head, aimed straight at Sheik's forehead. The Sheikah's jaw dropped underneath his collar, his eyes affixed to Link's face, which was grinning reticently.

"Just because I can't close my hand completely anymore doesn't mean I can't still use my fingers," Link beamed, maintaining that pose for a moment longer before another clack signaled the release of the partially compressed hookshot trigger. "As you can see, my thumb works well enough to give you a new hole in the head if I wanted to."

Still grinning, Link put away the hookshot on his belt and forced himself to his feet, dusting off bits of dry grass on his clothes. Sheik, meanwhile, was still trying to release the redness that had developed in his face, undoubtedly from the awkwardness of the surprising amount of dexterity left with Link's crippled hand. When he finally had eliminated the embarrassed blush, Link was busy slipping a couple items he had removed before the battle back over his shoulders…

"So…if you can use the hookshot with your right hand, does that mean you can still use your bow?" Sheik asked, pointing to Link's bow and quiver.

Link glanced at Sheik for a moment with a quiet purse of his lips before he nimbly removed the bow from around his arm, gripping the wooden arc firmly in his left hand. The Hylian then turned to face a section of the distant forest that stood several lengths away from them. Link raised his right hand and pointed as best he could with his crooked fingers.

"See that tree over there, Sheik? The one with the knot in its bark that looks like a beehive?"

Sheik squinted a little before he could confirm the knot's existence. "Yeah, I see it. So?"

With an almost sneering smile on his lips, Link turned his attention to the outlying tree with the protruding bark knot. He twisted the bow into a ready position below the aim line, and stared at his target for a few moments before he finally reached for an arrow. As he did, Sheik's mind wondered how Link could grip such a thin shaft from his quiver with such warped fingers.

But Link demonstrated he didn't need to grip anything. With the precision of a craftsman, forefinger and middle finger slid between one of the arrows' shafts at the feather…and clamped around it. Link then slid the arrow from his quiver and twirled it around his head, causing the head end of the projectile to land securely against his fingers holding the bow. Still fastened around the arrow, Link's fingers then bent as far as they could go and hooked around the bowstring, drawing both it and the dart back as Link raised the bow to aim.

All of this happened with astonishing swiftness – less than two breaths – and before Sheik could even gape, Link had finished aiming the arrow at his target. With a thick twang, Link's fingers straightened, forcing the bowstring to snap loose from its taut position, firing the arrow.

It struck the knot in the tree several instances later, sinking into the gnarled wood with a soft groan.

Dumbfounded, Sheik could only gape as Link beamed proudly to himself before returning his bow to his shoulder. He then turned to the Sheikah, smiled and asked, "Does that answer your question?"

Sheik finally managed to say something. Kind of.

"But…how…?"

"You don't think that using the Master Sword's the only thing I've been practicing, do you?" Link demanded, raising his right hand and trying, unsuccessfully, to clench it into a fist. "I'm not going to let something like a damaged hand cripple me. I can still fight – all I had to do was adapt." He then turned his right hand around so that a large, gashing scar running across the back of his hand could be seen by the Sheikah. "This will remind me of my failure…and what I need to do to make up for it."

He lowered his hand with a smirk. "You wanted a Hero of Time? You're damn well going to get one."

Sheik remained speechless for a while longer before he finally clapped his hand a couple times with a noticeable smile under his collar. "Well, I…I must say I'm impressed. I didn't think you'd actually regain this much of your former combat skills, but you certainly proved me wrong. I knew you were the Hero of Time…but I didn't think you'd go through such lengths to prove it like this, especially after…"

The Sheikah quickly fell silent, but Link knew what he was about to say.

"Things change, I guess," Link uttered, making it clear he didn't want to talk about it either.

"Yeah, I suppose so," Sheik agreed before looking into the sky at the position of the sun. "Huh…I didn't realize it was already mid-morning." He turned his attention back to Link. "I'm going to head back to the house and get something to eat. You wanna join me?"

"In a minute," Link replied. "I just want to retrieve the arrow I shot."

"Okay, see you then."

Without another word, Sheik turned and started heading down the hill back to Dr. Garigan's house. Link simply stood there on the hill for a few moments, watching the Sheikah slowly disappear behind the mount's dry curvature, before he finally turned and started walking towards the tree with the knotty bark that housed his arrow.

As he walked, Navi flew up beside him.

"Well…that was certainly better than yesterday…but you could've put some more effort into it, you know."

"What do you mean?" Link asked, his feet crushing the parched grass with every step.

"You know what I mean," the fey retorted. "You were holding back. I could tell – you were moving far too conservatively, even if you were still getting used to fighting with your left hand. Why didn't you just knock that boy on his arse and be done with it?"

Link sighed before shaking his head. "Navi…you know me too well."

"Your bloody-well right I know you too well," Navi cheekily snapped. "So why didn't you end the fight immediately…?"

"Because I could've killed him, that's why."

Navi fell silent as Link gave his unexpected answer.

"Sheik knows how to control his fighting so that he can stop an attack moments before the final blow is delivered," Link continued, his eyes fixed on the approaching tree ahead of him. "Me, I'm not one who knows very much about restraint – I can't do what Sheik does, and with such a heavy weapon I doubt I can practice such a thing. Besides…"

Link's eyes lowered for a brief instant. "I'm scared of releasing _him_…"

Navi's flickering pink light dimmed a little. "What do you mean by 'him'…oh, you mean that shadow counterpart of yours?"

Link nods. "Yeah…he said he feeds on the negativity that dwells in me, so if I let go of my restraints while fighting Sheik…I don't know what'll happen. It's best to remain cautious…at least when I'm fighting someone I don't _want_ to kill."

"I guess that makes sense," Navi admits as she perches on Link's left shoulder. Deciding to change the topic, she continues, "So, how is fighting with your left hand? Too different from using your right?"

"Actually, no," Link answered as the Hylian finally drew up next to the tree in which his arrow was lodged. As he reached up to remove the dart, he further replied, "It's like exercising muscles that you hardly ever use…both physically and mentally. It takes a little getting used to, but after a while the transition between hands doesn't really feel too different at all."

"I see," Navi mused, kicking her legs a little. "Well, I'm glad you're at least making an effort here."

"An effort…in what…?" Link asked as he gave the arrow a firm tug, yanking its head from the bark with a tough groan.

"In becoming the Hero of Time again."

As Link replaced the arrow in his quiver, he seemed to pause at the mention of that name for a moment…before he nodded. "Yeah…I guess you're right."

"I _know_ I'm right," Navi giggled darting back into the air. "Well, come on…let's go back to the house. I want to get something to eat."

"Sure…fine…" Link uttered before starting towards Dr. Garigan's house over the hill.

As the Hylian and fairy made their way back, Link's thoughts wandered back to Sheik…and the lies he had said – wittingly or no – to keep Link as the Hero of Time. A tiny smirk curled up on Link's lips.

"_Well, Sheik…" _the Hero of Time pondered as he glanced up at the morning sky, "…_you're not the only one who can lie…"_

_

* * *

_

"Link, it's time for you to visit the next temple."

Sheik's declaration came two days after Link demonstrated his ability to still use the hookshot and his bow and arrows, right when the Hylian was eating some breakfast in Dr. Garigan's kitchen. The doctor was there at the table with him, chewing on a bowl of berries while he watched the Hylian devour an entire plate of roasted Cuckoo, and Sheik's statement obviously meant nothing to him.

But it meant something to Link and Navi, who was sitting on a counter behind her charge.

"The next temple?" Navi inquired.

"Yes, the next temple," Sheik repeated as he took a seat at the table, ignoring the doctor who was voluntarily ignoring them back. "Link, you've proven you're more than capable of fighting even with a damaged right hand. Besides, my scouting of the area revealed that Moblins are growing more numerous. If we don't move soon, we might have more difficulty than we need. So you need to visit the next temple as soon as you can…now, if possible."

"Is that so?" Link calmly replied as he tossed a piece of Cuckoo back onto the plate. "Well, I'm the Hero of Time, so I must do what needs to be done." He clasped his hands together and leaned forward over the table, eyeing the Sheikah coolly. "So…which temple am I visiting next?"

A smile formed under Sheik's collar. He used his fingers to scratch the table before he answered, "The Water Temple."

Link nodded. "I figured as much," he replied.

"However, there is a small problem…" Sheik started before Link interjected.

"What's the problem? The Water Temple is right outside, sitting on Lake Hylia. And if Ganondorf posted anymore guards there, I'll just take care of them like I did last time…"

"That's not the problem, Link," Sheik in turn interrupted. "That building that's sitting on top of the lake isn't the Water Temple itself, it's merely the entrance chamber."

Link's eyebrows curled into an obscure curve in confusion. "The entrance chamber? Then where's the actual temple?"

Sheik took a deep breath before answering, "Underwater."

Now Sheik had Link's attention. "Underwater…but where's the…oh, wait, that pool of water inside that building. You mean that _that's_ the temple entrance? _That's_ where I have to go?"

Sheik nodded. "Exactly."

A brief pause intervened before Link unclasped his hands and propped his head against one of them. "Okay, then…how exactly am I even supposed to go down there? I may be the Hero of Time, but I sure as damnation can't breathe in water. I'm not a fish."

"Yes, I know," Sheik replied. "But I may have a solution to this problem."

An eyebrow was piqued on Link's brow. "You _may_ have a solution?"

An uneasy silence followed, where the only sound was Dr. Garigan suckling his berries between his withered lips, giggling incessantly and spitting the pits into a nearby bucket at his feet. The Hylian and Sheikah merely stared at one another quietly, both their faces stony and unyielding.

Finally, with a sigh, Link said, "All right…give it to me. What's this solution of yours?"

Sheik cleared his throat before he answered, "You remember the Zoras?"

Link's ears twitched at that name. He hadn't thought of the Zoras for ages, and being reminded of them brought back a mixture of memories related to that race. Memories of some a good friend, strange traditions, a suicidal mission…and a certain Zora he couldn't help but…but…actually, he didn't know how to feel about that Zora…

"Yeah, what about the Zoras?" Link inquired. "Can they help us?"

"Maybe," Sheik responded. "You see, like the Gorons, the Zoras once shared Hyrule with Hylians willingly long before the great wars divided this land. Like the Gorons, the Zoras realized that Hylians were limited in their current form and developed special clothing to help Hylians. Of course, instead of heat-resistant clothes to withstand extreme temperature, the Zoras perfected clothes that can help air-breathing creatures to breathe underwater."

Normally, Link would've been amazed by this kind of revelation, but these days were anything but normal for him…

"This clothing dropped out of use since the wars, and for all we know they could've been destroyed. But if I know the Zoras, there will still be some of this clothing left over in their kingdom. It's a shot in the dark…but it's our best hope of getting down into that temple."

"Hmm, I see what you're saying," Link agreed as he scratched his chin. "Still, there's that 'maybe' you mentioned. What's going to make this harder than it should be, Sheik?"

Shiek seemed to snicker at that question. "I can't hide it from you, can I? Yes, there is something that's holding us back. Something's happened to Zora's Domain, and it's made things very difficult when attempts were made even before you were awakened as the Hero of Time.

"You see, the entire kingdom has been frozen."

Link's eyes blinked rapidly in gentle bewilderment. "Been frozen? What that means what, exactly?"

"Just want I meant," Sheik stated. "Every drop of water within the Zora kingdom has been frozen, and the surrounding air is as cold as a cruel Hylian winter – cold enough to create snowfall _inside_ the caverns that contained their homes. Even the sacred spring that once housed their deity, Lord Jabu-Jabu, has been frozen over."

Link pursed his lips together as Sheik sketched the disturbing details of the Zoras' home's current state, and hearing Sheik say "once housed" in relation to Lord Jabu-Jabu didn't make him feel better. "And the Zoras themselves? Have they relocated or what?"

Sheik shook his head. "No, they can't – they're all frozen along with their kingdom."

Link's hands slammed down with their palms on the table. "What? Frozen along with their kingdom?"

"Yes, they're trapped under…no, trapped _in_ the ice that now blankets their home."

Link could feel his face grow slightly pale. "Are…are they all…dead?"

Again, Sheik shook his head. "No…at least I don't believe so."

"You don't believe so? What are you talking about? Stop leaving me hanging like this, just spit it out already!"

Sighing, Sheik fulfilled Link's request. "We know for a fact that the ice that covers Zora's Domain is paranormal – it wasn't created by natural means. It can only have been created by magic, and there's only one man who's twisted enough to perform such a cruel and inhumane act…"

"Ganondorf," Link completed, almost snarling.

"Exactly," Sheik agreed. "Now, this isn't conclusive proof that the Zoras are dead, but I believe that they're still alive. Why would Ganondorf entrap an entire race like this when sending in his Moblin army would more than do the job? But no, he takes the time to encase the entire Zora race in ice, as if he were preserving them for something. Preserving them for what, we can only guess…but there's a very good chance that the Zoras are still alive trapped under that mystical ice, trapped in a deep hibernation. If we can break the spell over the kingdom, we just might free the Zoras."

Link continually nodded as Sheik revealed his suspicions, but his face still betrayed lingering skepticism. "This sounds all well and good, Sheik…but it's still only guesswork. Don't you have anything else to go on?"

"Well…there is something else that gives my theory more weight: we did manage to free one Zora from the ice."

Again, Link should've been surprised by this revelation, but again, he wasn't that affected by it. "Oh, really? How did you accomplish this?"

"It was pure luck, actually. A full year after the Zoras were encased in the ice – about three years after you pulled the Master Sword – an expedition I was leading to the kingdom happened to find a Zora trapped near the surface of the ice. To our amazement, we discovered that Zora was still _moving_ inside the ice, moving as sure as Ganondorf's heart is as black as the darkest night. We spent the next three months digging her out of the ice…"

"Three months? Why so long?" Link asked.

"The magical ice is incredibly durable, almost to the point where it will break any weapon or tool that tries to dig through it. Trust me, if we could've dug through the ice at all, we would've freed the Zoras long ago. But it was through luck and hard work that we managed to free this one Zora located so close to the ice's surface. We still have no idea how that Zora managed to survive for so long, but I'm confident it was because of some hibernation property of the ice itself."

Link was beginning to see how Sheik's theory was reasonable, but he was more interested in this lone Zora that managed to escape. "So…where is this Zora now?"

"Oh, that Zora is still in Zora's Domain. She refuses to leave her people and won't even talk to us anymore…"

"_Wait a minute…_she_?"_ Link's mind screamed. "_Could it be…?"_

"…in fact, she screams for us to get out if we even enter Zora's Domain. She's been a recluse the past few years, and we gave up trying to reach out to her."

Shaking off ideas about who this female Zora might be, Link nodded at the Sheikah. "Okay, then…so where does this leave us?"

"It leaves us with one hope," Sheik uttered, "and that she's warmed up since we last tried speaking to her. For all we know, she's as hostile and hostile as she was when she discovered her entire kingdom was imprisoned by Ganondorf…but we still have to try. She could be the only one that can help us retrieve the clothing you need to enter the Water Temple."

"'You _need,'"_, Link thought, "_meaning I'll be going alone this time. Figures."_

Straightening out his neck, Link sighed. "But we can't just _look_ for the clothing? Why do we need a Zora who won't help us to get it?"

"Trust me, we've looked," Sheik admitted. "But Ganondorf's been very thorough in his cleansing of Zora's Domain. There is nothing that remains of the original kingdom other than broken relics and the frozen remains of the few Zoras who tried to fight back. But he may have missed something somewhere…which is why that Zora is our only lead."

Link's face again demonstrated skepticism in his eyes. "I don't know, Sheik…all of this is one big 'if'. You've based a lot of this on guesswork which may or may not be right. Is this really the only chance we have to enter that temple?"

Sheik paused for a moment and lowered his eyes, as if thinking Link's question through methodically, before he finally and reluctantly nodded. "I'm afraid so."

Groaning to himself, Link arched his back against the chair for a few seconds before he finally nodded forward. His eyes still held a sense of doubt in Sheik's scheme, but his lips were curled into a resolute and accepting smile.

"All right, then…what do I have to do?"

* * *

Two days later, Link set out for Zora's Domain.

After countless hours of planning and revising with the Sheikah and his fairy – and,on occasion, the eccentric doctor – the Hylian finally felt confident in testing out Sheik's idea in getting inside the Water Temple. Dressed in his familiar green attire with all of his weapons at the ready and Navi perched comfortably under his hat, he left Dr. Garigan's house and mounted the back of his faithful horse Epona, whom Sheik had been kind enough to take care of since his battle inside the Temple of Water's entrance chamber.

With a loud cry and a firm crack of the reins, Link sent the mare into a forward gallop that rapidly carried him and his fey from the dried up Lake Hylia, which quickly disappeared behind the dry hills dotting the landscape.

So began Link's journey to the kingdom of the Zoras, a journey that would occupy many of his days, he knew. Zora's domain lay in the northeast edge of the land, and Lake Hylia dwelled in the south, so even a fully rested Epona could only complete the journey in four days at the least. Still, Link didn't mind the length of the journey – he had tackled similar extents before, after all – and it would give him time to think.

Think about many things. About Zora's Domain. About the mystery female Zora who had become a recluse. And about his mission to find some kind of clothing that can help him breath underwater.

But he could also think about things that didn't pertain to this mission. Things like Sheik. And Malon and her fragile condition. And Link's decision to take up the title of Hero of Time once again. And his decision to…

"Hey, Link!"

Navi's shrill voice interrupted Link's wandering thoughts as the sun started to reach its crest in the afternoon sky. Smiling a little, Link's eyes rolled up.

"Yeah?"

Link noted a subtle pause in Navi before the fairy finally uttered in a delicate fashion, "I'm…I'm glad we're together again like this."

Link's grin widened a little. "Yeah…me too."

Not hearing anything else from Navi, Link's thoughts drifted again, this time focusing on Malon. The image of the farm girl laying like a living corpse in that bed still haunted him, and he could only hope Sheik would keep his word to help her recover as best she can. Link admittedly had his own doubts Malon might pull through, but he couldn't bare throwing away all hope for her. He had faith in Sheik and Dr. Garigan. They would do what they could for her – the rest would be up to her…and he had much more faith in Malon than the other two combined…

"_Just hold on, Malon!"_ Link cried out in his mind. "_Just hold on and get well! Once you're well enough, you and I will…!"_

"Oh, and another thing, Link…"

Navi's voice cut into his thoughts once again, and it was then that Link decided to hold off thinking…at least until Navi fell asleep. Still, he did leave himself with one final message before he gave his complete attention to his fairy:

"_Don't worry, Malon. As soon as you're better, I'm getting rid of this façade…"_

In the distant west, a lightning bolt pierced the sky. There was no thunder heard where Link was…

* * *

_FOOOOOMMMM…_

But indeed thunder rolled across the remains of Hyrule Castle New City, arriving a mere instant after the fork of pure energy split the dark clouds and made contact with the ground in a shower of sparks. Had anyone been there to witness this, they would've been amazed by the awesome yet crippling power of a lightning bolt, one capable of killing a man with but a single touch of one of its deadly claws.

But no, there were none to bear witness to what has now become a frequent occurrence in the once glorious capital of Hyrule. None to bear witness save the ReDead, the vile reanimated creates of the underworld, given life by twisted magic to guard the desolate ruins with screams of petrifying fear and gazes of cold revulsion. Nothing living – or nothing truly living – wandered the streets of New City anymore, or at least nothing that wanted to cling to living in a broken world.

Watching over this dreary and forlorn landscape from the comfort of a balcony located high in a tower built from dark magical arts, a sinister face snarled as his thick hands gripped the balcony's edge with a deathly clasp. He was unclothed save for an undergarment cloth draped around his waist and a black robe clinging to his muscular frame, which rippled with frustration.

"Where are you, boy?" Ganondorf snarled, his heated gaze glaring across the valleys and hills that filled the horizon, showing only the barest glimpses of distant towns located in Hyrule. "Where are you hiding?"

"Is something bothering you, my lord?"

Ganondorf turned his head around to look at the one speaking to him. The speaker came from a single girl of about twenty-four years, reclining in the flameless shadows of a large bed resting against a wall close to the doors that led to the balcony. Unlike Ganondorf, her delicate but powerful framework bore no clothes, but she covered herself using the soft blankets provided by the bed, which was rutted with obvious signs of a struggle…or something more depraved…

"What do you think, wench?" Ganondorf snapped, glaring angrily at the girl before looking back out at the scenery below. "Of _course_ something's bothering me!"

The young girl leaned up a little in the bed, wrapping the sheets tightly around herself so they may not fall and reveal herself…though it didn't really matter now, anyway. As her face entered the light of the afternoon pouring in through the balcony door, she exposed herself as a Gerudo, one whose face bore the familiar scars of living years in a harsh desert.

"What is bothering you, my lord?" the girl asked.

Ganondorf growled a little – as if annoyed the my Gerudo were getting curious – but he gave in. "I've been trying to find a boy who's been a thorn in my side recently. First he saved that pathetic forest, and then he killed my pet dragon…and when I tried to get something useful from him, it got away from me. And now that little brat is on the run, and my men can't find him. Like a rat he's scampered out of view…probably to that accursed resistance movement that refuses to die."

Ganondorf slammed his clenched fist on the balcony edge. "Damn it, why is this punk getting the better of me? He should be dead by now…instead he's more than likely laughing at me while plotting his next move."

The Gerudo in his bed tilted her head slightly as she listened to her king's words. "That's terrible, my lord. Is there nothing I can do to help you? I can lead my regiment Iron Knuckles and weed out this little boy for you…"

"No, that'll be a waste of time and resources," Ganondorf snarled, dismissing the girl's suggestion with a wave of his hand. "I need your Iron Knuckles at the Spirit Temple anyway…that's where my mothers live. Those old harpies need all the protection they can get, especially if this little prick is running loose."

"I understand, my lord," the Gerudo acknowledged, bowing her head. "Then what shall you do about this boy?"

"I don't know," the Evil King admitted. "But I need to think of something before…"

Just then, Ganondorf's eyes lit up with inspiration. He turned to the Gerudo girl and pointed at her. "Get dressed this instant! I have a job for you!"

Without hesitation, the Gerudo threw off the blanket covering her person – exposing everything a lady of decency shouldn't bare freely – and leapt out of bed, making her way towards her clothes hanging over a chair without a hint of embarrassment in her face. As she proceeded to get dressed, Ganondorf walked into the room and closed the doors to the balcony. There was an enormous grin on his face.

"I just thought of a brilliant idea," he mused, more to himself than to the Gerudo.

"What is that, my lord?" the woman asked as she slipped on a pair of pink baggy hamaka pants and two red shoes.

"That boy – this so-called Hero of Time – he is obviously awakening the Sages of each temple, that I know. I could easily place guards around each temple and wait for him…but that's too risky. He or that accursed Zelda or even that bloody Sheik might know of a secret entrance. However…"

"Yes, my lord?" the Gerudo asked as she wrapped a single piece of decorated cloth around her bosom and tied it securely behind her back.

Ganondorf grinned wickedly. "We don't have to use the temples themselves as bait. We can use what's _in_ them to lure this boy out…or, more specifically, what's in one of the temples I still have in my possession."

"And what is that, my lord?" the girl questioned almost drearily as she started placing several pieces of jewelry on her body – bracelets, rings, necklace, and the like.

"Oh, just something that not even the Sages of ancient times managed to destroy completely," Ganondorf sneered. "Those fools merely sealed it up…but now we're going to release it. And once it gets loose, it'll hopefully cripple that accursed boy if not outright destroy him. And the resistance just might get caught in the crossfire as a bonus."

"It sounds like a brilliant plan, my lord," the girl nodded as she pulled her long red hair back behind her head and secured it into a long, bushy ponytail with a clasp containing an enormous jewel. Shaking her head to allow her hair to flow freely behind her, she turned to her master. "What are your orders?"

Ganondorf maintained his sinister grin. "I want you to summon my best necromancers, and inform them that I have a task for them, one which I will give to them directly. Then, I want you to gather a battalion large enough to contain a small town, and we shall leave as soon as the details have been properly planned out.

The Gerudo nodded. "As you wish, my lord. What town are we planning on containing?"

Rather than be offended by the girl's question, Ganondorf took a couple steps towards her, one of his hands playing against his face. "Kakariko Village."

"And will we be destroying this village with the army, my lord?" the girl inquired.

Ganondorf stopped and shook his head, still smiling evilly. "No…because they won't have to. All will be revealed soon enough. Now go and do as I asked!"

With one raised hand, Ganondorf pointed towards the door that exited his chambers. The Gerudo bowed her head at her master before turning to leave. As she opened the door and left her master's bedchambers, Ganondorf sneered to himself before getting ready to dress himself in his menacing and commanding armor.

As he removed his robes, he thoughts drifted to the Gerudo who had just been with him in his bed – a "breaking session", he liked to call it. His smile faded as he recalled why he had called the girl to his chambers in the first place…

"_I may have you wrapped around my finger, Nabooru,"_ he snarled in his mind, "_but yet you still refuse to tell me everything you've been hiding from me. Those old harpies obviously didn't condition you enough. You _will _tell me everything…what you were doing at the Spirit_ _Temple, who that little boy was with you…everything! Or so help me, I will cut your throat and devour your heart as you lie on my bed like the whore you are…"_

* * *

"Link, what was that?"

Navi's nervous question referred to a loud, piercing howl that echoed through the night sky, an animal wail sharp enough to make the moon itself quiver, it seemed. Link, sitting comfortably on a rock beside a campfire he had made several hours before, looked up at the sky through the thin forest's canopy and shrugged.

"Sounds like a Wolfos to me," he guessed, looking down once again at the food in his lap, consisting of a sack of rations Sheik had prepared for his journey to and from Zora's Domain and some rain water collected not too long ago.

"A Wolfos?" Navi repeated, her pink light flickering nervously on Link's shoulder. "Those things actually live outside the Forest Temple?"

"Why wouldn't they?" Link asked as he put some cheese in his mouth. "Ganondorf, I'm sure, creates creatures for more than just guarding the temples. I'm willing to bet he uses them for his own armies as well. In fact, I would not be surprised if we saw a flock of Kayse…no, Keese, that's right…I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Keese on our journey."

"Keese…?" Navi squealed before she added, "Okay, now you're just teasing me."

"I wish I were," Link sighed as he sipped some water. "What a luxury that would be."

Navi opened her mouth to protest Link's comment, but she closed it again and fell silent, her flickering light slowing down in frequency as she sat on the Hylian's shoulder. Link merely continued to eat from his sack of rations, occasionally glancing up at the third sky of stars he had seen since leaving Dr. Garigan's house on Lake Hylia's dry shores. One time Epona, tethered to a nearby tree, brayed softly for some attention – Link looked up at the beautiful mare and smiled at her with a peaceful look in his eyes before returning to his meal.

After a while, Link closed up his ration's sack and tied it to his belt, returning it beside his pouch that contained his precious ocarinas. He then sighed a couple times before standing up.

"Well, time to go."

"Already?" Navi inquired. "But we haven't been here for that long. Aren't you at least going to get some sleep?"

"Nope, don't need it," Link replied, although he did use his finger knuckles to scrape some gunk from his eyes. "Besides, we need to get to Zora's Domain as quickly as possible. We can't let things like sleep slow us down."

"Are you sure? I'm glad to see you're committed…but I don't want you pushing yourself too far."

Link turned to his fairy on his shoulder and smiled sincerely. "Don't worry about me, Navi. I'll be just fine. I promise."

The calm and tender tone in Link's voice was enough to assure Navi that her charge would be all right, which made her tiny face light up with relief and glee. Happy that he had satisfied his fey's concerns, Link stretched his arms out and groaned as he popped something his back.

"Well…let's get moving. I'd like to…"

"Wait, Link…" Navi abruptly interrupted. "What about them?"

The fairy pointed her tiny fingers in the direction of a small clearing in the forest, and Link turned around to see something he had already forgotten: the hacked up carcasses of seven Moblins he had killed not too long ago. The pig-faced fiends were covered in their own vile fluids from head to toe, flies buzzing around the corpses greedily as they scavenged some of the flesh rotting in the evening heat. Their faces held looks of either savage determination or incomprehensible fear – the Moblins who looked the latter were evidently killed after the Moblins with the former…

Sighing again, Link look at Navi. "Yeah? What about them?"

"Well…won't they attract attention?" Navi pointed out. "Shouldn't you do something about that?"

Link quietly stared at Navi for a few moments, his eyes hiding thoughts raging behind his gaze…before Link smiled strangely. "Yeah…you're right, I _should_ do something, shouldn't I?"

Without another word, Link started walking towards the scene of carnage in the clearing. As he did, he pulled the Master Sword from its sheath…

* * *

The dawn broke surprisingly fast the next morning, illuminating the forest where Link had spent a scant few hours resting the night before. All signs of the Hylian's passage were still there in the morning light: the remains of the campfire, the crumby remnants of Link's rations, and the footsteps of both the Hylian and his faithful steed.

The light also illuminated one other thing: the severed head of a Moblin gaping in abject terror to a nameless foe, staring off into the distant as it sat upon the head of a deadly-looking pike planted in the ground, overlooking what was left of the Moblins' cadavers after being devoured by ravenous crows all night.

Whether or not anyone would see this grisly signpost was never known. Then again, maybe that was entirely the point…

* * *

Link hadn't even reached the entrance to Zora's Domain when he felt the effects of the spell over the kingdom.

Several days of nonstop traveling finally led the Hero of Time and his companions to the river that led to King Zora's realm, and it didn't take much journeying for them to follow the river to the mountains that housed the river's source. Even as the mountains started to surround him the further they traveled upstream, things looked normal to the Hylian – the river flowed as smoothly as ever, and everything felt as it was seven years ago.

Then, as the mountainous walls grew higher and higher and the distant sounds of the waterfall could be heard echoing across the caverns, he felt it: the cold, biting winds that felt as natural as the twisted creations Ganondorf had unleashed upon the world. Even with the afternoon sun bearing down on him from above, the winds originating from the direction of Zora's Domain felt harsh and bitter with an icy touch that would make death envious.

His spirits dampening with each step Epona took, Link pressed on, trying to cover his face with his arm to protect his skin from the wind's sting. Navi simply remained tucked under his hat, and Epona – bless her – carried her master through the painful, almost acidic winds that bore down on them.

Thankfully, the winds died down somewhat as Link and his friends turned a corner and finally came upon the waterfall that housed the entrance to Zora's Domain. Still, reminders of the cold were pretty much evident as snowflakes – _snowflakes_! – drifted down from the waterfall's crest, touching the frozen ground and melting into the soaked mud. The flakes, like the wind, were of no natural means.

Ganondorf's fingerprints were all over this anomalous scene…

With a look of disenchantment on his face, Link dismounted Epona and tethered her to a nearby rock formation. Then, making sure Epona had enough grass to graze, the Hylian turned his attention to the curtain of water that stood between him and the entrance.

"_Well…Sheik said that every drop of water within Zora's Domain had frozen over. At least the waterfall's not frozen. Maybe things are not as bad as he said they were…"_

_

* * *

_

But they were.

Leaping through the waterfall to the secret tunnel behind it was bad enough for Link, as the water was cold enough to freeze his soul had he swam in it for any length of time. But to make matters worse, the biting winds returned inside the tunnel – albeit in reduced strength – and assaulted Link's now drenched body as he stood there attempting to dry off. Giving up on such a futile task, Link hurried down the tunnel to the heart of Zora's Domain.

That's where what he saw chilled him far more than the winds ever could.

Sheik's words rung true: every drop of water within Zora's Domain was now frozen. The magnificent waterfalls that once cascaded from magnificent heights in the caverns were trapped in an eerie pose of uncomfortable silence. The ponds and the vast lake through which the Zoras once made their home was now a sheet of ice, and drifting from unseen clouds in the ceiling came infrequent flakes of snow that shattered upon touching the arctic ground.

But it was what Link saw _inside_ the ice that made his heart leap. Though the surface of the ice was a little murky, he could clearly identify the unmistakable, agile and slender blue bodies of Zoras inside the lake of ice. And they weren't simply frozen in the ice – they were _horrifically_ frozen in the ice. Every Zora that Link could see had a look of pleading terror on his face, as if trying to escape an inevitable fate. The looks of the Zoras close to the surface were the most horrendous – the gaze of a breathing creature coming so close to salvation but unable to obtain it nearly broke Link's heart in two.

What Link saw was so gut-wrenching that he was almost glad Navi wasn't seeing this…

It took Link several minutes of taking in this terrible setting that he managed to look away and remember why he was here in the first place: to find the lone Zora that had escaped this ghastly prison.

Sucking in his gut, Link took several breaths before he looked out across the frozen lake, eyeing every possible crevasse and entrance he could see. He then called out in a voice loud enough to send tones echoing across the cavern:

"Hello? Is anybody there?"

Unsurprisingly, there was no reply. Undaunted, Link tried again.

"Excuse me, is anyone there? I know that there's someone here…I was told that there is a Zora living here! I'd like to talk to you, please!"

Again he received no answer. Growing a little frustrated, Link decided to show just how serious he was to talk to this Zora.

As carefully as he could, Link stepped out onto the frozen lake and started walking out onto it. He came close to slipping and falling over several times – there was absolutely no friction between the ice and his boots – but he forced himself to move further and further out into the ice until he was a good distance away from the shore. The winds seemed to intensify somewhat out on this spot, but he paid them no mind.

Cupping his hands over his mouth, Link again called out to the mystery Zora.

"Hello? Will someone please answer me? I really need to talk to you! It's a matter of life and death…what the…?"

Link finally got a response, though not one he expected. As he looked up at a small cave on the far side of the cavern, he saw something flying through the air, sailing straight towards his head: a boomerang.

"Holy sh…!"

_THWAAAK…_

The weapon struck Link's head dead on, almost sending the Hylian reeling backwards in pain. Instead, he grabbed his forehead and knelt down on the ice, wincing as his head started to throb. As he knelt there, he started to wonder why the boomerang hadn't cut his skull in two, but a quick glance at the boomerang now lying at his feet revealed the weapon didn't have a blade in it.

Was this some kind of warning…?

"Life and death, you say!" a loud, feminine voice called out from somewhere inside the cavern. "You dare wish to talk to me about life and death when my people lie under your very feet, frozen for eternity in a Hael you cannot possibly imagine!"

His forehead still throbbing, Link struggled to stand up again while preventing himself from slipping. Groaning a little, Link tried to respond to the hidden Zora's statement.

"I didn't mean it like that!" he called out, still not sure where the voice was coming from. "What I mean was that I need your help! There is something really important I need to do, and you're the only one who can help me do it…!"

"And why should I trust you?" the Zora called back, sounding irritated. "You're an outsider, just like that wicked man who imprisoned me. What reason is there for me to offer you my help?"

Thinking quickly, Link blurted out, "Do you…do you know of the one called Sheik? The one who saved you from the ice several years ago?"

A pause followed before an uneasy and cautious "Yes" was heard.

"Well," Link continued, "I know him. He told me about what happened to Zora's Domain, and I'm sorry such a terrible fate has befallen your people. But if you'll help me, I'll help put a stop to the man who did this to you…and maybe even free your people. So please, will you help me?"

Another long pause followed…and then suddenly a soft smacking of lips echoed across the chamber, as if the Zora had…_spit_…

"You? Free my people? Ha! That's rich! You'll say anything to gain my trust, won't you? Well, hear this, Hylian! I don't give a damn about you or what you have planned for the man who did this! If you can't give me results, then you're just as bad as he is! I don't listen to empty threats or hollow promises, little man, so you had better leave before my kingdom I throw another boomerang at you, this time one that will remove your pretty little head."

Link's face tightened. "_Geez, this girl's stubborn, isn't she? She _has _to be…"_

Losing patience with the Zora's obstinacy, Link decided to take a chance. Preparing himself for another boomerang attack just in case, Link called out in as firm a voice as he could muster:

"No…I won't leave your kingdom…and I have a good reason why."

"Oh? And what is that, little man?" the Zora called back, obviously not intimidated by Link's doggedness.

"Because…I'm sure I know who you are."

Another pause filled the chilled air, this one filled with uncertainty and confusion. Still, when the Zora spoke again, she sounded as intractable as ever.

"What? You, know who I am? Who do you think you are? How can you possibly know about me? If my kingdom were still alive today, you would be forced to line up for a chance just to _see_ me. You can't _possibly_ know who I am, little man…"

"_Yep…that's her, all right…"_ Link thought before he bellowed at the top of his voice:

"All right, enough's enough! Come out and show yourself, Ruto!"

Another smack of the Zora's lips were heard, this time one of stunned revelation. "What in the…you knew my name…? How could you…I never told anyone…how did you…? Who are you, little man? How do you know my name?"

Feeling a little more comfortable – a little – Link replied with the first thing that popped into his mind, something very quickly regretted:

"Don't you recognize…your own fiancé?"

As his mind snapped at him for saying something so ridiculous and unnecessary, Link's eyes finally saw movement was wasn't a snowflake or a boomerang. At the same cave at the far end of the cavern, right where the boomerang has seemingly been thrown, a figure stepped out of the shadows and into the light entering the cavern from several holes in the room.

For a Zora, Link had to admit that Ruto was quite the "catch", so to speak. No longer the little girl he had rescued from the bowels of Lord Jabu-Jabu, she stood about his height with a sense of femininity that reminded him a little of Malon. Her skin had evolved into a charming shade of blue, and her figure was shaped into stunning proportions: thin, curved legs; slender, caressing arms; a firm, ample bosom; and a lean, attractive torso. Wrapped around her waist and dangling from the ends of her arms were a set of fully developed fins that fluttered in the icy winds like fragile curtains.

As Link looked up at Ruto's face, her pair of beautiful eyes gazed back at him with a look of disbelief and surprise, her luscious lips quivering in an attempt to stop herself from crying. As her horizontally elongated head tilted side to side slightly, a pair of simple yet elegant earrings hanging from patches of skin near her face swung along with it.

Yes, he had no doubt in his mind. This was Princess Ruto, the girl who had given him the Zora's Sapphire all those years ago in exchange for a marriage proposal. Back then, Link thought the proposal was moot because he was a Kokiri who couldn't age. Oh, how a single revelation could change everything…

Both Link and Ruto quietly stared at one another silently for about a minute before Ruto broke the silence. "Link? Is that you?"

Feeling a little better for saying that stupid line, Link nodded. "Yes, that's right. Ruto…that is you, isn't it? You're Princess Ruto…right?"

Suddenly, Ruto threw her arms into the air, her face filled with unexpected joy and elation. "Darling! It _is_ you!"

Then, with a burst of speed Link never expected from a Zora, Ruto started sprinting across the ice, her feet gliding over the frozen lake without any hesitation or slipperiness. The Zora princess was giggling jubilantly as she ran towards the Hylian, and her arms were open in a way that suggested Ruto wanted a hug…and now!

"_Holy mother of…!"_ Link's mind roared as he attempted to move…only to remember he was on a vast lake of ice with very little control over his movements. "_Oh, bugger…!"_

Unable to escape Ruto's line of sight, Link held up his own arm in a gesture of cease and desist. "Wait, Ruto, wait…wait a minute…!"

But Link's pleas went unanswered as Ruto only seemed to grow happier with each step she took towards the Hero of Time, her giggles growing increasingly louder with her approach.

"Wait, wait…don't do this…think about this…please…_wait_!"

Without any indication of even hearing him, Ruto collided with Link and wrapped her arms around him, sending the Hylian crashing onto his back on the ice.

Surprisingly, it didn't hurt…or at least it didn't hurt as much as the feeling of a grown Zora princess landing on top of you and squeezing you so tightly that you can hardly breathe…


	59. The Princess and the Warrior

**Chapter 59: The Princess and the Warrior**

When Sheik stepped out of his house that afternoon in Kakariko Village, he instinctively looked up at the sky. His gaze instantly caught a glimpse of Din's Eye framed by a pack of silver-lined black clouds, obscuring much of the sun's rays from view. It was a frequent sight in this day and age, seeing a gorgeous and magnificent burning Eye masked by dark, ominous billows in the afternoon sky. Many souls in Hyrule saw this as symbolic of their once glorious kingdom cloaked by the perverted evilness of Ganondorf. However, today Sheik saw this sight as something else…

Hope beginning to shine from behind the darkness spread across the land…

Still, despite his unusual optimism, Sheik still couldn't help feeling a little depressed as he closed the door to his house behind him, knowing full well who was lying in a bed in a shallow coma behind that very door. Malon had thankfully survived her journey to Kakariko Village without any mishaps along with way, but on the flipside her condition hadn't improved much. Dr. Garigan had done all he could to help the poor girl, but Sheik was sure more could be given to the farm girl other than rest and relaxation.

Which was why the Sheikah smiled when he looked to his side and saw a familiar Goron appearing from behind a Cuckoo coop along the pathway that wove through the village. Sheik hadn't expected him to arrive for another hour or so, but arriving early was more than welcome and certainly better than arriving late. Beaming under his collar, Sheik strode over towards the Goron to meet him halfway.

"Malatite," the Sheikah called out as he approached the doctor with an extended hand. "Glad you could make it."

"The pleasure is all mine," Malatite grinned in return, taking Sheik's hand and shaking it firmly enough to tear it off. "I'm just glad I could come at all."

"Why's that?" Sheik asked curiously as he walked the doctor back towards his cottage door.

"It's been rather chaotic these past couple months in Death Mountain. With Big Brother now a Sage, some fellow Gorons still haven't gotten used to his absence. We've also had to repair much of Goron City and reestablish our livelihoods, not to mention set up watches and escape plans in case Ganondorf might return…" The doctor wiped his tiny black eyes with the tips of his monstrously chubby fingers. "I tell you, it's enough to make any Goron feel old enough to curl into a ball for days on end."

"I see," Sheik uttered, sad to hear that Ganondorf's influence on the Goron race hadn't vanished entirely since Volvagia had been destroyed. "At least you've got your health…and your lives."

"Yes, and that's something I thank the Three Goddesses every day for," Malatite replied before adding with a smile, "Oh, and Link, of course."

"But I didn't do anything."

Sheik was a little startled by the softer and somewhat gentler voice emanating from Malatite's direction. Malatite merely smiled and looked around behind his back. "Silly boy, you know who I'm talking about." He then returned his gaze in Sheik's direction. "I thought I'd bring him along with me, get to see what it's like outside Goron City. Hope you don't mind."

Sheik blinked in mild surprise when a small Goron appeared from behind Malatite's thick legs, showing himself to the Sheikah. Sheik didn't know why he didn't see the young child before, but that didn't stop him from smiling in recognition as he knelt down to level his gaze with the boy.

"Hey, Link. How are you?"

Goron Link smiled back, showing off a set of pearly whites undoubtedly strong enough to tear through the toughest rock in Death Mountain. "I'm good, thanks. How've you been? And how's Link these days?"

"Link?" Sheik repeated as he stood up again. "Oh, he's…on top of things, I suppose. He's right now heading off to another temple to awaken its Sage. Hopefully there won't be any difficulty…at least before he reaches the temple. Still, I have a lot of confidence in him.

"As for me," Sheik included, "I'm feeling…inspired." Sheik had no idea what his own words meant, but he decided to leave it at that before turning to Malatite, who was delighted by Sheik's conversing with the young Goron. "So, Malatite…you know why I asked you to come down here?"

"I can take a guess," the doctor answered. "Your burn marks should be more than healed by now, so I'm assuming there is someone else you need me to tend to. And not someone with just any injury, but some rather life-threatening ones, correct? Why else would you call me down here, when you already have a town doctor?"

Sheik chuckled at Malatite's observant mind. "You're pretty good, I'll give you that." The Sheikah then turned serious. "Yes, I'm afraid there is someone I need you to look at, someone on the borderline between stable and unstable. The previous doctor looking after her did all he could, but he's never treated anything like this before. I'm hoping you can help."

Malatite scratched his chin. "I see…well, I can't guarantee anything, but I'll do everything in my power. Where is the patient?"

"Right this way."

With a motion of his hand, Sheik led the Goron doctor and the young Goron Link back to his cottage. The Sheikah glanced around in several directions – as if making sure curious eyes weren't seeing something they weren't supposed to – before he grabbed the handle and pushed the door open. Sheik then beckoned for the two Gorons to follow him inside, which Malatite and Link did gladly. The moment they were all inside, Sheik hurriedly shut the door behind them.

Inside, the light of a single candle illuminated the room, where Sheik had obviously been busy. Papers with maps and various tidbits of information from all over Hyrule lay scattered across the floor and table centered in the chamber, and the smell of fresh ink overpowered the burning wax scent drifting from the candle's flame. Sheik's eyes took a moment to get used to the dim light, but the Gorons needed no such adjustment.

Both Malatite and Goron Link discovered that Sheik wasn't the only other person in the room. Sitting in a chair near a door leading to an adjacent room was a chubby man with a thick moustache curled across his upper lip. He seemed to have been sleeping when Sheik and the Gorons entered the house, but he was awake now and his eyes were wide with surprise when he saw the Gorons.

"Um…hello there?" the man asked hesitantly, seemingly unsure of whether the Gorons were friendly or not.

Malatite waved just as hesitantly, not knowing who this man was. Sheik quickly stepped in to dispel any uncertainty.

"Malatite, Link, this is Talon," the Sheikah uttered as he introduced the man in the chair to the two Gorons. "He's the father of the girl you're here to help."

"Is that so?" Malatite replied before turning to Talon and walking up to the ranch owner, who stood up slowly. As he approached, Malatite held out a hand to the still tentative Hylian. "A good day to you, sir. I am called Malatite. I'm here to take a look at your…your daughter, is it…I'm here to see what I can do for her. It's a shame we have to meet under such circumstances."

Realizing that Malatite was a doctor, Talon's face lit up as he grabbed the Goron's hand and shook it. The man's handshake felt firm yet noticeably weak – his face revealed the answer why by betraying a look of dwindling hope. "You're here to help? Thank you, kind sir…Malon looks like she's barely hanging on. If there's anything you can do for her, I will forever be in your debt."

Malatite smiled warmly at the ranch owner, glad that his presence at least gave the Hylian some renewed faith. "I'll do my best, I give you my word." He then looked up at the door near where Talon had been sitting. "Is…Malon in there?"

"Yes, she is," Talon replied. "Ingo's feeding her right now, I believe."

"All right, I might as well get a look at her before I get started," Malatite stated, one his enormous hands cradling the head of Goron Link by his side. "Once I've assessed her condition, Link here can go back up Death Mountain and ask my hands to fetch what I need to take care of her."

Talon nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, a good idea." The ranch owner darted for the door and opened it. "Please, go inside."

Taking up Talon's offer, Malatite stepped inside, followed closely by Goron Link, Talon, and Sheik.

The bedroom inside was more well lit than the room before it, with five candles providing illumination in the curtain-closed chamber. Only one piece of furniture was in the room, and that was the bed lying against the far wall, where two figures were situated. Everyone's gaze fell on the two other people in the room, getting a good look at them.

The first figure was a tall, wiry man with a moustache as coiled as Talon's and skin with the telltale signs of years of hard labor. In one hand he held a bowl of red, tomato-scented soup, and in the other he gripped a small spoon that rhythmically dipped into the bowl and carried some of the liquid over to the lips of the second figure, who was lying in the bed.

It was the second person that everyone really focused on. She lay in a complete comatose state, her only noticeable movements being her breathing beneath the blankets draped over her body. Her fiery red hair stood dry and bushy, and her skin flushed a barely rose-hued, mostly pale complexion. The man with the soup had to be careful as he fed her the liquid through her purple-tinted lips, because one wrong move and she could certainly choke in her sleep.

"My goodness," Malatite sighed under his breath, clapping his hand to his mouth, a sound which notified the man beside the bed that others were in the room.

"Hmmm?" the thin man inquired, blinking a little as he laid eyes on the Gorons.

"Ingo, that's enough," Talon said, taking a step towards the farmhand. "This…this gentleman here is a doctor. He's here to help Malon. We need you to step away for a bit."

Ingo's eyes widened with excitement when he heard that. "With pleasure, sir." He dropped the spoon into the bowl of soup and almost carelessly placed it on the floor. The farmhand then rapidly stepped away from the bed, giving the Goron doctor all the room he could want.

Thankful for Ingo's departure though still noticeably pitying the young girl lying in the bed, Malatite strode over to the bedside and leaned over to get a good look at Malon's complexion. The farm girl "gazed" back with a look of deathly tranquility though her eyelids, her lips parted slightly to allow her mouth a chance to breathe.

His trained physician eyes taking in everything he could, Malatite moved Malon's delicate, frail arms off the blankets and lifted the cloths away, revealing her half-nude body beneath them. Bandages snaked all around her upper chest and bosom, and traces of blood were still soaked into the dressing.

With delicate precision, Malatite lifted the bandages slightly to get a better look at the wound under the dressing – his eyes were rewarded with an unhealed gash through her breast with signs of pus growing around the edges.

The Goron doctor sighed as he covered Malon's wound again. His mind raced to put together what he had just observed before he finally turned to everyone else in the room, particularly Talon.

"This poor girl's wound is infected," he revealed. "It's preventing her wound from healing properly and poisoning her bloodstream. Thankfully, this is treatable. This definitely requires some of my more complex tools. She may have to be…"

Before he could finish, Malatite was interrupted by a very shrill whistle coming from outside. Everyone's ears piqued upon hearing it, and their attentiveness was rewarded when the sharp clang of a bell followed immediately afterwards.

"What's that?" Ingo asked, looking around as if the sound had come from in the room.

Only Sheik seemed to know what it was – his face grew ghostly white when he realized what that whistle meant. "No…it can't be…"

Without waiting for anyone to ask him to explain, Sheik darted for the window near the right wall and unhooked the latch with clumsy abandon. With the bell still ringing outside, the Sheikah yanked the window open and thrust his head outside, scanning around outside with the quickness of a cornered fox.

As Malatite approached the clad youth, he was just in time to see Sheik's eyes widen in astonished terror. "By the three Goddesses…" was heard under his cloaked mouth.

"What's going on?" the Goron doctor tried to ask as the bell seemed to grow louder with each toll. "What…?"

Sheik's abrupt slam closing of the window interrupted the Goron, whose tiny eyes watched the now pale Sheikah with concern. Malatite paused momentarily before tried again to ask the boy what was happened. Sheik bit his finger through his thick collar before he looked at the doctor and everyone else in the room and answered:

"Moblins."

* * *

"You've got to tell her, you know."

Navi's words cut through Link's mind like a dull blade, tearing through his stubbornness with agonizing logic and common sense. He tried to glance up at the fairy hovering daintily over his left shoulder, but he then remembered he was riding on horseback alongside the river that led out of Zora's Domain and decided it would be best not to do so. Instead he kept his gaze facing forward, staring at the orange-hued sky painted by the brushes of Din's setting Eye. The landscape was as barren and lifeless as what he was accustomed to by now, though the lack of obstructions such as trees did help make his journey less of a concentrated effort.

Perhaps there were benefits of riding beside a river after all…as long as he didn't drive Epona into the drink itself.

He gazed quietly at the dusk horizon under Epona's mighty gallop before Navi again reminded him of her presence.

"Link, did you hear what I said?"

Sighing, the Hero of Time finally responded. "Yes, I heard you, Navi."

"…And…?" the fey demanded, expecting a more substantial reply.

"And…" Link attempted to formulate an answer suitable for his winged friend before he shook his head in defeat. "And…I don't know."

Navi grunted in frustration as she perched gently on her charge's shoulder. "You're going to have to come up with a better answer than that for Ruto, dummy. You know very well you can't keep up this charade for very long. Sooner or later, you have to tell her that you're not her fiancé."

Link bit his teeth down together. He knew that already, but hearing Navi tell him only reminded him of how this situation was yet another example of "easier said than done". Sure, he could just tell Ruto what he _should_ tell her…that his acceptance to her bizarre marriage proposal was a ruse to get the Zora Sapphire…that he had no intention of ever seeing her again after obtaining that final Spiritual Stone…that he had only returned seven years later to find a way to enter the Water Temple…that despite how she had changed over the course of their adventure inside Lord Jabu-Jabu, he still mainly remembered her as a royal pain in the neck…

…and yet…

He glanced to the right, his eyes falling upon the center of the river he was following. Immediately he saw what he wanted to see: the blue, feminine body of a Zora gliding gracefully through the current alongside Epona, keeping pace with the mare effortlessly. Every so often, Ruto would appear with a gentle break of the water's surface, her gorgeous body shimmering in the remaining light of the day for but a moment before disappearing under the river's waves with a soundless splash.

Link's heart fluttered with unease. Ruto was alone in this world now that her entire race was frozen under a tundra crafted by magic, and the only think keeping her going was the faint hope that someone would break the spell. Now that he had reappeared, the look in her eyes didn't lie: it was the sincere rekindling of emotions unused for countless days since being released from the ice imprisoning her people. Like Malon before her, Ruto saw something in Link that meant something to her, and to destroy something that precious – even if it were an illusion – wasn't something Link was prepared to do.

Still, he had been rather surprised by Ruto's insistence to accompany him to the Water Temple. He suspected she desired to convert her vision of him into a reality, but he would prefer believing she wanted a hand in freeing her people from Ganondorf's cruel tomb of frost. If the latter idea proved to be the real reason, maybe Ruto had matured more than he cared to believe…

Navi continued to lecture him about keeping up this pretense with the Zora princess, but he ignored her as his eyes drifted between watching Ruto's body sashaying the river's flow and keeping Epona galloping at a steady pace. By now, Din's Eye barely peered over the sandy mountains to the west, signaling nightfall would arrive soon. Fatigue crept into Link's joints at that moment, reminding him he had been riding nonstop for a full day now. Maybe a short rest would be adequate…

"Ruto!" Link called out to the Zora.

"Yes, darling?" Ruto called back during a concise breach of the water's surface.

"How about a break?" he called back, still uncomfortable at Ruto's nicknames she was giving him.

Ruto seemed to think over the proposal for a few surfacing moments before she finally called back, "I'd love to."

With the approval of his "fiancée" in hand, Link pulled his steed's reins, drawing Epona to a slow and steady halt. As the mare skidded along the dry crass to a stop, Ruto broke the surface of the river a final time before she drifted to the edge of the river and climbed out. As water trickled down her nude sapphire skin in a manner akin to cherry-nut oil seeping off a dew-soaked leaf, Ruto raised her arms and stretched her body to its full curvature, no doubt to relieve some of the weariness of swimming nonstop all day.

As Link dismounted Epona and tethered the horse to the root of a lone cedar tree near the river's edge, he couldn't help but keep an eye on the Zora princess as she left the river. Sure, his memories of her were often less than pleasant, but to see her like this…standing before him in such an elegant and striking manner, she almost looked…attractive…

_BIFF…_

Link's thoughts were interrupted when he felt a sharp whack against his head, forcing him to place a hand against where Navi had unexpectedly hit him.

"What was that for?" he hissed at the fey.

"Quit gawking!" the fairy shushed back. "Give a girl some respect. If this is all you did to Malon back at Lon Lon Ranch, just be thankful I wasn't there to knock your head straight."

Link wasn't sure what irritated him then – Navi mentioning Malon haphazardly or his realization he had just been gawking at Ruto, of all people – so he simply dropped the subject and finished securing Epona to the tree's root. Making sure the mare had enough grass to graze on, Link then picked some supplies out of his rucksack and carried them a short distance away from his horse. Ruto, done with ridding her body of fatigue, smiled cutely as she slinked her way to Link's side.

"What're you doing, darling?" Ruto asked innocently, bending over as Link knelt down on the ground.

"Clearing the ground for a fire," Link answered without looking up. "I'd like some warmth tonight."

"I see," Ruto muttered as she crouched with her arms around her knees, her swim fins curling behind her arms to avoid touching the ground. "So what's on the menu?"

As he continued to ready the ground for whatever firewood he could find in this barren landscape, Link grabbed his rucksack and tossed it at Ruto's feet. "Whatever we can find in there."

Ruto eyed the sack with suspicion for a moment, as if she didn't trust the bag or whatever it might hold. Then, with a loud hiss of disgust, Ruto stood up. "I think not," she declared. "Neither I nor my fiancé will eat such garbage. I shall correct this."

With those words, Ruto turned and started for the river again.

"Ruto, where are you going?" Link asked, looking up from his task.

"To catch us some supper. I'll be back in a few." Ruto then dived headfirst into the river, disappearing from view instantly as her body's hue merged with the clear color of the evening-tinted waters.

Link sighed as he stood up himself; he knew exactly what Ruto meant. Last night during their travels to Lake Hylia – their first night on their journey – she had brought him several fishes and asked him to eat them in celebration of their reunion and their mission to free her people. Not wanting to ignite Ruto's temper, Link had forced himself to eat those scaly buggers raw and still alive. Luckily, Ruto was asleep at the moment Link's stomach gave him the unfortunate signal his food was coming back up the way it went down. He had hoped to eat some cheese or a sliver of meat or some moon berries tonight to wash out the bad taste of both the bile and the raw seafood, but Ruto apparently wouldn't allow her "betrothed" to each anything less than what a Zora princess ate.

"_At least I can cook it this time,"_ Link thought as he looked around for some firewood to start the now very necessary fire.

* * *

His collection of timber for the fire didn't take as long as he initially suspected, though the virtually barren landscape did provide him a bit of a challenge in finding enough dry wood. Still, he completed his task with enough time to spare in creating a fire site before he heard the sound of a familiar Zora climbing out of the river nearby. The delicate, agile footsteps of Ruto somehow never grew the slightest bit louder as Link unsheathed the Master Sword and aimed its deadly tip at the wood pile he intended to burn.

"What are you doing, darling?" Ruto's voice asked as the Zora princess positioned herself by her fiancé while Link crouched down on the ground, his right hand cradling the hilt of the Master Sword in the air.

"Getting a fire going," Link replied, his left hand twitchingly holding a large piece of flint he had been using during his adventures for he can't recall how long now. "I just hope this wood is burnable…"

The Hero of Time then took the stone and scraped it briskly across the surface of the Master Sword, barely scratching its divine surface as sparks flew from where it has struck. The sparks drifted into the evening air and landed on the woodpile, brushing past pieces of dry grass that coated the wood pile to initiate a fire more easily. Several more scrapes of the flint against the legendary weapon finally produced enough sparks to singe the grass, which slowly developed into a tiny flame that grew quickly as it greedily consumed the surrounding wood.

Satisfied, Link sheathed the Master Sword and returned the flint to his pouch. "This should be good enough for a couple hours," he uttered more to himself than to Ruto, who knelt down beside the Hylian, her eyes gazing pensively captivatingly at the emergent flames. Link knew Ruto had seen fire before, but maybe her solitude in the frozen Zora's Domain prevented her from seeing it as often as she preferred…

"Well done, darling," Ruto smiled as she sat down on the ground, sliding up very close next to the Hero of Time in a way with which Link still didn't feel comfortable. The Zora princess, not noticing Link's uneasiness, grinned at the Hylian before adding, "Here's your supper. I hope you enjoy it."

Ruto then pulled from beneath her fins several small silver fishes that, not surprisingly, twitched violently as their slimy bodies attempted to breathe in an atmosphere in which they couldn't survive. Flashbacks of the sickening taste Link had encountered from last night rolled across his taste buds in remembrance, but at least this time Link didn't have to eat it raw…

With his best forced smile, Link accepted two of the fishes from his "bride-to-be" and placed them in his crossed lap, their damp tails thrashing wildly in a feeble attempt to escape back to the river. Swallowing his pride – and perhaps bile already on the way up – Link reached to his left and picked up a long branch he had selected during his firewood collecting mission for this specific purpose.

Within minutes, both fish were skewered on the sharp edge of the long cane, now either dead or unable to use any energy to thrash in hopeless defiance. Ignoring the various fish juices creeping down the branch from the pierce wounds, Link mounted the limb on two carefully positioned branches sunk into the ground on either end of the campfire, creating a makeshift spit to roast the fish over the flickering flames.

Proud at his work, Link turned his attention to Ruto, who didn't care to prepare her food the way Link preferred. The Zora princess had already devoured one fish down to the bone, and was half-finished with her second. Link winced at the suckling sounds her lips made as she drank the various fluids from the fish's carcass – hopefully the fire would evaporate those fluids or the wounds would drain them from Link's meal…

A soggy squelch reached Link's ears as Ruto crushed the fish bones between her fingers and cast them aside into a pile near the fire. The Zora princess then curled up her knees against her chest, locking them in place with her arms, and looked at her betrothed with a smile.

"So darling, how are you liking your new clothes?"

Link blinked in puzzlement…before he remembered what Ruto had given him back in Zora's Domain. He glanced down at his shirt, which instead of forest green was colored a shimmering lake-water blue. At first he didn't know what to think, as the tunic felt like an ordinary shirt one could make without hassle. In fact, its semblance to Link's green shirt – now resting folded in one of his saddle's side bags – was frightening, though Link had to admit the similarly sapphire-tinted long cap resting on his crown was really what made him think about the matter.

He remembered the first instance this happened very vividly: when Goron Link took him into that Goron City storeroom to find some heat-resistance clothing to help combat Death Mountain's fiery interior. He could still feel how wide his eyes had opened when he saw a set of clothes that look remarkably like his Kokiri outfit aside from its bright red hue – even the cap resembled his own green-colored bonnet in shape and size.

Of course, Link dismissed it as a mere coincidence – after all, it's not like Kokiri clothing was exactly unique. Still, there were enough similarities for it to stick in the back of his mind and later be pried into the forefront of his thoughts when an occasion such as this arose. The clothes that Princess Ruto had retrieved for him in a closed-off storage room – a room that hadn't been used ever since eons ago Hylians and Zoras got into a now-long forgotten spat that resulted in several decades of war – these clothes possessed similarities between both Link's original green threads and the heat-resistant outfit that were too uncanny to be simple coincidences.

The clothes he wore now – the garments that were meant to help him breathe underwater in the Water Temple – they even _felt_ like they were made by Kokiri hands. The craftsmanship in the threads, the way the fabric felt against his skin…if he had been sold these clothes by a random merchant who claimed they were made by the Kokiri, Link would've believed him.

But how was that possible? As far as he knew, the Kokiri were merely a legend to most folk outside the Lost Woods. If these clothes were indeed crafted by the Kokiri, the only way that could be was if someone from the outside visited the Lost Woods and entered Kokiri Forest…

…unless…

"_That can't be it…can it? How would that be possible…?"_

"Darling, are you all right?" Ruto's voice abruptly interjected amidst his rambling mind.

"What…oh, er…" Link choked, struggling to return his attention to the princess as quickly as he could. "I'm…fine, thanks. And…yes, these clothes are pretty comfortable, thanks…although…" He pulled at one of the sleeves to his shirt, watching it hang loosely from his arm. "I am a little curious as to how this'll help me breathe underwater. It doesn't feel any different from regular clothes…"

"Right now, it doesn't," Ruto pointed out, stroking the smooth skin on the side of her head with one hand. "But once you get the clothes wet, that's when the fabric goes to work. I'm a little hazy on the details, but I believe that when wet, the cloth will attach itself to your skin and allows air to enter your bloodstream from the water. Of course, you have to hold your breath so water doesn't enter your lungs, but the cloth will do the 'breathing' for you."

Link nodded as he listened to Ruto's explanation, tugging the cloth again at the sleeve. He wondered how the fabric would feel once it got wet, and whether this "air-through-skin-from-water" process would hurt at all. Walking into a fiery volcano with heat-resistant clothing was one thing; breathing underwater in a specialized swimming suit was another. What if the cloth was too old to work anymore? What if it didn't work with his skin? Maybe he should've tested it first, just to make sure they don't travel all the way to Lake Hylia and discover the breathing fabric doesn't work…

Then again, where could he have tested it in Zora's Domain, where ice touched every drop of water in sight…

He glanced toward the river, and his mind started considering the possibility of testing the suit there. The sluggish yet agitated rapids he saw forced him to reconsider, at least for the moment. He wasn't in the mood for swimming in uncertain waters, so perhaps tomorrow would provide a more fitting moment for him to try out his new clothes. Maybe Ruto could even provide a hand, like when Saria helped him learned how to swim all those years ago…

By chance he glanced at Ruto's face and saw her smile one of the creepiest toothy grins he had ever seen. This being the first time Link had ever seen a Zora smile with lips parted, he witnessed firsthand the result of the evolutionary crafting and sculpting of a Zora's molars into those fit for a lifetime on a strict diet of fish. The noticeably rounded yet serrated incisors that filled Ruto's mouth sent a shiver down Link's spine, adding yet another reason why a relationship with her would probably not be the best thing.

Forcing a smile of his own, Link redirected his attention to his meal. Any and all traces of internal fluids had by now evaporated through the fire's greedy flames, and Link estimated it would only be a few more minutes before they would be cooked enough to actually make a decent meal. In the meantime, Link was to spend the time waiting with a fish princess who was inexplicably infatuated with him…

"Link?"

Ruto's soft utterance of his name – the first time in a while she had called him something other than "darling" – made Link turn to face the Zora, whose toothy smile had been replaced with a sad frown barely draped on either side. Link was mildly surprised by her sudden and unexplained change in mood, but he made his best attempt at sounding interested as he replied,

"Yes?"

"I was just wondering…after we get to the Water Temple and do what's needed there to rescue my people…what will you do then?"

"_Damn,"_ Link sighed in his mind. "_I was hoping she'd hold off that question for a little longer…"_

Picking up a stray stick not being devoured by the campfire, Link used it to poke the glowing ashes in the flames, as if collecting his thoughts together first. He then sighed out loud before staring directly at the Zora Princess.

"After this is done…I must leave. There are…other things I must do after I help free your people."

"You mean unseal the remaining temples, right?"

"Yeah…that's right." Link hesitated slightly, but not because Ruto knew about the various temples he needed to visit and unseal – he had told Ruto much of his adventures before leaving Zora's Domain. No, Link hesitated answering because his reply may or may not have been a lie…

"I understand," Ruto uttered sadly, apparently expecting such an answer from him. "Still, before you return to your journey, there is a favor I want to ask of you, darling."

"Which is?"

Ruto's wide eyes disappeared behind a momentary blink and returned with an almost pleading gaze that caught Link off guard and grasped his full attention, which was undoubtedly what the Zora princess wanted.

"After we unseal the Water Temple…and before you resume your quest…I want…I want us to be wed."

How thankful Link was at that moment for the campfire that masked the fierce blush that accompanied his instant look of astonishment.

"Us…married…?" he stuttered.

"Yes, married." A sense of genuine surprise emanated from Ruto's eyes. "You're…taken aback by the idea?"

Actually…

"Well, I…not really, no…it's just that…I'm just surprised you're…this is too soo…er, so sudden. Marriage…just like that…" Shaking off his stammer, Link forced his lips into a more coherent statement. "I thought we'd have more time to discuss something as…well, important as marriage. We've only been reunited for a few days, after all."

Link hoped Ruto understood his reply. He knew the Zora princess would bring up the topic eventually – he just never suspected she'd do so this quickly. To his relief – hopefully – Ruto's lips formed a sympathetic grin.

"This…may not be the right time to discuss something like marriage, I know. There are other more important matters, like what we're doing right now. Still…ever since you returned to me, I couldn't stop thinking about that promise you made to me all those years ago. You remember…the one where you said you'd return and I'd judge for myself whether or not you'll be my future husband?"

"_How could I forget?"_ Link groaned in is mind, recalling he only accepted that bizarre proposal because he thought he was still a Kokiri and therefore couldn't age, thus negating any possible matrimony with the Zora. He moaned even louder upon recognizing he couldn't give her back the Spiritual Stone even if she wanted it, unless she was willing to brave animated carcasses known as ReDead in Hyrule Castle New City's ruins to retrieve the artifact at the Temple of Time.

Nope, anyway he looked at it, Link was stuck with this girl…

"That vow was really important to me," Ruto continued, "because it signified how I changed from a spoiled brat into a more dignified person. Our little adventure inside the late Lord Jabu-Jabu has been burned into my mind, and I can never forget how you risked your life to save mine."

"_Yeah…right before I went insane," _Link sighed while looking at his stiff right hand in remembrance of the "reason" for his madness.

"As I said on that raft when I offered you my mother's precious stone, I've only known you for a short while, but it feels as if you've been a part of me far more than I can recall. It may seem…silly to fall in love with a man after such a short time, but I don't care. I remember once reading an old Hylian love story in which the boy and girl fell in love at first sight. I believe they were referred to as…'soul mates'."

The Zora princess leaned forward towards Link, raising her head so her eyes maintained contact with the Hero of Time's gaze. "I firmly believe that you are my soul mate, Link," Ruto uttered in an whispered, sultry tone, "and I sincerely hope that you consider me yours."

Had Ruto's words been any more sappy, Link might've thought she was joking. Then again, after going through the heartbreak of losing Saria, he wondered if using nauseating sentiment was sometimes appropriate. Still, the princess' plea for Link's affection didn't convince Link of going through with her idea to get hitched after unsealing the Water Temple. Far from it, in fact…

"But is that enough reason for us to get married?" Link asked aloud without thinking.

Ruto, not swayed by Link's reluctance, crawled along on her hands and feet with the same gracefulness of swimming in the river and slithered to Link's right side. Before Link could react, the princess wrapped her damp around his arm and clang to the appendage tightly, nestling his sleeve between her bosom as her shimmering body leaned against the Hero of Time's shoulder. This alone was enough to stun Link into partial embarrassment, but Ruto topped everything my sliding one of her moist hands into Link's right, tickling his rigid fingers as they interlocked with hers.

"Is it enough reason?" the Zora repeated as her head rested against his neck. "For me, it is…and that's all that matters."

Like Hael it does, Link wanted to protest. Didn't _his_ feelings also have a say in the matter? Didn't he also have a right to say whether or not something as ridiculously idealistic as "soul mates" was enough for him to marry her? Ruto may have changed since the brat he first met in Lord Jabu-Jabu's insides, but her attachment to him was beginning to worry him. Like Malon before her, only more so. He should end this charade now before the princess' behavior leads to something similar to what happened to Malon, even if it meant breaking Ruto's heart.

And yet…he couldn't bring himself to do it.

He didn't know why, but Link couldn't open his mouth to tell Ruto the truth – he couldn't open his mouth, period. With her arm clasped against her chest, he could feel her delicate heartbeat vibrate against his skin, and her clammy hand entwined with his almost felt…relaxing. In fact, if his right hand hadn't been damaged, he was almost sure he'd be clutching her hand as tightly as he could, if only to _reassure _her.

Feeling her eyelashes flutter against his neck as she closed her eyes, Link's thoughts strayed from the reality that the longer he encouraged this, the more heartrending it would be when he told her the truth. Instead he thought of Ruto – just Ruto. Even though she was a Zora, she was still quite beautiful. Flashbacks of the days he spent with Malon and his childhood with Saria crossed his mind, and it wasn't long before they merged into a scenario that not too long ago appeared ludicrous: growing attached to this Zora girl.

A corner of his lips curled upward as he inattentively mused…can a Hylian and a Zora really get intimate…?

"_What in the name of the Three Goddesses am I _thinking_?"_

Link almost wished Navi would've slapped him over the head like she did when she caught him staring at Ruto, but to his disappointment the fairy was fast asleep under his hat. Still wincing at what he had just pondered, Link tried to distract himself by carefully reaching forward to lift the almost charred fish from their makeshift spit so he can finally get something of substance in his stomach.

* * *

He didn't know when he fell asleep or whether Ruto was still hanging on his arm when he did so, but he recognized how tired he must've been by the immediacy of when he began dreaming. Amazingly, this state of dreaming felt more…tranquil than previous nights. Maybe Ruto's presence had calmed him down more than he wanted to admit…

…_He climbed the stairs with some reluctance, not quite sure what to expect once he reached the top. Each step he made echoed in his ears like a muffled bell, distracting his thoughts from forming a coherent idea. Walking ahead of him with a limping swagger, Ruto lead the Hero of Time in silence, her delicate feet glided over the stone steps with a gait reminiscent of Princess Zelda's. Looking up past her head, Link could see the room that lay at the end of the tunnel; he knew what lay there seven years ago, but what lay there now?_

_After a seemingly agonizing stretch of time, the Zora and the Hylian finally emerged in the throne room of Zora's Domain. Everything was still there: the pool in the lower level of the chamber, the stepped pedestal, the waterfall in front of the grated river that led to the enormous lake out back…everything. There were only two differences he could discern. First, obviously, every drop of water, from waterfall to pool, was frozen._

_The second was more than likely why Ruto brought him here._

"…_So this is what happened to your father."_

_Link spoke in a hushed tone as he gazed at the frozen countenance of King Zora, the ruler of Zora's Domain. Like his people, King Zora was encased in ice – unlike his people, he sat alone. The remarkably crystal clear frost that surrounded the king allow every detail of the poor creature's body to be seen, including a look of fear and defiance that Link never expected to see on such a pudgy face._

_He could only imagine why Ganondorf saw it fit to leave the Zora sovereign here, perched upon his now-frozen waterfall. Perhaps the King of Evil could not move the bloated monarch from his perch, deciding not to waste any time moving him to the main lake downstairs. Or maybe King Zora was left here as the ultimate symbol of Ganondorf's twisted ambitions while bestowed the cruelty of being separated from his people._

_Link sighed as he turned to Ruto, now standing by his side at the base of the pedestal, the pedestal where they would've stood to speak to King Zora formally were he unfrozen. The princess tried her best to appear calm and unwavering, but he could tell it was difficult for her just being here. One of her hands rested gently against his arm, and he could feel her body shake softly as she attempted not to cry. A faint whistling of wind distracted him momentarily as Navi fluttered her way to inspect King Zora more closely, her pink light illuminating the pride and despair of the patriarch in his final moments._

_Shaking his head, Link placed a hand on Ruto's shoulder. "I'm sorry…"_

_Ruto shook her head. "No…it's all right," she insists, blinking her eyes to hide the tears she was holding back. "It's just…very hard to come up here and see this. I try not to come up here that often, but…but…" A single tear escaped from her right eye, and she quickly brushed it aside with her finger. She took a deep breath as she gazed into her father's motionless gaze. "I…I miss him so much…"_

_Link pictured Ruto breaking down and crying her eyes out every time she entered this chamber, a once proud princess reduced to tears after being forced to see not just her people but her own father in such a state. It was amazing she was holding it together at the moment – if that was because he was with her, he was glad he could provide some comfort to the obviously lonely girl._

_Another tear escaped her eyes, but this one froze on her skin before Ruto had the chance to remove it. She muttered an irritated gruff before plucking the tiny piece of ice from her cheek and tossing it aside. Looking at Link, she exhaled a couple times._

"_I've shown you my dad…now I want to show you Lord Jabu-Jabu."_

…_Link stepped outside into the canyon with apprehension. After witnessing what had happened to the Zoras and their king, he felt uneasy knowing he'll now discover the befallen fate of the Zoras' deity, Lord Jabu-Jabu. While walking up the tunnel that connected the throne room and the ravine, he had pondered the possibility of talking Ruto out of showing him, but Ruto was insistent. Still, he felt very hesitant as he left the tunnel and entered the vast mountain valley where Lord Jabu-Jabu's sacred pool lay._

_Like every other droplet of water in Zora's Domain, Lord Jabu-Jabu's pool boasted a frozen lake that rivaled the one inside the mountain's main caverns. Link didn't need any more confirmation to know that this was the same ice that caged the Zoras – the unnatural snow falling from unseen clouds was more than enough confirmation. However, unlike King Zora and his people, this ice was lacking one important detail._

_The god of the Zoras was nowhere to be seen._

"_Whe…where's Lord Jabu-Jabu?" Link asked Ruto, recalling his adventures inside the divinity's bowels to remember the sacred fish's size. "What happened to him? Is he under the ice?"_

_Link immediately knew the answer to his latter question – the ice was again crystal clear aside from a murky top layer, and nowhere could he see even a vague silhouette of the enormous deity encased under the frozen lake. Ruto hesitated before she finally replied in a surprisingly calm tone._

"_He…he's dead."_

_The Hero of Time felt his jaw drop. "Dead…? How? How do you know?"_

"_I…just do," Ruto admitted sadly. "As a Zora, I've always felt a strong…connection with our Lord Jabu-Jabu, especially after entering his insides on so many occasions. But when I was freed by your friends, I no longer felt that connection…almost as if it had been severed. I suspected he was dead…and sure enough, when I first returned here I found him no longer in his sacred pool. I don't know what happened to him…but I'm certain he is no longer alive."_

_Link nodded and glanced once again at the now eerily empty lake, the sheer size of the frozen tundra enough to eclipse Lake_ _Hylia. He could almost feel Ruto's body shaking beside him from the chilling idea of her deity being slain. Certainly Ganondorf was responsible for Lord Jabu-Jabu's death. Certainly that crazed Gerudo wouldn't just simply encase the fish god in ice like he did the Zora race. Had Ganondorf killed Lord Jabu-Jabu like he did the Deku Tree, via a parasite…possibly another Barinade? Or perhaps feed the poor divinity's massive carcass to his flocks of helmarocs or armies of Moblins?_

_As ruthless as Ganondorf was, Link could rule out no possibility…_

_He sighed once again before remembering how cold it was, and started to shiver slightly. Ruto looked over to him and noticed his shiver before doing her best to smile._

"_I think that's enough," she admitted. "Come…let's get a fire going so we can warm up and talk…"_

_They did get a fire going, and they did talk. Link also got to eat some of his rations before Ruto forced him to eat that disgusting, raw fish…_

He opened his eyes at that moment, the memory of that dreadful taste seared into his mind. To his side, the fire was dying away as glowing embers, suggesting he had been sleeping for several hours. To his side, he heard the delicate breathing of Ruto, her grip on his arm thankfully loosened. Blinking himself completely awake, Link glanced up at the sky, watching the gloomy darkness of the heavens stare back down at him.

He then growled softly to himself, wishing he could forget that horrible stench on his tongue. He smacked his lips a couple times, licking the inside of his mouth as if trying to rid his taste buds of any remaining trace of that flavor…

Wait a minute…

He smacked his lips again, just to make sure. Yes, it was undeniable. He could taste it…he tasted…_fish_…on his lips. And not just any kind of fish…_raw_ fish.

But how? The roasted fish he had eaten earlier tasted just fine, and certainly his memories of that awful tang couldn't be enough to bring it back. He couldn't think of any reason why the taste would return…unless…

Instinctively, he looked over to Ruto. On her face, nested just below her closed eyes and tiny nose, was a noticeable, satisfied smile…

* * *

"What's going on out there? Anything new going on?"

Malatite asked Sheik that question for the thirteenth time that evening, this time as the Sheikah climbed down the ladder of an underground cellar hidden underneath his house. Closing the hatch behind him, allowing the single flame of a wicker candle to illuminate the small secretive chamber, Sheik hopped the rest of the way down to the ground, landing next to a scared and anxious Goron Link.

"We're safe for now," Sheik replied, looking around first at the two Gorons before making sure the Hylians in the room were also all right.

A fearful Talon and a jittery Ingo sat huddled together while kneeling beside a lone mattress, where a still unconscious Malon lay. The farm girl thankfully hadn't been harmed in any way during her transportation from the bedroom down here, but hopefully they wouldn't test their luck like that again.

"As far as I can tell," Sheik continued, kneeling down to place a comforting hand on Goron Link's head, "the Moblins aren't here to destroy the village. For some reason, they're occupying it. They've corralled the villagers into their homes and are keeping a close eye on them, but luckily they're not paying attention to this house because it looked empty. I've heard of some injuries to villagers who tried to resist, but no one's been killed, which is a miracle in itself."

He looked up at the trapdoor. "The Three Goddesses' luck is with us…for now, at least."

"But why would the Moblins occupy this village?" Talon asked, one of his massive hands holding his daughter's. "This town's been under Ganondorf's jurisdiction ever since the King of Hyrule was killed. Do you think they suspect a branch of the resistance is occupied here?"

"No, I don't think so," Sheik responded, shaking his cloaked face. "I've been very careful never to reveal this location in any of my reports to other branches of the resistance, and the messengers who delivered them have been trained to resist all methods of torture. No, if Ganondorf suspected the resistance were here, he'd wipe out the entire village…especially if he learned I or Princess Zelda were here. He must be here for something else…but what?"

Everyone else in the room gave the Sheikah equally blank stares – they had no better ideas than Sheik did at the moment. Growing a little frustrated, Sheik kneeled beside the young Goron by his feet and rested his chin on his fist, shaking his head a little. He hated being kept in the dark like this – Link's earlier desertion as the Hero of Time was more than enough for him. Goron Link tried to return Sheik's comforting hand by hugging one of his crouched legs – Sheik appreciated the gesture, but it didn't do anything for his concentration.

"Why would Ganondorf occupy the town like this?" he muttered to himself, staring at the ground in the little available light. "There must be a reason…what does Kakariko Village have that he wants? What does it have…? Something that other places don't have? Something…something…?"

Suddenly, it came to him. Sheik rocketed to his feet, startling the little Goron at his feet and surprising everyone else.

"That's it!"

"What? What's it?" asked Malatite as he fiddled around with his medical supplies.

"The temple!" Sheik exclaimed to the small crowd in the underground chamber. "One of the temples the Hero of Time is meant to unseal is located not very far from here. Two temples have already been unsealed, so I'm willing to bet Ganondorf is stepping up the level of protection for the remaining temples…to defend his remaining assets, that sort of thing."

The explanation seemed satisfactory to everyone in the room…well, everyone except the Goron doctor.

"Hmm…I suppose so. Still…"

Sheik noticed Malatite's skepticism. "What's wrong? Something not right with that idea?"

"I don't know," Malatite admitted as he poured a cup of medicine and gave it to Ingo to give to Malon. "Your reasoning sounds good enough, but something's nagging at me. I mean…you said that Ganondorf is stepping up the forces to guard the remaining temples, right? Well, that assumes he had forces guarding the temples to begin with. Unless I'm missing something…no one's been guarding the temple near this village."

Sheik had to carefully consider Malatite's thoughts on the matter, and he had to admit the Goron had a point. The Forest Temple was guarded by patrolling Moblins, a couple Wolfos, and four devilish Poes. The Fire Temple had flocks of Keese, dozens of Flare Dancers, and countless Fire Bubbles. Even the Water Temple had some measure of security with that "Morpha" thing that Link had mentioned to him before leaving for Zora's Domain.

But the temple outside Kakariko Village had no protection at all. Not even a couple Moblins patrolling outside the door. However, Sheik knew as well as anyone – including Ganondorf, more than likely – why stationing a guard at that temple wasn't necessary…

…but then would Ganondorf really _need_ extra security for this temple? The more Sheik pondered over this, the more suspicious he was growing. If Ganondorf wasn't protecting the temple, then they had to be here for another purpose. But what? What could they possibly be here for…?

Just then, a low rumbling from above ground interrupted his thoughts. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared up at the ceiling. Slowly but surely, they saw and heard it: a distant, rhythmic thud steadily growing closer, loosening grains of dust from the dirt roof over their heads. It didn't take a sage to realize those were the footsteps of something…no, some_things_ huge.

"What's going on now?" Talon cried, squeezing his pale daughter's hand. "Are those Moblins?"

"Sounds too disorganized to be Moblins," Sheik commented, looking about the ceiling as if the dry mud might reveal the answer to him. "Sounds like two…maybe three large creatures heading this way. But unless I actually step outside and get a better look, I…"

Without warning, another sound cut off Sheik. This sound was far more distant that the approaching footsteps, but they had an immediate effect on everyone within the underground bunker. The moment it reached their ears, a sharp, cold shiver ran down their necks, cutting through every accessible nerve in their body. The two Gorons and the two conscious Hylians turned as pale as the slumbering Malon, but only the Sheikah grew even more stark white than the farm girl.

Because he recognized that sound.

Ingo quickly offered a guess of the chilling sound's source. "Re…ReDead?"

Sheik took his time before shaking his head. "No…it's far worse…"

Regaining some of his composure, Sheik faced Talon and Malatite. "Quick! Get ready to move Malon! I'll head upstairs and ready the secret passage to the mountain. It's risky, but we have to take it."

Sheik then started climbing the stairs, but Talon stopped him with a desperate cry. "Wait! What's going on? Why are we moving Malon again? What's wrong?"

"We don't have time!" Sheik insisted, still climbing the stairs until he reached the trapdoor. "They'll be here any minute! We must get her out of here before…!"

"But why?" Malatite almost sternly demanded, freezing the Sheikah where he hang. "This girl is in a very delicate state! Moving her further could kill her if we're not careful! Tell us why!"

Sheik hesitated momentarily before turning to face the doctor and the ranch owner – his eyes were filled with desperation rarely seen in a race as resolved as the Sheikah. "Because if she stays here…she will not survive the night…"

* * *

They entered Kakariko Village with a presence reserved for either the most dangerous or most vicious of soldiers, and to the villagers who were there to witness their arrival they couldn't tell if it they were both. Their footsteps shook the very ground beneath them with a deafening bang, their feet sinking into the ground underneath their enormous weight. There were only three of them, but even the Moblins occupying the village knew that they were the ones to be feared.

Dressed from head to two in a thickly coated armor that shined even in the moonlight, these beings moved sluggishly but obviously cared little for their lack of speed. While standing as tall as a regular Hylian, their enormous bulk left an impression of a towering figure swelling with intimidation. Strength rippled through each steel piece they possessed, strength that could tear a thousand men apart with just their bare hands. To amplify this threat even more, those very hands each held a menacing two-headed axe that would take at least twenty Hylian soldiers to lift. The hollow gaze in each of these creatures' reinforced helmets made it clear that these axes weren't just for intimidation; if need be, they could destroy an army single handedly with but one clean swipe.

Most of the few townspeople present at their arrival knew little about these monsters, but one solider who had survived the original wars between Hyrule and Ganondorf knew the name these beings possessed:

"Iron…Knuckles…" he muttered in hushed whisper behind the back of a Moblin guard, who promptly told him to shut up.

The clear leader of the three Iron Knuckles, the one at the forefront of the group, raised one of its armored hands, singling for the other two to stop. The other two did so immediately while the leader took a couple steps forward before coming to a halt itself. It looked around the village in apparent disgust before focusing on the army of Moblins scattered around the town, as well as the few Hylians brave or stupid enough to remain outside.

After an agonizingly long silence, the Iron Knuckle pointed a thick finger at a Moblin standing next to an elderly man. "You!" it bellowed in a tinny but commanding voice. "Bring me that peon!"

The Moblin dared not argue. Using the blunt edge of its spear, it pushed the poor old man forward; the man, unable to refuse or run away, was forced to step forward towards the Iron Knuckle, which wielded its sinister axe in one hand with a threatening glare. The man tried to keep as much distance as he could between him and the armored creature, but the Moblin made sure the distance was quite short, indeed.

The Iron Knuckle glowered down at the noticeably nervous Hylian silently for a minute before speaking. "Where is your village leader?" the beast demanded. "I want you to bring him to me."

The man's shaking increased substantially as he answered the Iron Knuckle's demand. "W-we…d-d-don't…ha…have a l-l-leader…" he stuttered, trying to maintain eye contact with the menace towering over him.

The Iron Knuckle tilted its head to the side. "Is that so?"

The man nodded, his bald head sweating profusely. "Y-yes…I'm afraid…we d-d-don't…" A smile cracked on his lips – things seemed to be going more smoothly than he would've imagined…

…but he was wrong.

Without warning, the Iron Knuckle turned to the side and faced a nearby house. The single step it made to turn was enough to shake the ground, but that was not the most the end of things – with a swiftness not seen in its earlier lethargic movements, the Iron Knuckle raised its powerful weapon and brought down one of its mighty heads upon the house. The axe cleaved through the brick and mortar without any difficulty, shattering all within its path until it collided with the ground and partially buried itself in the soil with a deafening squelch. The blow send shockwaves across the ground in all directions, causing Hylian and Moblin alike to lose their balance momentarily – only the three Iron Knuckles were unaffected.

By the time the Iron Knuckle removed its weapon from the ground, all that remained of the house was a rubble pile of wood, clay, and glass. No one knew if anyone had been in there when it had been sliced apart, but anyone unfortunate enough to be there would certainly not have survived…

The old man who only moments ago thought things were going well was now on the ground, shaking so violently that he would've fallen apart had the Iron Knuckle not reached down with its free hand and grabbed his face. Unable to resist or protest, the man was lifted into the air so his face gazed deeply into the empty eyes of the Iron Knuckle's face.

"Since you don't have a leader," the Iron Knuckle uttered, "you'll have to do. You're going to lead my friends somewhere for me. Fail, and I'll do to you what I just did to that house."

"Y-y-your friends…?" the man stuttered, glancing at the two other Iron Knuckles, trying to imagine where he could possibly lead them.

But the leader noticed the Hylian glancing at the other Iron Knuckles and chuckled. "Oh, no, not them. I mean my _other_ friends."

Before the old man could ask who the Knuckle's "other friends" were, a loud, disturbing shriek pierced the night sky, one that seemed to terrify even the Moblins. Everyone looked in the direction of where the Iron Knuckles had originally entered the village, and what they saw sent chills down everyone's spines.

Coming from behind the horizon, their shapes outlined clearly even in the darkness, were five or six slender figures that approached Kakariko Village with a strange, swaying gait. As they got closer, their features become more defined and noticeable…and terrifying. Dressed in clothes that resembled tribal Gerudo garb, the beings' skin was coated in a bright, unnatural purple hue. With their arms outstretched, they held in both hands a peculiar ball of crystal that shimmered with unholy light. But their most truly conspicuous feature were their faces and how hideous they appeared: mouths wide open with lips cracked beyond repair and tongues lapping dryly in their throats; cheeks hollowed out and drained of any muscle; eye sockets sewn shut with eyeballs bulging behind the lids in a vain attempt to see once again.

And screams originating from their throats with a terrible, soul-wrenching tone that not even the dead could avoid.

The hand being held in the inescapable clutches of the Iron Knuckle felt his face fall apart in horror as these…_things_ approached the village, led by nothing more than a blindness guided by unknown, sinister instinct. The Iron Knuckle, unaffected by the monsters' sickening screeches, forced the old man to look into its hollow eyes once again.

"Now…" the Iron Knuckle smirked, "take us to your graveyard."

* * *

Finally. Lake Hylia.

Link breathed a sigh of relief as the morning sun blinked over the horizon, illuminating the vacant bowl in the earth known as Lake Hylia. It was the morning of the fourth day since he had left Zora's Domain, and he was glad to see his efforts to get here as soon as possible had paid off, especially considering the detour he had to take in order to compensate for Ruto.

Speaking of which….

The Hero of Time glanced behind him as he rode alongside the dry lakebed on Epona, who continued a steady pace despite being pushed to her strength limit by her master. Not surprisingly, Link saw Ruto fast asleep, her arms wrapped around his waist tightly while her massive head rested comfortably against his back. He suspected she slept to save energy, since the river she used to travel most of the way here had dried up several miles ago. At least asleep Ruto didn't distract him with her annoying blarney. However, he was going to shatter that peace in a minute, as he could already see the rickety bridge that spanned half the lake to the Water Temple entrance in the center.

And not a Moblin in sight.

"_So far, so good,"_ Link smiled.

Within an uneventful five minutes, Epona drew alongside the bridge. Link quickly pulled the reins to bring the mare to a steady stop, and the horse responded quickly without fuss. Link patted the mare along her neck, giving his thanks for all of her effort; Epona responded with an appreciative snort and a shake of her mane. Smiling, Link once again turned behind him to look at the sleeping princess.

"Ruto, wake up. We're here."

The Zora groggily awoke, using one of her hands to pick some sleep from her eyes. "Al…already?" she mumbled, trying to adjust her sight in the dawn light.

"That's right," Link replied as he carefully unhooked Ruto's arm from his waist and hopped down from Epona's back. "We're just a short bridge crossing away from the Water Temple."

Apparently keyed up upon hearing that, Ruto smiled. "Really?" she gleefully asked as she looked around for the aforementioned bridge, finding it quickly. She clapped her hands a couple times and hissed several exclamations of enthusiasm. "I almost can't believe it…we're so close to freeing my people!"

"Well…let's first enter the temple and see what we find," Link suggested as he offered a hand to help Ruto off Epona's back. He didn't know what lay waiting for them inside that Water Temple other than that thing Ganondorf called Morpha, but he suspected the place was crawling with danger. Link just hoped he could keep Ruto safe from whatever was in there.

Flattered by Link's gentlemanly offer, she took his hand and slid off Epona's saddle, landing delicately on the ground with nary a sound. She looked into her betrothed's eyes with evident glee and flashed another grin at him. Link merely grinned in return while trying to maintain as little eye contact as possible.

"So, shall we enter the Water Temple, darling?"

"Sure…" Link reluctantly agreed. "Just one moment, first…"

Letting go of Ruto's hand, Link walked up to Epona and patted the mare on her snout. "Things could get dangerous around here, Epona. I want you to head to Dr. Garigan's house and wait there for us – he should take care of you until we return. Do you understand?"

Epona twisted her head around in several directions and brayed loudly, as if insulted by the mere suggestion that she didn't understand. Smiling, Link nodded.

"See you soon, girl."

At least he hoped so…

With a kick into the wind, Epona neighed a final time before launching herself forward, galloping as fast as she desired in the approximate direction of Dr. Garigan's cottage. By the end of the minute, she had disappeared on the dry shoreline amidst the thousands of dying trees running through the landscape. Satisfied that his loyal steed was safe from harm, Link returned his attention to Ruto, who was unwearyingly waiting for her fiancé.

"Okay, now I'm ready," Link announced with the most sincere smile he could manage for the Zora princess.

Still grinning, Ruto rushed up to the Hylian and linked arms with him; Link suspected she was only half a heartbeat away from squealing in elation. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

He tried at least somewhat to calm her down, but Ruto's energy was limitless. As the two approached the bridge that led to the Water Temple's entrance, the Zora led the Hero of Time by almost dragging him along with her. Link counted him rolling his eyes about three times before they even stepped on the first plank of wood on the bridge. He tried to ignore Ruto's girlish behavior and focus on the upcoming testing of the blue breathing suit he wore. Boy, he wished he had tested this earlier – hopefully things will work out, or else…

It was then that Link noticed a large, abnormally shaped shadow rapidly approach them from above…


	60. Blood Waves

**Chapter 60: Blood Waves**

"_Of all the things to do…why come back here? What is she up to?"_

_Those thoughts and more filled Sheik's mind as he tethered his horse to the low branch of a dead oak, providing company to another horse already secured to the tree, a horse that belonged to Princess Zelda. After making sure his steed couldn't escape, he then focused his attention on where the princess had most likely gone._

_Hyrule_ _Castle_ _New City._

_As he crossed the rotting drawbridge over the moat to pass through the arched entrance to the city, Sheik couldn't help but feel uneasy – New City_ _always made him feel this way. After all, not only was the city crawling with ReDead, but the metropolis housed Ganondorf's Tower, where the King of Evil himself dwelled with his vicious armies. In other words, he was walking right into the heart of enemy territory._

_Which further pounded the question in Sheik's mind: what is Zelda up to?_

_As he walked the streets of the city, Sheik blocked out the heartrending scenery that surrounded him, focusing instead of watching out for any ReDead that might appear. He had been here many times before and every time seeing the crumbling remnants of once-busy taverns or homes that used to house contented families brought back countless memories of the past three years of war that have been waged against Ganondorf. And memories of the war always reminded him of his people's failure to protect the King of Hyrule from being killed._

_Now only Princess Zelda remained, and it was his responsibility to protect her – all the more reason for worrying about the princess being here. Sure, he had taught her well in wielding many weapons – her skill with blades particularly impressed him – but could she really defend herself in a place like this all alone?_

_Luckily, Sheik knew that there was only one place Zelda would want to go in this gods-forsaken city. He still had no idea _why _she wanted to go there, but she would certainly head there, nevertheless. All he needed to do was head to Market Square, then head down the right road and arrive there within a few minutes. All he had to do was hope the ReDead weren't anywhere nearby, lest they force him to take a detour._

_Surprisingly, his entire journey through the disintegrating city consisted of very few meetings with the ReDead, and the ones he did see were too far away to either notice him or attack him with their wretched soul-freezing screams. In fact, he arrived at his destination faster than he anticipated, and there were no enemies in sight. Either Ganondorf was growing lax with his security, or he just got lucky…just like Zelda had, hopefully._

_Taking a deep breath, Sheik entered through the doors of where he prayed Zelda was: the Temple_ _of Time._

_The temple, just like the city, was in ruins. Pews that used to accommodate thousands of those faithful to the Three Goddesses were destroyed and strewn all over the floor, and once sacred relics and icons were now destroyed thanks to rampant looting during the wars. The smell of blood still lingered throughout the chamber, and Sheik almost tripped over the skeleton of the body of a poor soul now stripped to the bone by either rats or Moblins._

_Trying to ignore the scene of desolate carnage around him, Sheik made his way to the front of the temple, where the Door Time was lodged. He had to walk around the one thing that hadn't been destroyed in the looting: the podium that housed the three Spiritual Stones, which amazingly were still there, shimmering brightly in what little light was available. Sheik knew for a fact those stones couldn't be removed – he had tried once himself – which more than likely explained why thieves couldn't make off with undoubtedly valuable trinkets. Whatever magic held them there must really want to keep the Door of Time open._

_And Sheik knew why, for beyond that door lay perhaps the only chance Hyrule had against the King of Evil…_

_As he stepped into the chamber beyond the main sanctuary through the Door of Time, Sheik half-expected to see Zelda right there, sitting on the stone steps that led to the pedestal that once contained the Master Sword. But no, she was nowhere in sight. That could only mean she had to be where _he _was right now…_

_Shaking his head a little, Sheik leisurely walked up to the pedestal as he pulled out something he suspected he would need: his harp. Upon reaching the pedestal, he stopped and looked around the barren room a couple times before he took several deep breaths. Then, closing his eyes, he started playing the Song of Time._

_Rather, he played the Song of Time in a different key. The original melody acted as a key to the Door of Time, but in this scale it acted as a different kind of key. With the Master Sword removed, all that was needed to reach his destination was to play this simple tune. Thankfully Ganondorf knew nothing about this entrance; had he known, he would've most certainly used it to conquer the one place in the Sacred Realm he had no control over._

_As he plucked the first few notes on his harp, he could already feel the effects around him. He didn't need his eyes open to see the chamber enveloped by a blinding white light, light that would eventually subside to reveal his destination: the Chamber of Sages in the heart of the Sacred Realm. He continued playing the Song of Time until he was sure the magical transportation no longer needed the melody, then he returned his harp to its pouch behind his back. He then opened his eyes just in time to watch the brightness collapse and reveal sights long ago etched firmly in his memory: waterfalls of colored light, a floating pond of blue light, and tinted islands in that pond with markings identifying Sages that had yet to be awakened._

_Sheik emerged in the Chamber of Sages on the island that represented the Sage of Light, Rauru. The wise old sage would usually greet him and Zelda whenever they came to visit this place, but as he looked around he realized Rauru was absent this time around. Sheik could only speculate what the sage did in his spare time, since he could never leave the chamber. Then again, Sheik had no idea what sages were capable of doing…_

_The Sheikah quickly remembered his reason for coming here and looked for the Hylian princess who was hopefully here. To his relief, he spotted her instantly, standing on the central island in the blue light pool. Her back was turned to him, so she hadn't seen him yet. Her attention was instead focused on something else on the central island: a pillar of radiance that seemed to disappear into the black, limitless ceiling of the chamber while firmly planted in the heart of the island._

_Of course, what was _inside _that pillar of light was what Zelda most likely was staring at._

_He remained suspended in the light column a short distance above the ground, as if surrounded by an invisible, gelatinous liquid. He made no movements other than the inhalations of his chest as he breathed. He made no sound but a faint heartbeat that could be heard only in deathly silence. The boy wasn't even awake; his eyes closed incredibly delicately, he slept with a peacefulness that few would know in the current state of Hyrule._

_His muscular body wore not a single stitch of clothing – a result of magic intended to present him in the purest form possible – but the naked boy did possess one item inside that glowing prison, a long, powerful-looking broadsword gripped tightly in his right hand. The boy was also not alone inside that prison – suspended above his right shoulder, just as serene as her master, was a pink fairy whose faint glow couldn't match the pillar's brilliance._

_The boy called Link and his fairy Navi. Allegedly Link was a Kokiri, a child of the forest that never aged, but looking at him now would refute that argument – like an ordinary Hylian, Link was growing into a handsome young man. Of course, Link himself would never know this until he awoke – the column of light that imprisoned him kept him in a constant dreaming state that would only end when the Master Sword deemed him old enough to wield it, and even the Sheikah people could only speculate how long that would be._

_Sheik eyed the future savior of Hyrule for a moment before he raised a hand in Zelda's direction, intending to get her attention. But before he opened his mouth, he noticed something strange about Zelda herself, and a gut feeling in the back of Sheik's mind told him to keep quiet for a little bit._

_Like Sheik, the princess wore the Sheikah combat uniform that possessed the famous Eye of Din on its chest area. However, Zelda wore it in a very loose manner: her hat and shoes were on the floor, her face-hiding scarf pulled down, and she had loosened her shirt's buttons partially. Zelda was obviously in a very complacent state at the moment, but why Sheik could not tell._

_As the Sheikah watched, Zelda remained very still in the spot she stood, her eyes fixed solely on the imprisoned boy. Sheik couldn't see her face, but he was willing to bet she was blushing fiercely – no matter how many times she had come here over the past few years, seeing Link's naked body always embarrassed her. Not that such a thing prevented from looking at it, as evidenced by her keen attention on the future Hero of Time…_

_Zelda continued to watch the nude young boy in the gleaming pillar, studying every aspect of his body while devoting much of her careful gaze to his face. After a few minutes, the Hylian princess then took a few steps towards the column. Sheik wanted to call out to her to stop, because touching the prison of light could entrap her along with the Hero of Time, but that gut feeling forced him to do nothing._

_Zelda stopped just shy of the pillar's brilliant edge, her eyes still concentrating on Link's dormant face. Then, slowly and carefully, the princess raised a hand to the pillar, placing her palm just shy of the column's entrapping glow. Her hand then "caressed" the rim of the prison, gliding along the surface until it ended as close as it could to Link's hand that didn't hold the Master Sword. Zelda's fingers seemed to flex slightly, as if wanting to take that untouchable hand in her own, and Sheik could tell there was a bit of sadness in her movements._

_Realizing that made him feel very uncomfortable…_

_Just then, Zelda lowered her gaze and sighed. When that sigh reached Sheik's ears, he felt a chill run down his spine. It wasn't fear, it wasn't worry…no, that sigh embodied far more powerful emotions. Emotions that Sheik also felt for a certain someone…_

_Before he could react further, Zelda spoke for the first time since Sheik entered the Chamber of Sages. She said just a single word, but that word cut through Sheik's heart more than any blade ever could:_

"_Link…"_

_Link. All she said was the name of the Hero of Time, but it was the way she said it that devastated Sheik. That one mention of that name contained sentiments that said more than he imagined, but he knew what she meant. He could already finish the countless unfinished sentences Zelda must have bottled inside her mind:_

Link…forgive me…

Link…I'm sorry I left you, but never again…

Link…I want you by my side…

Link…I want to touch you again…

Link…I want to hold you so badly…

Link…you mean so much to me…

Link…I care for you…

Link…I…I…

"She just has to blow him a gods-damned kiss…" _Sheik thought angrily_ _as a single tear rolled down his cheek and dripped onto the back of his hand, which was clenched into a steadily tightening fist._

_The princess then looked up again, once more studying the face of the boy who apparently had Zelda's heart…something Sheik wanted more than anything in the world. Disgust started replacing the anger and jealousy in his own heart, and he wanted to get this agonizing scene from his sight before he had to endure more heartbreak. Without thinking he reached for the bag that contained his harp, carelessly yanked the instrument out…_

…_and dropped it._

CLAAAAANNNNNG…

_The sound of the harp striking the ground send Sheik scrambling the ground to pick it up, but it was already too late. Zelda heard the bang and immediately turned around, the startled look in her face accompanied by an undeniable fluster. It didn't take long for the Sheikah to realize Zelda had noticed his presence, and he also knew that now he simply couldn't leave without confronting her._

"_Sheik…what are you doing here?" Zelda uttered, apparently wondering just how long Sheik had been standing there._

_The Sheikah considered saying something evasive, but there was no turning back now. "I could ask the same of you, princess," he replied with a noticeable hurt in his voice. "You know it's dangerous to come here alone. Why did you leave Kakariko_ _Village_ _without telling me?"_

_Zelda quickly grew defensive. "Well, I…just…I wanted to…um, that is to say…"_

_Before she could think up a half-hearted excuse, Sheik bit his teeth together and interjected, "You came here to see Link…_just _to see Link. Am I right?"_

_The princess started fidgeting nervously at that accusation, which was more than enough confirmation for the increasingly dejected Sheikah. Tightening his clenched first a little more, Sheik took a few steps forward and leapt across the pool of blue light to the central island, where Zelda still was unable to find a response to Sheik's claim. As the boy watched the anxious Hylian girl with sad eyes, Zelda's desperation became more and more evident._

"_Sheik, I…it's not what you think…I just…I wasn't, I…"_

"_Stop it, Zelda…stop lying to me, please."_

_Hearing those words immediately quieted the princess, who could only look at her Sheikah protector with a heavy sense of guilt._

"_You can't hide it from me, I can see it in your eyes," Sheik muttered. "I heard it in your voice. This boy…the Hero of Time…he has your heart. You are in love with him."_

_Zelda didn't attempt to deny Sheik's obvious assertion. Rather she looked at the floor in humiliating remorse, as if Sheik had seen something he never should have laid eyes on. And Sheik could see why. For months he and Zelda had shared feelings with each other through flirtations and such, using subtlety to let the other know how he or she felt. Sheik's feelings for Zelda were unwavering from the very beginning, but with Zelda he always seemed to sense a hesitancy in her actions, an uncertainty of returning his affections. He had suspected she didn't know whether to love a man born outside of royalty, a reluctance he had hoped would fade over time._

_But now he saw reality: she loved an ordinary man, but one with a gift he could never hope to achieve…_

"_Sheik…I'm sorry…" Zelda started._

"_You should be!" Sheik bellowed in an uncharacteristically harsh voice. "Do you have any idea how I feel right now? Any idea at all?"_

_Caught off guard by Sheik's tone, Zelda could only shake her head in abject silence._

"_You're damn right you don't! When we first met, I took you in as someone I swore to protect with my life, but during the time I spent living and training with you, I came to see you as something more important than that. My aunt warned me not to get my feelings involved with you…but I couldn't help it. I cared for you more than I had ever cared for anyone in my life, and I was sure you returned those feelings. These past few years, I believed you and I had something special, something only we shared. I thought, once the war was over, we could build a life together. In everything I did for you, I poured my heart out for you…"_

_The Sheikah then looked up at the dormant Hero of Time. "…but now I've discovered the truth. You never returned any of my affections…but have kept them for someone else. Him…of all people, _him_!"_

"_Sheik…please…" Zelda tried pleading, but Sheik tersely cut in._

"_How can you even love this boy?" he demanded. "You barely even know him! I've known you for three years and I know you were well aware of how much I cared about you…but you chose to give your heart to this…this…stranger! What has he done that I haven't? What has he done that has won you away from me? Surely you are not so shallow as to fall for him just because you come here to _gawk at his naked flesh_! Or am I wrong? What is the reason? What?"_

_Zelda struggled to find the right words to say, so Sheik continued to demand a response._

"_My patience is running thin, princess," the Sheikah stammered, trying to suppress his anger as best he can through the anguish. "Just give me a simple answer: why do you love him?"_

_The princess still took a few moments to compose her thoughts, and when she finally had an answer she deemed acceptable she had to breathe in deeply a few times to steady herself. Looking at her Sheikah protector straight in the eye, Zelda gave her reply._

"_Because…Link and I…are coupled…by destiny."_

_Silence._

_At first Sheik mentally scratched his head, wondering if Zelda was actually serious with that almost childish reply. When he realized she was, all the control he had somehow maintained up until this point vanished in an explosive fit of resentment._

"_Destiny…_destiny_! What kind of bloody answer is that? Are you trying to insult me…?"_

"_No, no, honestly," Zelda insisted, trying to calm the furious Sheikah with a look of worry in her eyes. "It's true…I swear…Link and I are…"_

"_Shut up!" Sheik roared, silencing the princess immediately. "Just shut up! I'll have none of this! All I asked for was a straightforward answer, and you give me this…this…utter _carpshit_! If this is how you're going to treat me, then you can just go to Hael for all I care! And if that _really _is your true answer…then your gods-damned destiny can go to Hael with you!"_

_Without giving Zelda a chance to reply, Sheik raised his harp and started plucking the strings to play the necessary tune to return him to the Temple_ _of Time. His shaking fingers made the melody sound rather shaky, but the tune he created was enough for him to start disappearing before Zelda's eyes. The princess tried reasoning with the Sheikah as he disappeared, but the heated glare Sheik left the princess with was the only response he gave her._

_Within the span on a second, Sheik had disappeared from the Chamber of Sages, leaving a torn Zelda alone with a soon-to-be Hero of Time that would never know of the anguish that had taken place in his very presence._

_Fueled by an intense anger mixed with seething jealousy, Sheik arrived in the Temple_ _of Time_ _and immediately stormed his way outside Hyrule_ _Castle_ _New City. Despite using a known ReDead-free detour, by the time he crossed that rotting drawbridge he still felt the same intensity of stinging betrayal of Zelda's unrequited love and a growing envy towards the man who had taken her from him._

_Had he not arrived outside the city to find his horse stolen, he would've most certainly gone straight back to Kakariko_ _Village_ _to reflect on how he truly felt for the Princess Zelda…_

_

* * *

_

Without giving Ruto any warning, Link dove forward on the rickety bridge, dragging the Zora princess down with him in his arms to the ground. A soft grunt of surprise escaped Ruto's lips as they collapsed upon each other on the wooden planks, covering themselves with bruises all over and stunning their muscles momentarily.

But Link knew the bumps resulting from the fall were more than worth it, especially as he felt razor-sharp claws barely miss his head as they scraped past.

Not wasting any time, the Hero of Time quickly scrambled to get up as he drew his sword and started scanning the sky. Ruto was slower to react, and she remained sprawled on the boards as she turned her head to look up at her fiancé.

"Darling…what's wrong…?" she stammered, still flabbergasted by the abrupt shove.

"We've got company!" Link barked, keeping his gaze fixed on the sky and encouraging Ruto to look up as well. She did, and following the Hylian's gaze she instantly saw what Link saw.

Beating its enormous wings in a stiff breeze high in the air, the princess witnessed a horribly deformed vulture encircle them from an unreachable distance above. A pair of deadly claws flexed underneath its grotesque body, as if irritated that they didn't latch onto its intended prey. The beast's eyes weren't visible from this distance, but by the way the creature's misshapen head moved it most certainly was looking directly at the Hylian and Zora staring back at it from the bridge.

Beatings its powerful wings to gain altitude, the bird readied its claws for another strike.

"What…what is that thing…?" Ruto muttered, finding the urgency to get up and shuffle to Link's side.

"A helmaroc," Link snarled, his trained eyes remaining fixed on the monster in the sky. "Ruto, get on the ground and cover your head. This could get ugly…"

Before Link had the opportunity to finish, the helmaroc raised its misshapen head and released piercing series of screeches into the air. Hearing those cries made Link uncomfortable for some reason, but before he could contemplate why, the helmaroc stretched its wings and started diving, its deadly talons readying for a swooping kill.

"Ruto, get down!" Link ordered, taking a step back as he readied the Master Sword. The Zora princess complied by crouching on the bridge and wrapping her hands around her neck, all while closing her eyes. With Ruto relatively safe, Link focused all his attention on the attacking helmaroc, his eyes watching the bird's every movement.

The helmaroc, not intimidated by Link's defiance, released another squealing cry from its beak as it aimed its claws for Link's face. Link remained deadly still, refusing to allow the bird's threatening repulsiveness to daunt him. He remained just as bold just as the helmaroc reached Link's head and thrust its claws forward to pluck the Hero of Time's eyes from his sockets.

Then an instant before the bird's talons could rip through Link, the Hylian abruptly leaned backwards, using his agile frame to contort his way out of the beast's path. The helmaroc was forced to witness its prey avoid its grasp once more as Link's face passed underneath its massive body unharmed. Had the beast returned to the safety of the skies, it would've screeched out its frustrations before attempting another attack.

But the helmaroc didn't return to the safety of the skies. As Link's body twisted its way out of the bird's path, Link swung the Master Sword into an upward arc that landed above his head…right where the helmaroc was located at that moment. The legendary blade cleaved through the bird's flesh, severing the nerves that operated its wings, and shattered its spine all along its back. The resulting wounds released only a few droplets of blood, though a couple droplets of the vile juices landed on Link's face.

Crippled within seconds, the helmaroc couldn't even cry out in pain as its hideous body sputtered in the sky for a few precious seconds before plummeting to the dry lake bed underneath the bridge.

Link didn't emerge from the assault completely unscathed, however. A slight miscalculation of his balance left the wind momentarily knocked from his lungs as he fell to the ground. The fall was enough for Ruto to open her eyes in worry, and upon noticing her beloved sprawled at her feet she dove forward, hovering worryingly over the Hero of Time.

"Darling…are you all right…? You're bleeding…by the Three Goddesses, you're bleeding…!"

"I'm alright, I'm alright!" Link insisted rapidly. "It's not my blood, see?" He raised his right hand and wiped the blood drops from his face to show the lack of a wound.

Ruto's face quickly sighed with relief as she grinned. "Thank Lord Jabu-Jabu…please don't scare me like that again."

Link sighed himself, though he didn't smile. "Fine, fine…I won't. But come, we need to get going in case another helmaroc comes by…"

Suddenly, Link's ears picked up an echo of a sound emerging from the edge of the lake. He didn't need to turn his head to see what made that echo – he knew exactly what it was…

"Out of the way!"

Ruto had no time to respond when Link sat up and pushed the princess with all his might, reversing their positions as she landed on her back with him hugging her tightly while resting on top of her slippery body. Link ignored Ruto's muffled grunt as he looked behind him just in time to hear a loud crack in one of the wooden bridge planks behind them.

He didn't have to see the arrow in that very plank to know they had come dangerously closed to being skewered.

"Damn it!" Link cursed as he turned his attention to the edge of the lake, near the tree line of decaying vegetation. To his non-surprise, his eyes spied a troop of Moblins – fifteen, maybe twenty soldiers – shifting their way amidst the trees and through the brittle bushes. Most of them carried familiar spears and pikes, but at least three of them were wielding powerful-looking bows. These Moblin archers clearly possessed quivers filled with arrows, and judging by the missile lodged in the wooden board near Link and Ruto's feet, those serrated arrowheads could tear the two of them to shreds.

As he hurried to his feet, Link all of a sudden realized why the helmaroc's call had nagged him earlier. The call had been distinct, like a pattern of some kind. It had been a _warning signal_, one to alert to the Moblins now heading in the direction of the bridge. And while the foot soldiers looked ready to unleash their blades upon the intruders' flesh, the archers were already positioning themselves to release a flurry of arrows.

"What's going…?" Ruto tried to ask as she half-heartedly attempted to sit up.

"Just shut up and run!" Link bellowed with more urgency than discourtesy as he grabbed Ruto's arm and forced her to her feet with a terse jerk. He gave her no time to recover as he started running as fast as his legs could carry him, dragging the poor princess along with him. Already he could hear the heavy footsteps of Moblins charging onto the bridge and more echoes of bowstrings snapping loose as they fired more deadly projectiles at the pair.

Eventually, even Ruto started to realize the desperateness of the situation and tried pushing her legs to their limit as she and Link attempted to distance themselves from the shore. But it didn't take long for the whistling sounds of hollow, jagged-tipped darts to begin falling all around them, threatening to dissect or even kill the Hero of Time and his fiancée with one, well-aimed shot…

Link's mind raced as he considered using Farore's Wind, but he didn't want to risk making a wrong step on the rickety bridge and meeting the same fate as that helmaroc – besides, he doubted Ruto could keep up with him. That left him only one option…

"Ruto, get in front of me!" he ordered.

Not waiting for a confused reply, Link spun around and decreased his speed just enough so he was now running behind an obviously terrified Zora. Still encouraging the princess to run, Link briefly at the sky in the direction of the shoreline – the number of arrows that dotted the atmosphere indicated the Moblin archers were very skilled in their craft, and it was only a matter of time before one of their aims hit the mark.

Not if the Hero of Time had anything to say about it!

Ignoring the sight of the charging Moblin hoard on the bridge, Link sheathed the Master Sword and raised his left hand in the direction of the arrow volley. As he did, several arrows appeared from behind the glint of Din's Eye and descended upon the scampering pair with screaming fury. But before they could sink into either Link's or Ruto's flesh, the arrowheads struck a rose-tinted, transparent barrier that unexpectedly materialized near Link's hand and bounced harmlessly into the dry lakebed. Several more projectiles raced towards their targets with almost frightening accuracy, but they too succumbed to the new ruddy, impenetrable barricade.

As he stretched out Nayru's Love just enough to protect him and Ruto from the cascade of arrows, Link again turned his attention to the Zora princess, whose face was contorted with panic but also displayed a sincere effort at concentrating on their escape. Speaking of which, Link glanced up ahead; the only possible escape lay just ahead of them, in the form of a big hole in the ground that was filled with crystal clear liquid.

The entrance to the Water Temple…now he wished more than ever that he had tested the sapphire-tinted attire that would allegedly help him breathe underneath those waters…

But now wasn't the time to worry about that, not when he had a terrified girl in front of him being forced to run faster than she had ever been made to run before. Still maintaining the magical barrier behind them, Link leaned forward and spoke in the calmest voice he could muster:

"We're nearly there, Ruto…just a little bit farther, that's all. You can do it…"

"Darling!" Ruto suddenly screamed in fear. "The entrance!"

"The entrance…what about the…oh, bugger!"

To Link's horror, he saw something he hadn't noticed earlier: the doors to the Water Temple's entrance chamber were shut, and standing before those doors was a menacing Moblin wielding one of those menacing pikes. It glared defiantly at the Hero of Time, snarling with a menacing squeal as it stood ready for the Hylian and Zora.

Again Link's mind raced. What to do, what to do? A lone Moblin like this wouldn't pose much of a threat to him, but had Ruto to protect and those enormous doors to open before the _throng_ of Moblins nipping at his heels reached him. He had to get rid of this solitary soldier fast and get those doors open in a hurry, but how…?

A flash of inspiration struck Link. Usually his flashes of brilliance were of the "crazy" or "desperate" or even "stupid" variety – this one was no exception – but he had no choice.

"Ruto! I'm going to run ahead of you!" he called out to the frantic princess. "I want you to keep running as fast as you can, don't pause for anything, understand?"

Naturally, Ruto responded with a confused stammer. "Link, I…"

"_Understand_!" Link repeated, this time with a desperate plea in his tone.

"I…y-yes…I do…" Ruto spluttered, still unsure of what her beloved had planned.

Without giving a confirmation, Link nodded and lowered his hand, thereby removing Nayru's Love. By now, the Moblin archers had either given up or were now too far away, so Link was confident she wouldn't be skewered. And with the final stretch of the bridge straight enough for him to focus solely on his adversary at the bridge's end, Link could risk running slightly faster now.

"_Here I come, you idiot,"_ Link grinned as he called forth Farore's Wind.

Almost immediately he overtook Princess Ruto, his rapid footsteps clapping along the bridge's planks almost fast enough to tear them from their rope supports. Praying that the bridge would hold, Link maintained his focus on the lone Moblin at the end of the bridge, who seemed a little surprised by Link's sudden burst of speed. That was exactly what Link needed.

Without a moment's hesitation, Link reached behind his shield and pulled out the Megaton Hammer, brandishing its enormous head as he would a sword. The isolated Moblin saw the hammer and attempted to ready itself for an attack, but Farore carried the Hylian at speeds the creature couldn't keep up with. Just as the Moblin prepared to raise its pike in either strike or defense, Link stepped off the bridge and started running past the astounded Moblin.

That was when Link swung the Megaton.

The hammer's gleaming face struck exactly where Link had aimed and met another face, the face of the shocked Moblin guard. Combined with the blistering speeds of Link carried by Farore's Wind, the mystical energies of the Megaton Hammer emptied into the Moblin's head, shattering its skull and destroying its brain with vicious vibrations. Death came in the very instant after the beast's snout touched the instrument, and thus the Moblin couldn't bear witness to its own head being crushed against the second target Link had been aiming for…

_DUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNN…_

With a thunderous bang, the Megaton slammed against the doors of the temple's entrance chamber, transferring its powerful shockwaves into the thick wood and reinforced steel of the portal. Unlike the stone door back in the Fire Temple adorned with the numinous symbol of the Triforce that took several swings of the weapon, these doors shattered almost immediately as tremors wrenched the gates apart. Wood popped, splinters flew, and metal bowed as whatever locks had held the doors closed were torn off.

Then, just as Link had hoped, the twisted remnants of the once mighty entrance creaked open, providing just enough room for him and Ruto to enter…

Ruto…

Turning around, Link hoped the Zora hadn't been struck by an arrow or worse, captured by the pursuing Moblin mob. To his relief, Ruto was just leaving the bridge herself, her blue cheeks flustered with a reddish hue that told a lot about her exhaustive attempts at following Link's instructions. Staggering towards her fiancé with a very unbalanced gait, the princess collapsed in the Hero of Time's arms, her chest heaving heavily with gasps for breath.

"Darling…you did it…" she sighed, the terror in her eyes not as prevalent now. "You…"

"No time to rest!" Link interjected, looking up and seeing the Moblin soldiers closing the gap between them and the bridge. "We've got to get inside now! Hurry!"

Obviously tired but not ready to die, Ruto nodded and followed her beloved through the crack in the doors.

Inside the dimly lit chamber, everything was as Link had left it. From the elegant decorations to the chains that once held Malon to the blood spilled by his dark counterpart in the action that took away his right hand's usefulness, the chamber remained as captivating as ever…not to mention dangerous. The holes in the floor meant that Morpha thing could return at any moment, so there was no time to lose.

"There!" Link cried, pointing to the pool in the very center of the room. "Dive into that pool!"

This time wasting no moment questioning his order, Ruto used the remaining ounce of her strength to run once more. Beginning to feel safety was within their reach, Link followed, keeping one eye on her and another on the holes in the room, just in case Morpha might reappear…

Suddenly, loud crackling and heavy footsteps echoed throughout the chamber as animal-like grunts were heart behind them.

"There they are!" a snort-filled voice boomed. "Get 'em!"

The Moblins…they had arrived earlier than he had anticipated. But the water was only a few steps away, he realized. There was no way those monsters could catch them now. Once beneath those watery depths, there was no way for the Moblins to follow, and they would be safe from harm…

_SHEEEOOOOMP…_

Link's ears failed in time to pick up the familiar whistling sound as something sharp and jagged sunk into his right shoulder, slicing through the bone and emerging from the other side. Link didn't have to look down to know it was an arrow, one probably fired from an archer in the group he had failed to see or anticipate. Not that he could look down anyway – the force of the projective threw his balance for a loop and sent waves of pain racing through his chest.

As he fell forward, his vision began to grow dimmer. The last thing he remembered seeing was Ruto's slender body disappearing beneath the glassy waters of the pond in the chamber's center. A smile formed on his lips as he thanked the Three Goddesses for at least allowing Ruto to reach the waters unharmed. His vision then faded into darkness, and all that remained was the sound of the gentle splash made as his body landed in that same pool.

The burning pain from the arrow easily masked the cold grip of the waters around him, but that didn't prevent him from experiencing the sensation of suffocation. Unable to control his own bodily functions, his lungs continued to breathe, not realizing they were pumping in water instead of air. All attempts he made to hold his breath were in vain, and soon he could feel his heavy body slowly begin to sink to the bottom of the Water Temple beneath the rippling surface of a pond ornamented with droplets of his own blood.

* * *

Sheik still couldn't believe it. As he stood there against the back wall of a house in Kakariko Village, trying to keep out of site from the Moblin patrols as he watched the situation unfold, he still couldn't believe it.

Necromancers. Here. In Kakariko Village.

"_What could Ganondorf _possibly _be up to?"_ the Sheikah pondered in his mind as he glanced around the corner of the house…and ducked back just as three Moblin soldiers marched past the house.

Sheik dropped several beads of sweat as the beasts stomped their way past his location before sighed in grateful relief. He then took a deep breath as he looked around the corner once more, hoping to get a good look at things.

Just as he suspected, two of the Iron Knuckles were standing in the village center, holding their enormous axes readily on one hand. Sheik was willing to bet neither of these two Knuckles were the leader, the one who had reportedly threatened a local man for the location of the graveyard. Speaking of the graveyard, Sheik also suspected the lead Iron Knuckle was there right now, along with the necromancers…

"_But _why_?" _Sheik's thoughts demanded. "_The living dead is notoriously difficult to control – Ganondorf can barely control the ReDead and Poes are practically useless. Unless he's figured out a way to control them, there's no foreseeable reason to use necromancers to raise him an undead army. What is he up to…?"_

The Sheikah was just glad the farm girl was now safely out of town. Had Malon stayed anywhere near Kakariko Village when the necromancers showed up, their deathly auras and ghoulish screams could've easily drained the precious little life energy she had left. The trip through the escape tunnel had been risky, he knew, but Malon survived the journey, and that's all that mattered. Now Malatite could care for her properly without being interrupted by Ganondorf's strange occupation of this village.

Sheik, on the other hand, had to find out what Ganondorf was up to. And to do that, he needed to get to the graveyard…

* * *

Link had come so close to dying many times before that one would think he'd have a good idea of what death truly was like by now. And strangely, despite the cold numbness and burning pain crawling across every square inch of his body and the weightlessness that smothered him all over, he could tell that this wasn't death, despite how utterly uncomfortable it felt. Forced to the realization that he was still alive, Link almost begrudgingly awakened himself.

The first thing he notice was what he felt beyond the suffocating sensation that enveloped him: a hard, stone surface beneath him, indicating he was lying on solid ground. It took some difficulty for him to open his eyes, but when he did he felt the same icy atmosphere wrap around his eyeballs, almost stinging his pupils as he struggled to see clearly. It took him a moment to realize he was underwater, and the icy atmosphere that stung him all over was the very crystal clear liquid that surrounded him.

A sudden sting in his shoulder reminded him of the arrow that had pierced him, but he didn't have time to reflexively reach for that arrow when something else came into focus. Link realized there was something directly in front of him, a shadow of some kind, so close that it could almost touch him…wait, it _was_ touching him. Link blinked his eyes heavily, trying to remove the cloudiness from his vision so he could make out this strangely recognizable shape…

Then he tasted something very familiar on his lips…

All of a sudden, Link's vision became as clear as the water all around him, and what he saw stunned him for gods knew how long. He lay on what seemed to be a stone floor at the bottom of the pond, and directly on top of him lay a sapphire-colored figure. Her legs comfortably nestled between his, one arm draped around his neck and the other cupping his cheek delicately, she seemed very relaxed as she embraced him on the floor, her bosom gently massaging his chest with each swaying motion she made. Gills on her neck flared with tiny bubbles every time she seemed to draw breath…not that she noticed. Her eyes were closed in apparent bliss as her face leaned close to his and her lips locked with those of the one closest to her heart.

Ruto was cuddling him…and she was kissing him…

Without warning, Link gasped loudly, releasing air bubbles from within his cheeks into the water.

"_What in the holy Hael…by the Three Goddesses…!"_

The air bubbles Link released interrupted the tender moment as Ruto abruptly open her eyes. She stared into Link's shocked gaze for a moment before releasing her kiss with her betrothed. "Darling, you're awake…" she said, her voice sounding remarkably comprehensible in the water.

Without allowing her to finish, Link started scrambling backwards along the stone floor, leaving his fiancée almost as stunned as he was. He scuttled his way on his hands and rear as fast as he could until he finally struck a wall behind him, but that didn't stop him from standing up and waving his arms around wildly in the water.

"What were you doing…?" he bellowed, much of his tone lost in the bubbly atmosphere of the water. "What was that…what the Hael was that…?"

"Darling…" Ruto started as she stood up as well, trying to calm the Hero of Time with some simple hand gestures.

"What were you…I can't believe…this is…what in the…?" Link continued to blurt, unable to find a solid line of thought.

"Link, please calm down and list to me…" Ruto tried as she approached the Hylian, but Link refused to listen.

"What is…this is a…I just…what the…by the Three…what the…?"

Just then, Link's head started to get heavy, and he could feel his senses dull again.

"What's…going on…?" he mumbled as he felt his strength slowly drain from his body. He started falling to the ground…before he was caught in the arms of the Zora princess.

"Ruto…" Link mumbled through the water before the girl placed a finger on his lips.

"Shhh…don't speak."

Ruto then leaned forward and, without hesitation, kissed Link once again. Her lips wrapped firmly around his own, prying open his mouth with her powerful tongue as she once again closed her eyes. Not as caught off guard this time, Link didn't resist. In fact, as he felt his senses become clouded once again, his fading mind didn't consider this a bad way to die. Sure, Ruto was the last girl whose embrace he'd like to die in, but at a time like this, beggars can't be choosers, right?

Using the last of his strength, he slid an arm around Ruto's waist, pulling her closer as the princess continued to suckle on his lips. As her admittedly gorgeous body pressed against his own, he focused solely on Ruto…and realized she wasn't that bad of a kisser. The fishy taste that had annoyed him earlier now tasted almost sweet, and her movements against his mouth felt seductive and vaguely assuring. Sensing his comfort, one of Ruto's arms alluringly glided up his neck and caressed his cheek, as if to let him know everything was all right.

Link appreciated the gesture, but aside from dying in the arms of a beautiful girl nothing was all right. All he could do was gaze upon Ruto's idyllic face and watch the air bubbles gingerly float from her neck gills…

Wait a minute…he could see those gills more clearly now…

In fact…he could feel his strength returning…

With every burst of bubbles from Ruto's neck, Link miraculously felt stronger, his vision growing clearer. As his senses returned to him, he tried frantically to come up with an explanation for what was going on. Could it be…Ruto was kissing him for reasons beyond what he initially suspected…?

After a while, the air bubbles ceased emerging from Ruto's neck and the Zora princess finally opened her eyes. Her gaze first saw Link, who was remaining deadly still for fear or losing consciousness once again. The Zora smiled softly as her flexible lips closed Link's mouth before finally releasing him of the possibly life-saving kiss. The princess then again placed a finger against Link's lips, obviously instructing him to keep his mouth shut.

"Just hold your breath, darling," Ruto instructed. "Don't try to breath in the water. Your suit will do the breathing for you.

"_My…suit…?"_

Link then remembered the reason he had gone to Zora's Domain in the first place. He looked down at his body…and for the first time single realizing he was underwater he felt something crawling all over his body. He could already tell what that "something" was: the blue suit that was meant to help him breathe beneath the waves was doing just that, and boy, did it feel strange. Just as Ruto had said, the cloth was latched onto his skin, and the fibers seemed to pulse in rhythm with his own heartbeat. As an experiment, he tried pulling a bit of the cloth off his skin, but the material was stubborn and refused to let go. It was obviously doing its job, too – Link used much of his concentration to prevent himself from exhaling water into his lungs, but he felt no less stronger than if he were breathing air.

Amazed at this marvelous suit – and relieved his gamble of not testing it beforehand hadn't killed him – Link looked up at Ruto, who was smiling calmly.

"I…guess I owe you my life, Ruto. Thanks."

The Zora princess grew a little flushed. "Oh, don't think anything of it," she insisted, clearly hearing Link's gargled words better than he ever could. "It was the least I could do for my future husband. But I'm still worried about your wound. How does it feel?"

"My wound…?" Link repeated when a stinging sensation in his right shoulder scolded him for forgetting in the first place. "Ah, yes…that wound." He looked down at where the arrow had pierced him. The arrow was gone, and all that remained was a puncture wound through his shoulder and the tunic. A light trail of blood trickled from the gash into the water, and his flesh throbbed noticeably every time he moved, but it was nothing he couldn't handle – he was luck the arrow hadn't disabled him.

"It feels all right enough," he replied. "How did you get the arrow out, by the way?"

"Oh, I have my ways," Ruto giggled as she flashed her teeth into a twisted smile – it didn't take much for Link to understand what she meant.

He was just glad Ruto was skilled enough with her mouth so as not to accidentally bite him during their make-out…er, his resuscitation.

Trying to get his mind off his mouth-to-mouth sessions with the Zora princess – not to mention he actually almost _enjoying_ it – Link decided to get a bearing on his surroundings. "So where exactly are we?"

The room was filled with water, that much he already knew. What he didn't know was just how large the chamber he and Ruto were in really was, at least double the size of the temple's upper entrance chamber. Stone bricks lined every surface of the room, probably to withstand the corrosion and water pressure, but that didn't mean there was no space for ornate decoration. Much like the Forest and Fire Temple, elaborate carvings were scrawled all over the walls and ceiling in shapes and figures reminiscent of the graceful form of water. High above in the ceiling, a square was cut out – undoubtedly this was the opening Link and Ruto had used to enter this chamber. Interestingly enough, not all the light came from this aperture – small glass spheres were mounted all over the wall much like flame torches, and each sphere gave off a dim yet practical glow that illuminated the chamber nicely.

"By the looks of things, I'm pretty sure we're in the Water Temple's underwater foyer," Ruto answered. She glanced around the room herself and eventually her eyes fell upon a door-less tunnel in one of the far walls. "That tunnel there should lead us into the heart of the temple, though I'm not completely sure."

"Well, it's the only door available other than that one above us," Link admitted, "and unless those Moblins thought we drowned I doubt they'll leave any time soon. So the tunnel it is then. Let's go."

"Right behind you, darling," the princess smiled as she casually slid next to her fiancé and hooked her arm with Link's. "Let's go."

Rolling his eyes inside his mind, Link sighed as best he could without losing his breath. Not saying anything more, he started to accompany the Zora towards the tunnel. He quickly learned that walking underwater was quite a challenge, but it wasn't too bad…

"Oh, I hope you didn't mind," Ruto uttered suddenly.

"Didn't mind what?" Link asked.

The princess blushed once again. "That while I removed the water from your lungs earlier, I used the opportunity to get intimate with you."

Link's voice froze in his throat; he had absolutely no response for that unexpected statement.

"I know it's not the time or place to do that sort of thing," Ruto admitted before smiling devilishly. "Perhaps once this is all over, we'll have the chance of doing it right next time."

Those words nearly made Link release his held breath.

But the surprises didn't stop there, as Link unexpectedly felt something whip around inside his hat.

"Link! What in the name of the Three Goddesses is going on here? I can't get out of your stupid hat! Get me out of here before I knock you into the middle of next week!"

Navi! He had forgotten all about her! His hat was helping him breathe underwater, and had trapped his fairy underneath in the process!

"_This is going to be a loooong day…"_

_

* * *

_

The sky looked as bleak as ever that day. Dampé knew that most other people would find a day like this miserable and gloomy, just like most other days during Ganondorf's terrible reign over Hyrule. However, Dampé found the day warm and inviting, a day for him to work with little worry and no regret. Dampé was not like most other people.

That was the story of his life, really – where others saw hopelessness, Dampé saw opportunity. As he closed the door to his humble little house, he stood in the shadow of a perfect example: smaller than most people's kitchens, Dampé's shack was built out of rotting logs that were rejected by construction teams for houses back in Kakariko Village. But whereas others would twist their faces in revulsion at such a rickety dwelling, Dampé saw it for what it really was.

Home.

Securing the front door to his hut with a crudely made latch, Dampé grinned goofily as he reached for his most prized possession reclining against the front wall of his home, a partially-bent shovel with a half-broken handle. Slinging the tool securely over his shoulder, Dampé stretched his other arm a little before starting to shuffle towards the enormous field adjacent to his house that just so happened to be his place of employment.

Most people would see Dampé as suited for work in the graveyard – some even claim he came from the graveyard. As a gravedigger, it fell upon Dampé the arduous task of burying the bodies of any and all who died near or in the area. In that respect, Dampé was a master of his "art"; some have claimed or even seen him digging the graves of over fifty men in the span of a single hour. Sometimes he placed stones with inscriptions upon the gravesites, especially at the request of family members, but all too often he buried the dead in unmarked graves, someone that became more common for him in the era of Ganondorf's bloody sovereignty. Not that it mattered to him – to those who have had the courage to speak to Dampé, he would claim he can remember a graveyard and never forget it because to him each grave means something to him.

Claims like this have morphed into rumors over the years, rumors about Dampé's fascination with the dead. Some have suggested he finds solstice in the dead because his own family hated him. Others proposed he dabbles in dark magic and uses the corpses from his graveyard on unmentionable experiments. A few have even asserted Dampé himself was a walking corpse.

And should one lay eyes upon the stout gravedigger, such rumors might sound very credible. Short as a child with an unsightly posture, Dampé had the misfortune of possessing a face some have called more disfigured than many of the rotting cadavers in the graveyard. With one eye sealed shut by bulging skin, Dampé's other eye remained open with a partially blind, blink-less gaze. A giant mouth displayed pussy gums with only a few discolored teeth, and more hair existed in his pug, crooked nose than on his bald, potholed head. While both his arms were strong and robust, one of his legs contained a limp that forbade him to move any faster than a swift hobble. Compared to others, Dampé might be the epitome of loneliness and despair.

But not so. Dampé knew of his physical appearance and how it fanned the flames of rumors and prejudice against him. He also knew what most people thought of him and their speculation into why he does what he does. In truth, Dampé enjoys his job not because it brings him close to the dead, but because he feels it is the job he is most qualified to do. Sure, there were other more capable men who could more than likely dig graves just as fast as he could, but few ever directly sought to become a gravedigger because they feared getting to close to the bodies of people once just like them.

But Dampé had no fear. As a social outcast, he never considered himself as a member of Hylian society, and that's just the way he preferred it. Dampé knew that digging the graves of the dead was an important task, and if no one was going to do it out of an irrationalized fear, then he would. And he took great pride in his work, no matter what people whispered about him behind his back. And if he was going to take pride in what he did, then he may as well enjoy it in the process.

That was Dampé, as he started limping his way to the mass field of graves to prepare fresh tombs for some recently departed, he didn't notice the ground vibrating beneath his feet and those vibrations growing stronger and stronger until a monstrous shadow loomed over him.

Blinking his one eye in curious surprise, Dampé turned around…and came face to face with a towering suit of armor brandishing a colossal two-headed axe in one hand. In its other hand the armor clamped down on the face of an elderly man Dampé knew lived in Kakariko Village – his eldest son had died five years ago from blue bark flu – and the poor man was struggling to breathe as the armor kept him elevated enough for his feet not to touch the ground.

Dampé had no clue what this thing was or what it wanted, so he patiently waited for it to make the first move. The armor did so by turning its vacant eyes towards the old man in its grasp. "This is the graveyard, old man?"

Trying to give himself some breathing room, the man nodded as best he could. "Yes…this is it."

The armor nodded. "Excellent." The armor seemed to sneer as it dropped the old man, who immediately started coughing to regain his breath once he fell to the ground. "Now get lost…unless you _want_ to stick around for the show."

As if complimenting the armor's words, a bloodcurdling scream was heard over the nearby hill. The old man, his face turning pale with horror, wasted no time in scrambling to his feet and running as fast as he could away from both the graveyard and the direction of Kakariko Village. It didn't take long for the man to completely disappear over the horizon, not once looking back.

Dampé, now more than ever, turned to the armor. "Um…excuse me," he said in a low, almost dopey voice. "How can I help you?"

The armor, who apparently hadn't noticed Dampé until now, glanced down at the squat gravedigger. "And who are you?" it demanded.

"I'm Dampé, the keeper of this graveyard. Is there something I can help you with?"

The armor seemed confused at Dampé's calm, unafraid demeanor. "You're an odd one. Haven't you seen an Iron Knuckle before?"

Now it was Dampé's turn to look confused. "What's an Iron Knuckle?"

The Iron Knuckle didn't seem willing to play games with the gravedigger. "Never mind. But yes, you can help me with something, little man. You can get out of our way."

"'Get out of _our_ way?'" Dampé mimicked, scratching its head. "I see you, but who else is there…?"

Another bloodcurdling scream echoed across the vast valley that made up the graveyard as a series of figures started to appear from behind the hills in the direction of Kakariko Village. Dampé looked in that direction to see a group of creatures that were arguably uglier than he could ever be. He had never seen necromancers before, but the sight of these ghastly beings were certainly enough to get his attention. His nearly blind eye dilated with each wild flail he witnessed, and as they drew closer their grotesque faces and macabre screams were soon enough to give even Dampé the chills.

His attention grabbed, Dampé turned to face the Iron Knuckle, who seemed to smirk. "What…what are you planning on doing?"

"That is none of your business," the Iron Knuckle asserted. "Just get out of our way and I'll spare your life."

The gravedigger still refused to move as concern washed over his face. "But…but what business could you possibly have here, unless…" Dampé's crooked mouth gaped with horrific realization. "You're planning on doing something with the graveyard, aren't you?"

"Hmm, you're more clever than you look," the armor uttered. "Yes, you've found us out, little man. Now get out of here before I feed you to the Moblins."

But Dampé didn't flinch at that threat. Instead he backed up a couple steps and gripped his bent shovel in both hands, flourishing it as he would a weapon. "No…whatever you're planning on doing, you will not harm my family."

"Your family?" the Iron Knuckle cooed. "What rubbish! They're just a bunch of corpses…"

"They may be corpses," Dampé interrupted boldly, "but they were all once alive! I've cared for them like any parent would her child, and I will not let you harm them in any way!"

"Peh!" the Iron Knuckle mocked as the group of necromancers new up behind it. "You talk big, but you're but a bothersome gnat to me. This is your last chance, little man. Step aside or…"

"Never!" Dampé cried defiantly. "I promised I would protect these graves until my dying breath! You will have to kill me if you wish to harm my family!"

The Iron Knuckle, clearly out of patience, sighed heavily. "Fine. Suit yourself."

Before Dampé could react, the Iron Knuckle raised its right hand and brought it down in an outward slashing motion at a speed the gravedigger didn't anticipate. The armor's heavy, spiked fist collided with Dampé's chest and instantly shattered his rib cage, knocking the poor graveyard keeper unconscious. The powerful blow also sent Dampé flying, but he didn't get too far above the ground when he crashed into his own wooden shack. With a fierce crash, the hut collapsed into a pile of rotten timbers and personal trinkets, trapping Dampé underneath and crushing whatever remained of his pulverized body.

As the resulting dust cloud from the rubble cleared, the Iron Knuckle merely shrugged. "Idiot." It then turned to the necromancers, who watched the armor through the sewn eyelids almost timidly. "What are you gawking at? Get to work!"

The necromancers wasted no time in obeying the Knuckle's command, thrashing their arms madly while carrying their strange orbs and screaming uncontrollably as they started strutting out into the vast graveyard. The Iron Knuckle merely watched with a sneer that only it could see and understand.

Unbeknown to the Knuckle and necromancers, Dampé didn't die immediately after being buried under the remains of his own house. Instead, he found himself trapped in a gloomy darkness underneath that debris with occasional fragments of light illuminating his cramped surroundings. The Iron Knuckle's blow had paralyzed him from the waist down, but he found he could still move his arms and roll his one eye around.

As he lay there, waiting for the rescue that would never come, listening the sounds of the Iron Knuckle and the necromancers doing things he dared not consider, his fragile one-eyed gaze fell upon something amidst the ruins of his personal belongings. He had to focus really hard to see in the dim light, but he eventually recognized what they were.

Neither of these items came were made or designed for him, but they meant a lot to him because they represented something very dear to him: the only two people not inside a grave that ever showed him kindness. He hadn't seen either of those people in years, but he could never forget them or how much they sincerely cared about him. They had given him these trinkets to remember them by, and other than his shovel he considered them his most important possessions.

And it was to those two individuals that he had made a promise long ago, a promise to take care of these graves until his dying breath. It was a promise that filled him with as much pride as did his work…and now he was dying at the hands of those who wished to do something vile to the graveyard. He would never get a chance to fulfill that promise, the one regret that entered his failing mind.

"_I'm sorry…I failed you…please forgive me…my friends…"_

Using the last of his strength, Dampé reached with his free hand and dragged both possessions closer to him. With his cherished belongings close to him, Dampé smiled one last time. In one hand, he held tightly the bent shovel that had served him so well throughout the years. In the other, he clutched the tattered remains of a purple dress adorned with the symbol of the Trifoce…and a small dagger-like sword with its decorative jewel missing from its hilt.

A minute later, Kakariko Village lost its gravedigger to the Three Goddesses.

* * *

By the time Link and Ruto left the dimly lit tunnel, Link had finally managed to explain to his impatient fairy why she couldn't get out from underneath his hat. Navi, apparently not happy with that, used her tiny hands to pound Link's skull a few times before she sat down on his hair and started to sulk. Link merely shook his head, smiled superficially at his arm-hugging fiancée, and looked around at their new surroundings.

Much like the previous chamber, this new room lay coated in enormous stone bricks adorned with thousands of exquisite carvings and adornments. However, this room proved to be different in many respects. For one, the current chamber was larger – large enough to house the entire Zora population three times over. In the center of the room stood rooted an enormous pillar-like structure with openings large enough for a full-grown Zora to swim through easily. But the most discernable difference had to be at the top of the room: there was air occupying that space.

The chamber wasn't completely filled with water.

Link scratched his head. Judging by the way the tunnel had sloped downward, he reckoned that he and the princess must be quite far beneath Lake Hylia's bed. If that were the case, then that gap of air shouldn't exist. The only explanation for its being was that someone wanted it there…but why? Why would the Zoras need air in their own temple? If Ruto were any indication, the Zoras got along just fine underwater. There had to be a reason for creating that air pocket.

Maybe it had something to do with the creature Ganondorf had called Morpha…?

"What is it, darling?" Ruto asked curiously, noting his upward glance.

"Just surveying the scene," Link replied. "I think we should start up there. I think something's up there that…"

Just then, through the gurgling of his own words, Link's ears heard something.

Ruto noticed it too and immediately latched more tightly onto Link's arm, her concern noticeable even underwater. "What's that?" she hissed in a worried voice.

The sound didn't have to grow louder before Link saw several shadows emerge from behind the enormous pillar-like structure in the center of the room.

"I think we're about to find out," Link snarled, reaching for his sword.

The ones responsible for the strange noise wasted no time in showing themselves as they shuffled their way across the room almost blindly. The creatures reminded Link of giant four-legged insects - he could've easily compared them to the parasite Gohma and her malformed spawn. But these beasts moved almost gracefully, their spine-covered legs clawing easily into the ground to anchor them beneath the water. Their bodies were protected by a tough-looking blue shell that reminded Link of a beetle. The beasts had small heads, but a single red, circular, and menacing eye made full use of that head. Tiny but nasty-looking incisors snapped rapidly beneath their eyes, as if anticipating a meal.

Link scowled as he slowly drew the Master Sword. "Ruto…what are those things?" he hissed at Ruto.

"Tektites…" the princess whispered back, taking a step backwards and pulling on Link's arm to do the same. "They're flesh-eating parasites…but I've never seen them this big before…"

"Ganondorf doesn't seem to care about that…just like the Barinade," Link interrupted. "Don't worry, I'll get rid of them. They don't seem that danger…"

It was then that Link realized something he should've figured out a long time ago.

He couldn't move his sword that well underwater.

A few quick attempts at swinging his blade confirmed his suspicion – even the Master Sword was useless underwater, it seems. He realized one of those Tektites, who appeared quite streamlined for underwater, could bite his neck long before he could get a swing at them…and he doubted he or Ruto or even his grumpy fairy wanted that.

"Um…I think we have a problem…" Link admitted to Ruto. "I can't fight these things underwater."

"Then remain absolutely still," the Zora murmured "Tektites have horrible sight. They're drawn to their prey by loud noises and the smell of…blood…"

Both the Hero of Time and Ruto gulped when they remembered that pesky arrow wound Link had received earlier. And yes, a quick glance at Link's shoulder revealed tiny traces of blood were still trickling from the gash. Link looked up and gritted his teeth.

"Crap."

By now, it became apparent that the Tektites had noticed the smell of Link's blood and were searching for its source. The creatures didn't move very fast, but they scurried faster than Link could ever walk underwater. If they latched onto Link's location, he couldn't hope to fight them underwater. There was one option left …

"We're going to have to swim to the surface," he told the princess. "If there's dry land up there, I should be able to fight these things. All right?"

Despite her nervousness, Ruto nodded.

"All right, then. Let's go."

Warming up his arms, Link bit his lip and jumped in an attempt to start his swim to the surface with Ruto giving him a helping hand…

…only to fall right back down to the water's bottom.

"What the…?" a mystified Link uttered when he realized something else he should've figured out a long time ago.

He was too heavy.

Link wanted to smack his head there and then. Any normal person would've asked himself, "Hmmm, why am I able to walk on the floor of the Water Temple underwater instead of floating everywhere?", but noooooooo, he had to take everything for granted. And now, thanks to the weight of all his weapons, he couldn't swim to save his life…and Ruto apparently wasn't strong enough to carry him, either.

"Darling…!" Ruto cried out as she discovered the same problem.

"Yeah, I know," Link sighed as the Tektites started scurrying in the direction of the Hylian and Zora, their jaws apparently salivating with eagerness at tasting fresh meat. Only one thing could set the perfect mood for this situation…

"Link, what's going on out there? You didn't get us into trouble again, did you?"

Thank you, Navi.

To my fellow readers,

* * *

Merry Christmas, and when it arrives, Happy New Year.

I wanted to get this chapter finished before or during Christmas, but I was too busy spending time with my family and relaxing. Still, hope you enjoy this belated Christmas present. Spelling and grammar errors, as usual, may be present because I didn't have a chance to go through the entire thing. If the number of errors get too annoying, please let me know and I'll reread my chapters more often.

As most of you all know, the reason for the delayed arrival of Chapter 59 was because I focused most of my attention on passing a class with a draconian professor. I'm happy to report (for those of you who actually care about my academic life ;P ) that I not only passed the class, I somehow got a B. Don't ask me how. I'm just glad I at least passed the class so I don't have to retake it in a year's time (it's a fall-only class).

In any case, next semester should be much easier for me, leaving me to update this fic more often…in between studying for the Physics GRE, studying for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, looking for an internship…sob…But rest assured before classes start I will play **_Resident Evil 4_**...um, work hard to get you a new chapter soon.

Well, happy holidays everyone, and until next time have a good one.

PS – I got an iPod for Christmas. Booyah!


	61. The Fires of the Dead

**Chapter 61: The Fires of the Dead**

Sheik hated expecting the worst, because often the worst would be waiting for him once it crossed his mind. But he couldn't help but expect the worst as he headed over the hill along the path that led to Kakariko Village's enormous graveyard. And sure enough, the moment he could get a good look at the cemetery from atop that hill, he saw exactly what he expected.

The Sheikah first noticed Dampé's shack lying as a pile of rubble near the graveyard's closest border. He immediately thought of the gravedigger and wondered whether he had escaped, but something told Sheik that that wasn't possible. Dampé was a very peculiar character who took immense pride in his upkeep of the cemetery, and Sheik suspected the little man would rather defend the graves than run. Worry crept into Sheik's mind as he hoped nothing had happened to the gravedigger, but he quickly remembered he had other things to worry about.

By the looks of things, the necromancers had already claimed the graveyard as their own. Shrill screams erupted all over the corpse-filled meadow from various points, and the air smelled of a thick, spiritual miasma that tasted like poison. But the biggest indicator that made Sheik wince with concern was the sight of dozens of bonfires that glowed even in the daylight with a creepy radiance.

That could only mean one thing…

"_They're almost ready for the ceremony. I have to stop them…"_

* * *

A sense of urgency rising inside, Sheik started down the hill towards the graveyard. He only hoped his plan to stop these creatures would work…

"Link! What's going on out there? Let me out of here right now! What's going on?"

Shut up Navi, Link wanted to scream to his friend trapped underneath his cap, but he decided against it, his focus fixed on the approaching Tektites. Their lone, almost blind eyes seemed to pulse with anticipation as they clawed their way across the floor at an increasingly frantic pace toward the Hero of Time and the Zora princess. Instinctively Link took a step back, but the force of the water against his body reminded him of the futility of running away or fighting these creatures. Ruto, meanwhile, clung tightly to her beloved's arm, knowing he couldn't flee but not willing to leave him.

Ideas circulated through Link's mind. What could he do to escape this situation? Din's Fire was useless underwater…Farore's Wind gave him speed, not strength…Nayru's Love would protect them for a while, but only protect, not escape. The temple energies? They seemed to empower his sword more than his body. And all his weapons were useless in this environment – the Master Swod, the Megaton Hammer, his boomerang, his bow and arrows, his hookshot, his bombs, his…

Wait a minute…

"Ruto! Hold onto me!"

Ruto didn't need to be told; she was already clutching her fiancé securely with one arm around his left arm and the other his waist. With the Tektites' snapping jaws almost close enough for the Hylian to make out the tiny hooks on each tooth, Link wasted no time in reaching for his hookshot with his right hand and raised the weapon above his head.

He didn't even blink as he pointed the head straight up and pressed the trigger, sending the arrowhead and chain surging through the water with a muffled bang.

"Hang on!"

As Link called this out to the Zora, Link suddenly realized he didn't know whether the hookshot's chain was long enough to reach the ceiling of the chamber – and even if it was, the water pressure might slow it down enough for…

_KAAAAANNNNNGGGG…_

Link really had to stop worrying like this.

Before he could get into an all-encompassing anxiety fit, the hookshot broke through the surface of the water above and sank into the stone roof of the chamber without any trouble. The Tektites were within arm's reach of the Hylian and Zora when the arrow pierced the stone, but they had no chance to make an attack of any kind before the chain grew taut and the hookshot's powerful spring recoiling spring took over.

"Darling, what was…woah!"

Ruto's squeal of astonishment floated through the water just as she and Link were lifted off the ground, pulled towards the ceiling as the hookshot's chain began wrapping itself up with its familiar clack. Ruto obviously was stunned by this mode of transportation, but even Link, who had "flown" like this several times before, watched in amazement as they soared away from the once threatening Tektites. Apparently, watching the scenery fly by underwater was different than watching it fly by in breathable air…

…which abruptly surrounded the Hero of Time and princess as the two burst through the water's surface with a silent splash. An instant later, Link felt the suckling blue cloth that had helped him stay alive underwater fall off his skin without ever indicating it had ever been wet. As his attire felt like regular clothes again, Link also realized holding his breath felt like…well, holding his breath. With a loud gasp he released a long overdue exhalation, and immediately his body took over as his lungs started functioning once more.

He managed to draw breath two, maybe three times by the time the hookshot carried him and the Zora princess to the top of the chamber, ending their swift ride to safety with an unsteady jolt. And then there the two of them hung like a desultory chandelier, with Link holding onto the lone anchor point with a partially damaged hand and Ruto latching onto his waist with the tenacity of a parasite.

The two remained suspended there for what seemed like an hour, but in reality it took about half a minute for Ruto to be the first to snap out of their stupor.

"What…what in the name of the Three Goddesses was that?" she stammered, still unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Link could only grin at his fiancée. "A lucky shot, I guess."

Ruto opened her mouth several times to respond, but couldn't find the words, which gave Link a chance to get a bearing on his surroundings.

Just as he had surmised, a large air pocket topped the enormous chamber, creating an indoor lake of sorts. The pillar-like structure in the room's center broke through the water's surface and reached all the way to the ceiling, and Link could see doors and windows embedded in the building that befitted a land-walking Hylian more than a water-swimming Zora. More importantly, a platform ran around the edge of the structure just above the water, like a sidewalk without rails. The platform looked large enough for the entire Kokiri population to walk around comfortably with enough room for at least a dozen Gorons to curl up and sleep, and as far as Link could tell there weren't any enemies to be seen.

So now he and Ruto just had to get _onto_ the platform, and all his heavy belongings would ensure swimming there would be a nightmare. There was only one thing to do…

"Ruto, we going to get onto that platform…you see it?"

The Zora nodded as she eyed the dais quietly.

"Good. I'm going to let go of you and drop you into the water, since you can swim there, no problem."

"But what about you, darling?" Ruto asked, looking concerned. "You're too heavy to swim there yourself."

"I know, that's why I'm going to try and swing over there. It shouldn't be too difficult, it's not…_that_ far away. I've had worse falls…I think."

Ruto didn't seem too convinced. "I don't know…maybe we should both fall and I'll help you swim the short distance there…"

"I'll sink like a stone once I hit the water," Link pointed out. "This is the only way. Trust me."

The apprehension in Ruto's face didn't fade at Link's halfhearted reassurances, but she knew he was right. "All right…just don't make me jump in after you."

"Sure thing," Link nodded, reminding himself of how Ruto saved him the last time.

Ruto glanced down at the deep blue water, as if rethinking her acceptance of her beloved's idea, before she looked at the Hero of Time and flashed a toothy grin, her indication that she was ready.

"Here we go," Link stated as he squeezed the small on Ruto's back assuredly…_only_ assuredly. "On the count of three. One…two…three!"

The Zora actually left Link's arms a split second before Link reached three, her arms squeezing Link's torso tightly before releasing her grip with an abrupt push. As she fell, she contorted her body with the gracefulness of a diving bird, her magnificent fins flapping in the wind like a pair of delicate wings as she aimed her upper body towards the water headfirst. She broke the water's surface with a silent splash and submerged beneath the gentle ripples she created before her slender body arched towards the platform in the chamber's center. Link watched quietly as his fiancée glided through water with ease until she pulled herself from the pool onto the dais quickly and fluently, the water dripping from her body once again highlighting her gorgeous curves.

Link tried his best not to think about such things – for one thing, Navi was right under his hat – and waited until Ruto was safely on the platform before making his attempt to reach the stage. He tried pulling down on the hookshot chain to give himself a longer pivot, but the weapon's spring refused to budge. Realizing he would have to make due with what he had, the Hero of Time started kicking his legs back and forth, generating some momentum.

As Ruto watched in worried silence, her fiancé suddenly released the hookshot and sent himself into a freefall towards the platform. Link half-expected to miss the stage, but such a reaction was not necessary in this case. He landed on the platform's sturdy stone frame with a muffled thud, bending his knees to take in most of the shock. He then remained motionless in a kneeled position for a moment before finally standing up, checking himself over until he was satisfied.

He didn't have time to turn around before he felt two blue, wet arms wrap around his shoulders and cling to his neck like a noose. "Are you all right, darling?" Ruto queried almost forcefully as she did her best to throw the Hero of Time off balance. "You almost scared me with that jump. Don't ever do that again, you hear? I don't want you to break a leg, or worse…"

"_I'm fine, for crying out loud!"_ he screamed in his mind as he tried to wrestle the Zora from his neck. "_Geez, you're almost worse than a bloody Dodongo…"_

"Link!"

As if Ruto wasn't bothering him enough, Navi finally realized she could escape from underneath Link's cap and darted into view at a fierce velocity. She took in her new surroundings for only a brief moment before she turned her attention to the Hero of Time, who was still trying to claw Ruto's arms away from his windpipe.

"You! Do you know how uncomfortable it was underneath there?" she barked, pointing an accusing finger dangerously close to his eye. " That air tasted like a rotten Deku nut, and whatever stunt you just pulled sent me crashing against your thick skull. If you'll just stop making out with every girl you see and for once think about how _I _feel…"

Now that was cold….

Luckily for Link, before Ruto could inquire about Navi's statement concerning "every girl" with which he's made out, he and his two accompanying ladies interrupted by pressing danger.

A loud splash indicative of something breaking the water's surface from underneath drew the three's attention to the water, and they were in time to watch two rather angry-looking Tektites spring from the pool with the agility of a locust and land on the dais a short distance away from where Link and Ruto were standing. Despite their blindness, both of their single bloodshot eyes stared directly at the Hylian and Zora – a faint trickling sensation down Link's chest reminded the Hero of Time why.

A sharp insect-like screech scratched Link's ears as the Tektites' incisors clamped violently against their saliva-soaked jaws, a cue that Navi understood as her signal to hide once again underneath Link's cap. As the fey disappeared from view, Ruto released her grip around the Hero of Time's neck and huddled behind her fiancé, crouching nervously. Apparently she knew enough not to hang onto her beloved like a chain when he had more pressing matters to attend to, such as exterminating these bugs.

Sighing, Link extracted the Master Sword from its sheath and directed its tip towards the Tektites. The Tektites responded by taking a cautious step backwards, but their jaws didn't yield in their incessant snapping.

He turned his head slightly to the anxious Zora behind him. "You know the drill, stay behind me."

He spotted a nod of acknowledgement and once again turned to face the Tektites…just as one of the giant insects scurried across the dais with the speed of a twister snake and made a diving leap for Link's head.

"_Damn, they're fast,"_ Link thought calmly as he swung his blade…

* * *

The ground seemed to almost rupture as the Iron Knuckle stormed impatiently past one of the many bonfires now lit throughout the cemetery. The slight tremors caused by his thunderous footsteps were enough to rattle the enormous logs used to construct the bonfires, prompting one of the necromancers to scream restlessly as it tried to steady the logs and prevent the structure from collapsing. The supernatural-like fire that devoured the wood burned the necromancer's hands in the process, but the blind creature didn't notice or care.

Noticeably irritated, the Iron Knuckle swung its hand and deliberately missed the necromancer after it finished steadying the bonfire. "Make these things stronger, you idiot! If this thing collapses during the ceremony, I'm going to rip out your throat. Understand?"

The necromancer crouched in fear at the Knuckle's threat and screamed a reply in its blood-curling voice.

"Good!" the Knuckle snapped as it lowered its hand. "Now get back to work! I want five more bonfires made before we begin!"

After screaming another response, the necromancer picked up its peculiar orb and then scuttled off as fast as it could to help the other necromancers finish construction of the woodpiles.

The Iron Knuckle made a spitting motion in the necromancer's direction as it continued walking down a pathway to the edge of the graveyard. "Pah! Filthy creatures…I almost wish Lord Ganondorf hadn't created them. What good are they for besides this stupid ceremony? They can't even lift a bloody dagger. All they care about are those stupid spheres…"

The Knuckle got cut off as its foot struck a tombstone it failed to notice. Agitated, the armor swung at the stone slab with its enormous axe and tore the stone apart with a loud crunch. Satisfied, the Knuckle continued on its way.

"Still, this is Lord Ganondorf's plan, and what he says must come to pass," the Iron Knuckle mused to itself. The creature then chuckled. "Heh…I wish I could see the look on that Hero of Time's face when he sees what we're about to release. I'm sure he'll cry like a sandworm before he dies facing it. And then with him out of the way, Lord Ganondorf can focus on finding that accursed Zelda and her pathetic resistance."

The Iron Knuckle's thoughts ended just as it reached the end of the graveyard, a large fenced-off section with one border being the edge of a crag from a nearby hill. Curiosity set inside the Knuckle's mind as it wondered what this section was for. This segment was nowhere near the entrance of the "prison," but it seemed to hold some kind of importance. Deciding to see what was inside, the Knuckle took one glance back to make sure the necromancers were still working before it entered the fenced-off plot of land.

Right away the Knuckle noticed the gravestones were in a higher concentration than outside in the main cemetery, suggesting this place really was important. The creature knelt down and tried reading the tombstone inscriptions to see what they said, but neither the names nor the epitaphs said anything of significance. Curiously, though, a lot of the names had military nomenclatures, many of them of high rankings.

"_Maybe this is a military graveyard,"_ the Knuckle pondered as it approached the far edge of the graveyard section. "_How pathetic."_

That same line of thought ran through the amour's mind as it studied more of the gravestones. Most of buried were indeed military men, though several stones did display the gravesites of high ranking court officials. Still, the Knuckle found nothing particularly fascinating about this place, and after a few minutes of grave-reading it started to consider heading back to the necromancers to see if they had finished their task.

But just before it could change that consideration into action, something caught the Iron Knuckle's eye: a gravestone larger than all the others, a stone large enough to contain a body and covered in intricate carvings on all sides.

"Hmm, what's this?" the armor muttered as it thudded its way to the stone and knelt down. "Pretty fancy tombstone here. Must've got a load to make. Shame that stupid gravedigger didn't leave to enjoy the fruits of his labor, ha! Now, let's see…Here lies William Mathias Gammon, the…what the? This can't be right…_this_ is the grave site of…?"

"Sir!"

A voice behind the Iron Knuckle cut off his train of thought. A little surprised, the Knuckle stood up and turned around to find one of the Iron Knuckles it had left behind in Kakariko Village, standing within arm's reach of him.

"What do you want?" the head Iron Knuckle demanded. "I thought I told you to stay in the village and prevent anyone from leaving…"

"That's why I'm here, sir! The villagers are leading some kind of revolt. The Moblins and the other Knuckle are keeping them at bay, but we need your help."

The head Knuckle blinked silently at its underling's plea. Something didn't feel right…

"What happened to your voice? I thought you were Gerudian, but now you sound like a Hylian."

The underling Knuckle remained still for a moment before it spoke again, only this time to itself and in a flash of disbelief and anger. "Bah, stupid accent. Should've just got him in the back when he wasn't looking."

The head Iron Knuckle's fist tightened around its axe. "Who are you?" it demanded.

The minion responded by raising its own axe and bringing its sharp edge down toward the head Knuckle's helmet.

* * *

Link groaned heavily as he dunked the Master Sword in the water surrounding the platform again, hoping it would work this time. But the waters alone were unable to remove the sticky juices hardening on the blade's surface, which was exactly what Link didn't want. Growling, Link reached into one of his bags around his waist and pulled out a cloth. He wetted the cloth in the waters before he started to wipe the yellow sap from his sword's surface.

"Why can't your blood be more like a Hylian's?" the Hero of Time complained as he stared momentarily at the hacked carcasses of the Tektites, lying a short distance away on the dais. Their armored bodies shattered and their legs snapped, the Tektites were barely recognizable as their carcasses reclined in a pool of their own golden juices. One of the insects had its eye punctured and red pus flowing from its socket, while the other's eye was spared but now stared listlessly at the one who had so easily killed them.

"But noooooo, you had to have blood that sticks to my weapon like bloody tree sap, and of course I'll have to get my clothes cleaned once this is all done," the Hylian continued carping as he wiped his blade as thoroughly as he could. "And you didn't even put up much of a fight for all this trouble. How pathetic can you get? Buggers…"

As the ooze finally started to slide off Link's sword, two damp arms glided past his neck and slid down his chest, their fingertips feeling the ridges of his ribcage through his shirt. "Forget about them, darling," cooed Ruto as her lips brushed against his ear. "They're not worth your time."

"_As if I didn't already know that,"_ Link's thoughts sighed as he finished cleaning his blade as best he could. He squeezed his cloth dry and returned it to his pouch before sending the Master Sword back into its sheath. He then made an attempt to stand, but Ruto's clinging made it difficult. At least she wasn't choking him this time, thankfully.

"So, where to now, Link?" Ruto asked almost too gleefully, pressing her bosom firmly against Link's back.

"Wherever this thing Ganondorf called Morpha is, I guess," Link answered as he tried to unhook Ruto's arm from his neck, this time more successfully than last time. "If the Forest and Fire Temples weren't flukes, Ganondorf uses really powerful creatures kept in each temple to maintain a lock on each temple's awakening. This Morpha definitely fits the profile."

The Hylian scratched his head with a sigh. "Unfortunately, I have no clue where he is." He turned around to look the Zora princess in the eye. "I don't suppose you know your way around this place, do you?"

Ruto, who's face had appeared slightly playful, gave a more serious expression as she answered. "Unfortunately, I don't. My father never took me here before or even talked about this place to me. I'm just as lost as you are."

Link frowned as he kicked an imaginary stone. "Perfect. Then we're no better than blind ducks walking through a battlefield. Morpha could find us before we find it…" Recalling what happened the last time, Link felt the urge to scan the room for small holes in the walls where the creature's jelly-like substance had appeared. A growing tenseness did manifest in his body when he noticed several identical cavities littered around the room, but thankfully there was no indication of Morpha.

Either the monster was waiting for the right time to attack…or its unfortunate encounter with his shadow counterpart had made it a little cautious…

A soft grunt escaped his lips as he rubbed his forehead with his fingertips. "Bah, whatever. We'll just have to make due with what we have." He glanced around the chamber for a moment, looking for anything he may have missed during his initial scan. But aside from the tiny holes that threatened an attack from Morpha, the chamber walls held nothing except the intricate carvings and fiery torches that typified the other temples. Aside from the corridor underneath the indoor pool, there didn't appear to be any other entrance or exit. No doorway, or window…

Just then, Link remembered there _were_ other entrances, but not in the chamber walls…

"Come on, Ruto," Link said as he sheathed his still somewhat dirty blade and started walking along the dais.

"Where are we going?" the princess inquired as shuffled alongside her beloved.

"To look for a way into this place," the Hylian replied, pointing to the pillar-like building that held the balcony on which they walked. "There's a reason why the front door to this temple leads to this room, and I'm sure we'll find it if we look around a little."

Sure enough, as the two of them rounded the corner on the dais, Link immediately spotted something engraved in the architecture that differed from the usual intricate carvings and the holes that threatened an appearance from Morpha: a door surrounded by plagues and a heavy frame, inserted in the very center of the wall. Just as Link had figured, this door had to be an entrance for Hylians, akin to the scattered Zora entrances in the pillar beneath the water's surface.

He quickly glanced around the room – partially as a safety precaution, partially to make sure the door was the only thing of note in the area – before he led the princess to the portal: a thick-looking stone slab adorned with nothing but typical wear and tear from frequent past use. At first Link didn't know how to open the latch-less door, but a gentle nudge against the slab with his palm revealed that it swung inward on hidden suicide hinges. Taking this as a sign that things were looking up, the Hero of Time entered the portal, leading the Zora princess with him.

The inside of the pillar proved to be very different from what Link had imagined; rather than a room, it felt more like a segment of a hollow tube. Curiously, the interior took the shape of a circular pipe rather than the tetragon exterior walls, and instead of a ceiling the inside was roofed by darkness leading who knew where. Even the floor had its own quirk: it was a grating, porous enough for water to flow through but closely knit enough for a person to walk on comfortably. A quick inspection revealed that portions of the floor were attached to hinges that lifted the pieces upward, though the purpose of this wasn't clear since it would take a lot of effort to lift the grating sections from either above or beneath.

As for the furnishings, there weren't any – the room was seemingly devoid of anything that resembled furniture and decorations. But as he stepped further into the circular chamber with the Zora princess, Link's brief scan of the area brought to his attention a lone exception to that thought: a metallic plaque attached to the far end of the well. Curious, he led Ruto to the tablet so he could get a better look at it.

He grimaced when he tried reading it. "I can't read this…this lettering's too eroded to make out," he sighed. "It's nothing but jibberish…"

"Wait, let me see," Ruto politely interjected as she leaned forward to get a better look at the plaque. After a moment's hesitation she grinned slightly before looking at her betrothed. "No wonder you couldn't read it, silly. This isn't eroded Hylian text. It's perfectly understandable Zoran text. Though it is a little eroded, I'll admit, but nothing I can't read."

"Is that right?" Link said, feeling a little relieved and a little silly for his incorrect evaluation of the plaque. "Well, could you please read it for me, if you don't mind?"

"Not at all," Ruto grinned before returning her attention to the tablet, taking a few moments to study the lettering. As she did, Link took the brief opportunity to take one final look around the room. Everything was as bland and ordinary as before, though now he did finally notice that beneath the hinged grating of a floor was more water. Obviously the grated floor had something to do with this water, but he couldn't decipher the purpose at the present time…

"Finished," Ruto uttered before turning to the Hero of Time with a proud grin on her face. "The writing appears to be directions for getting around and about the temple."

"Directions, eh?" Link nodded. "Interesting claim for this thing to make, especially considering there doesn't appear to be any other place to get directions to around here. What kind of directions does it give?"

"I'm not quite sure," Ruto squeaked, putting a finger to her lips in thought. "It lists several places to go – chapel, storage, and so on – and then adds something weird next to each destination."

"Weird? Weird as in how?"

"I don't know," the princess admitted. "Look, I'll show you." She motioned for Link to take another look at the tablet; he did so without a word and waited for her to explain. Ruto leaned forward and then brushed her fingers over some of the writing. "See these symbols? These are basic Zoran ideograms, stuff most Hylians won't understand but any Zora can recognize. I can read everything on this tablet…everything except for these 'weird' things I mentioned."

The princess allowed her fingers to drift to a set of carvings in the plaque that even Link realized bared little resemblance to Zoran text. "I've never seen these kinds of letters before," Ruto stated. "In fact, I don't think they are letters. I'm sure if my father were here he'd tell us in an instant…"

Now it was Link's turn to say, "Wait a minute." He gently moved Ruto's fingers away from the plaque and brushed his own digits over the weird symbols, getting a good feel for them. They looked…familiar. Very familiar. And all of the peculiar symbols shared something in common. Some_things_. Sets of parallel lines. Bars…

Link's jaw snapped shut to provide audio for the sudden thought in his head.

"Could they be…?" he muttered to himself as he reached into his pouch and pulled out something in his fist that Ruto couldn't see.

"Darling, what are you…?" she started to ask when Link raised a hand.

"Shhh, just a moment, I want to check something."

He raised his clenched fist to his mouth, and he started moving his fingers up and down in a bizarre rhythmic motion that Ruto couldn't explain. It was only when the Hero of Time lowered his hand after a few moments with a satisfied look in his eyes did she finally notice the amethyst instrument in his palm. Before she could comment on it, Link disclosed his revelation.

"They're musical notes."

"Musical notes?" Ruto repeated with a blink. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," Link nodded as he studied the short bars of notes in the tablet again. "I mean, it fits perfectly with the previous two temples. I had to use a song to open doors in both the Forest Temple and Fire Temple, and it looks like the Water Temple makes use of a multitude of songs. Each song on this thing is unique – obviously that means a different path opens for each song."

He grinned as he added, "Now we just need to figure out where to go, and I think I have a good idea where."

"Where, darling? Where?" Ruto asked almost enthusiastically, tearing her attention away from him and towards the tablet.

"Here," Link answered, pointing a finger at a set of Zoran letters. "Read what that says, please."

"It says, 'Sacred Pool,' " Ruto obliged before she noticed something. "But wait, Link…there's no music piece next to this name. There's just a strange symbol there…"

"Exactly," the Hylian acknowledged with a nod. "And I know what that symbol is. It's the symbol of the Door of Time."

Ruto glanced at her fiancé. "The Door of Time? Isn't that the place where you found your sword or something?"

"Yes, but more importantly, it's a door that needed a song to open. The doors that I opened in the other two temples all required this song, and behind each door I found something important. The Forest Temple door held some mystic torches that opened the way to a ritual hall, and the Fire Temple door contained the Megaton Hammer. I have a strong feeling that something important can be found at this 'Sacred Pool.' If not Morpha, then something that could greatly benefit us."

Ruto clapped her hands together eagerly. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go there and see what we can find!"

Link spared a moment to turn his head towards Ruto and give her a quiet look. "Not yet," he said finally.

The Hero of Time's reply surprised the princess, who asked her beloved why not.

"Because I'm not going to be careless this time," the Hylian answered as he reached for something on his belt Ruto allowed Link the opportunity to continue, which he took. "In the last two temples, two friends of mine came close to being killed by the things that were in those temples. Saria, Darunia…you don't know these two very well, but they were very good friends of mine that nearly died because I couldn't protect them. Not this time…"

Without another word, Link pulled an item from his belt and placed it firmly in Ruto's hand. It was a dagger…or rather, it was the "sword" he had used when he still believed himself to be a Kokiri. Link didn't want for Ruto to say something before he removed his shield from his back and handed it to the Zora. The princess accepted it, though rather reluctantly.

"This blade and my shield should protect you from whatever we might face. I'll do my best to protect you, but there might be a time when I won't be there, so you might have to depend on yourself for a bit. Are you up to that?"

Realizing the gravity of her fiancé's words, Ruto glanced down at the items Link had given her before looking back up at him. "I…I think so, but…but what about you? How will you protect yourself without a shield…?"

"Remember that magical shield I used when I fought that Barinade? Nayru's Love should be more than enough to protect me. It'll be a bit draining if I use it too long, but this temple's been so pedestrian thus far I doubt I'll break a sweat."

Link expected Ruto to giggle or cheer ecstatically at his admittedly inflated boast, but amazingly Ruto looked down at the knife and shield as a worried expression crept into her face. "I…I don't know…I'm not sure if I'm strong enough for this…I haven't been much use to you on this journey so far. I've been nothing but a burden. How can I protect myself if I can't even help the man I love?"

_By the Three Goddesses, do we have to do the self-deprecation bit _now Link groaned in his mind, allowing a sigh to escape his lips. So badly did he want to grab Ruto by the shoulders, shake some sense into her enormous skull, and demand at the top of his voice, "I don't have time for this tripe, okay? Just answer the bloody question!"

But he didn't. Instead he took a couple deep breaths, maintained his composure, looked straight at the Zora princess, and said, "Ruto…so what?"

The tone in his voice sounded callous enough for Ruto to lift her head in gentle shock. "So what…?"

"Yes, so what if you've been a burden? So what if you haven't been much use to me so far? So what if the only practical thing you've done so far is sucked water from my lungs and used it as an excuse to get all lovey-dovey with me? Really, so what? I don't care. All that matters is that I've brought you along this far, and I'm planning on bringing you along the rest of the way. I could ask you to stay here, or maybe cower in a corner somewhere, but I'm not. Instead I'm giving you a means to defend yourself and asking you if you're able to use these means against whatever we face, whether it's Morpha or a giant mutated foot lice. So please, just give me a simple yes or no. Are you up to it?"

Ruto didn't answer Link immediately, and when she did she still sounded hesitant. "I…I don't know…"

Link quickly attempted to kill that hesitation. "Ruto…yes or no?"

Ruto looked down again at the dagger and shield, then up at Link, who was staring at her with a firm insistence. Then back at the armaments. Then Link's face again. She exchanged glances between the two several times before she released a deep sigh and nodded.

"Yes…I'm up to it."

Link felt his own shoulders relax. "Good." He once again turned his attention to the plaque. "Okay, get ready, I'm going to play this song. I'm not sure what's going to happen, so be prepared…"

"Link, what's this?"

Ruto's question made Link roll his eyes as he faced the princess. "What's what?" he asked tiredly.

"This," she replied, pointing out a small circular indentation in the dagger's hilt.

When Link realized what it was, he quickly turned around again so Ruto didn't notice the "oh, bugger" look in his eyes. "It's a groove…for a jewel…that's all."

"A jewel, huh?" the Zora repeated curiously, studying the indentation more closely. "What kind of jewel?"

"I don't know…a ruby, I think."

"A ruby? Well, what happened to it? Did you take it out or something?"

"I…must've lost it."

"Lost it? How?"

"It must've fallen out when I was fighting or something."

"Fallen out? Are you sure…?"

"Look, I'm playing the song now, okay? Be quiet."

Giving Ruto no time to continue the inquiry, Link put the Ocarina of Time to his lips and played the Song of Time. The notes resonated in the tiny chamber brilliantly, the echoes crashing against the walls several times before they faded either in the dark endless ceiling or the waters below the caged floor.

Link played the song once before he pocketed the instrument in his pouch once again. He instantly scanned the room, expecting something to happen that would lead them to this "Sacred Pool." A door opening, an elevator descending from the ceiling…anything. But his expectations weren't matched by anything at first. The walls didn't budge, no platform appeared from anywhere…not even a low rumbling sound far away to indicate that something was happening somewhere as a result of the Song of Time.

Scratching his head, Link turned to Ruto, who appeared just as puzzled as he was. "Nothing's happening," he pointed out.

"I can see that," Ruto concurred, looking around the chamber once before adding, "I'm going to take a quick look outside and see if something's happened outside."

As the princess slinked over to the door, Link chose to study the plaque again. Maybe he had misread the symbol – it might not be the sign of the Door of Time as he had believed. Or perhaps the Zoras used some other tune for the Door of Time. Maybe if he played another one of the songs on the tablet…

"Darling, something's wrong here."

"What?" Link asked glibly, still studying the tablet without looking up at Ruto.

"The door won't open."

That got Link to turn around. "What do you mean the door won't open?"

Before the princess could restate her strange discovery, Link heard a sound beneath his feet. He glanced down, peered through the grating of a floor…and immediately noticed something going on with the water. It was bubbling, sluggishly at first but rapidly growing in intensity until bubbles and foam formed on the water's surface almost furiously. It reminded Link of the molten lava in Death Mountain…which wasn't a good thing…

"Link, have you figured out anything yet?"

Interrupting Link's concern, Navi burst from underneath his hat and hovered before his face with the air of authority of knowing everything that was going on, as well as the smugness of what should be done next.

"I'm getting a little bored sitting under your hat waiting for you to do something. Are you getting anything done, or do I have to…?"

That was when Navi noticed both Link and Ruto ignoring her and staring uneasily down at the floor. Confused, Navi glanced down…and was just in time to see the boiling water beneath the grating abruptly surge up from the pool, like a corked geyser that had just been released.

Seconds before the surge of water could gush through the porous floor and sweep the three from the chamber, Navi looked up, gave Link an irritated stare, and managed one angry question.

"What did you _do_?"

* * *

Logs piled several stories high, some burning with firelight as eerie and sinister as the final moments of death, crashed to the ground with uncoordinated thuds as one of the bonfires collapsed in on itself. Several necromancers temporarily abandoned their precious orbs and attempted to save the structure, but one ended up being crushed beneath the weight of one of the logs and the others could do nothing to slow the bonfire's breakdown.

This infuriated the head Iron Knuckle, who stormed as quickly as it could to eliminate the cause of the bonfire's destruction: the Iron Knuckle that had tried to kill him, the Knuckle that now spoke with a noticeably different accent and voice. Whoever this Knuckle was, it certainly wasn't one of Ganondorf's soldiers, the head Iron Knuckle knew. And if this renegade wasn't stopped, who knows how many heads would fly at Ganondorf's command?

Making amazingly agile jumps over the fallen logs of the second bonfire destroyed by the renegade, the head Knuckle reached the rebel, who was busy pulling its enormous hatchet from the remains of the log pile, and performed a downward attack for its head. The insurgent Knuckle noticed the attack just in time and used its ax's hilt to block the strike. Sparks flew as the head armor's blade clashed with the renegade's, similar to how the lead Knuckle had blocked the attack when its former underling revealed its traitorous ways.

"Who are you?" the head Knuckle demanded for the countless time, trying to throw the rebel off balance.

"Someone here to stop you," the subordinate Knuckle replied firmly, holding its ground. "You will not get away with this; I'm putting an end to this atrocity."

The head Knuckle laughed. "Feh, what a pathetic threat. You couldn't kill me when you had the chance, and to make up for it you're trying to destroy each bonfire in this cemetery." It squeezed its grip on its weapon. "Do you really think you can stop this ceremony when it's already close to being finished? You'll have to kill me first, as well as every Moblin and necromancer in the area. You can't do that all alone, can you?"

The head Knuckle suddenly used its upper body strength to heave its massive frame forward, catching the other Knuckle off guard and sending it sprawling to its knees. The lead armor tried to take advantage of the moment by attempting another downward strike, but the rebel again stopped the leader's ax with the hilt of its own weapon. This time, however, the traitor armor slipped its weapon's hilt into the curved lower edge of the lead Knuckle's blade, locking the two weapons together. The insurgent then tightened its grip on its weapon and became rigid, refusing to budge from its spot or allow the lead Knuckle a chance to pull its weapon free.

"Curse you!" the head Knuckle roared as it struggled to pull its axe free from its underling's hilt. The rebel didn't move an inch during the struggle, remaining content to stare up at its former leader and sneer with its hollow gaze.

But the lead Iron Knuckle had had enough. Unable to free its weapon, it rushed forward and delivered an unexpected and powerful kick to the subordinate Knuckle's chest. The rebel, not moving to evade the attack, landed on its back with a rattled clang. It even made no attempt to escape as the lead Knuckle planted a heavy foot on its underling's abdomen, pinning it to the ground.

Sneering back down at the traitor, the leader Knuckle lifted its axe once again – the subordinate's weapon still locked into its blade – and brought the full weight of both weapons down upon the underling's chest, burying the metallic head of the axe deep inside the rebel's armor.

And everything went still: the head Knuckle, the cleaved underling, even the nearby necromancers who had witnessed the battle.

Satisfied with its victory, the head Knuckle pulled its weapon from the now immobile rebel's chest and placed its axe aside, planning on unlocking the two axes from each other in a moment. It knelt beside the remains of the underling Knuckle and snickered loudly.

"All that threatening and you die this easily?" the head Knuckle laughed. "You Hylians are a joke. I don't know how you managed to get this armor, but it obviously didn't do much for you." Another chuckle escaped from the Knuckle before it flexed its fingers. "Okay, enough chitchat. Let's see who you really are."

After taking one final moment to bask in its triumph, the Iron Knuckle reached out with its hands and grabbed a thick armored plate on the motionless Knuckle's chest, an area where the lead Knuckle had left a thick fissure with its axe. With a couple quick tugs, the lead Knuckle tore this plate off of its subordinate armor and threw it to the side, exposing a large cavity in the chest and a vacant interior.

A sight that released a loud, shocked roar from the lead Knuckle.

"This armor…is _hollow_?" it bellowed as it forced itself to stand. "But that's impossible! What's going on…?"

_BAAAAANNNNNNGGG…_

Smoke and red heat clouded around the Iron Knuckle, blinding its sight and knocking it off its feet. It landed on the ground a short distance from the subordinate Knuckle's remains, bouncing once before coming to a stop. The impact against the ground jolted the head Knuckle rather violently, but the blow wasn't enough to stun the now enraged armor.

It pushed itself back onto its feet and turned its attention to where the bomb had exploded. A small cloud still remained where the explosive had detonated, and the Knuckle didn't need to look carefully to see that the blast had accomplished its intended task: shattering the two axes beyond usefulness. All around, frightened necromancers squealed loudly as they ran feverishly in all directions, their arms flailing about wildly if they weren't protecting their mystical artifacts.

Anger surged through every joint of the Knuckle's armor as its eyes darted in every direction imaginable, searching for the culprit. It ignored the frightened cries of the necromancers and put no effort into coaxing them to fixing the destroyed bonfires. The head Knuckle wanted blood, and even without its axe it could tear a Hylian apart. But it saw nobody, and no sound or movement indicated otherwise.

Frustrated, the Iron Knuckle roared again. "Where are you, you bastard? Come out and case me…! What in Hael…!"

The Knuckle's exclamation of surprise came when it felt two feet land on its shoulders, allowing the body of some unseen assailant to perch on its armor plates. The sudden and unexpected arrival of the mystery attacker stunned the Knuckle for a moment, but it quickly made up for its surprise by attempting to reach for the perched assailant. But the attacker gave the armor no opportunity to even reach him.

With one sharp kick, the attacker landed a blow with his foot against the Iron Knuckle's helmet, sending the piece of headgear to the ground with an ugly clank. The assailant then jumped down and clung to the Knuckle's back like a leech, avoiding the armor's hands ready to rip him to shreds. Out of harm's reach, the mysterious foe reached for something small and curved on its belt.

"Want to know how I got inside that armor?" he uttered to the Knuckle as a loud scratching sound was heard. "Let me show you."

Then, using a well practiced aim, the attacker tossed the circular item into a gap in the armor where the Knuckle's helmet once stood. Without wasting a second, the assailant subsequently launched himself from the Knuckle's back, landed on the ground, and sprinted a short distance away from the armor.

Meanwhile, from within the hollow interior of the head Knuckle came a high pitched shriek, accompanied by the echoes of a soft yet noticeably hissing…

_KOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM…_

A second explosion rocked the graveyard, louder but more isolated than the first. The headless Iron Knuckle fell silent, its once menacing arms abruptly drooping to the sides as smoke started to pour from every cavity in its armor. Whoever was inside that armor couldn't have survived; nothing really did when a lit Bomb Flower seed was thrown into a confined space. Now all that remained of the Knuckle was a squatting statue – true, the armor hadn't been destroyed, but the explosion had killed its operator, rendering it useless

Taking a defiant step towards the defeated Knuckle, Sheik grinned underneath his collar. "You know, it's always a good idea to look behind you once in a while.

Still smiling, Sheik found it a bit tricky to return to a more serious line of thought as he started pondering how to destroy the remaining bonfires

…before his instincts suddenly kicked in and told him to roll forward. He listened to his instincts just in time to avoid a sharp, crescent moon-shaped blade slice through the air where the Sheikah's neck had been an instant earlier. Sheik rolled across the ground several times, and fortunately for him he did, as the ground behind him was cleaved twice by the owner of the blade

Finally, certain he was out of reach, Sheik returned to his feet and spun around to face his attacker, his arms unsheathing his daggers from their sleeves. He almost expected to see a Moblin or even another Iron Knuckle, but instead he saw a person just like him…no, not exactly. This person wasn't a Sheikah or even a Hylian. He…no, _she_ was Gerudian, not much older than Sheik, dressed in traditional attire that defined the Geurdo trademark blend of eroticism and bloodlust

The Gerudo snarled at her inability to kill the Sheikah, but she didn't falter in her attentiveness as she shifted into a defensive stance at the sight of Sheik's daggers. Both opponents then remained deadly still, eyeing each other quietly and thoroughly, scanning for possible weaknesses and seeking the right time to attack. After a while, the Gerudo finally spoke.

"You must be Sheik.

The Sheikah youth twitched for a moment at the mention of his name by someone who was undoubtedly one of Ganondorf's henchmen, but only for a moment. "I see you know my name," he confirmed, finding no good reason to lie. "Maybe you can tell me yours?

The Gerudo's lips cracked a smile for the first time. "My name? Feh, it won't do you any good, boy. After all, your name is more precious to me than mine is to you."

"Because your twisted and evil king wants me dead," Sheik uttered

The Gerudo sneered and spat to the ground near Sheikah's feet. "Say what you want about the great king Ganondorf. Once I bring your head to him, he will devour that filthy tongue of yours, along with all the contents of your skull. And it'll only be a matter of time before we find that wench Zelda you're hiding and skin her alive.

Sheik stiffened at hearing Zelda's name. "You'll never get your hands on her," he declared, lowering his posture slightly. "And I'll make sure of that by making sure you never leave this graveyard.

The Gerudo's eyes sparkled at Sheik's words. "Heh…so you still think you can stop the ritual? Take another guess, boy. You couldn't kill me inside the Iron Knuckle armor, and if you hadn't ducked I'd have your scalp as a souvenir by now. If you want to stop the ritual, you'll have to kill me first.

Then, without warning, the woman lowered her blade and raised her head to the sky. "Necromancers!

As if snared by some kind of spell, every necromancer fell silent and ceased their wild, fearful flailing at the commanding tone of the Gerudo's voice

"Listen to me and listen well! You will repair those bonfires and complete the ritual in under one hour…or I will cut out your annoying tongues and shove those stupid orbs of your down your miserable throats! Do I make myself clear, you miserable curs?

It wasn't necessarily the threat itself that sent shivers down the necromancers' spines; rather it was the vitriol and viciousness in the Gerudo's words, as if hidden in her warning was the possibility of something even worse. Wasting no time, several of the necromancers immediately responded and started rebuilding the collapsed bonfires, while others started encircling the already lit blazes and started chanting with their mystical spheres in hand

Satisfied, the Gerudo turned her attention back to Sheik, who had made no attempt to attack her during her heated warning. This Gerudo was obviously peeved at being caught off guard with that bomb earlier; the Sheikah knew she wouldn't allow her guard to be dropped again so easily. A confident gleam in her eye, the Gerudo once again raised her blade to an intimidating position.

A grin spread across her lips. "Come and get me, boy.

The innuendo was unmistakable, but Sheik wasn't in the mood for playful banter between a Sheikah and a Gerudo. He responded to the girl's taunts by tightening his grip on his daggers and eyeing the Gerudo like a hawk before declaring, "As cocky as you were inside that suit. You won't escape me this time.

Then, without another word, Sheik pulled both his hands behind his head and sprang them forward, sending both of his knives sailing through the air in coiling arcs towards the Gerudo. The girl snickered and readied her blade, her eyes following the thrown daggers' trajectories like a hawk trailing prey. As the two blades were about to sink into her flesh, the Gerudo swung her blade with precision and swatted both knives away from her

Pathetic, she wanted to say, but Sheik had already made his next move. Without waiting for his knives to hit their target, the youth had rushed forward towards the Gerudo as she was distracted by his daggers. By the time the girl noticed the Sheikah's close proximity, Sheikh had already pulled out a second pair of daggers from his sleeves, and the Gerudo's massive blade was too far away to deflect both weapons at once

Taking the opportunity, Sheik leapt into the air towards the Gerudo, aiming his knives where they would be sure to land at least a single blow

_KIIISSSSHHH…KAAAASSSSSHHHH… _

…but both of Sheik's daggers were blocked, one by the Gerudo's colossal sword…and the other by a second, smaller but just as deadly-looking crescent moon blade. Amazingly, the Gerudo had pulled the second blade literally out of nowhere, a testament to the Gerudian ability to deceive opponents. The girl had done nothing to indicate she had a second weapon, and Sheik suspected if he had attacked using one dagger, that second blade of hers would've sliced him open by now

Unable to push past the Gerudo's defenses, Sheik retreated a step or two back, keeping an eye on the girl. The Gerudo sneered once again and flaunted her deadly weapons. "I don't play games, boy.

To affirm her declaration, the Gerudo launched herself forward, releasing a high-pitched battle cry from her lips as she prepared her blades for a direct assault. Sheik reacted by using his agility to nimbly sidestep out of the blades' path; he realized one well-placed swipe of that Gerudian steel could shatter his daggers, making them useless for defense. Undeterred, the Gerudo made every attempt to get in close range of the Sheikah, swinging her blades fervently at any vulnerable spot she saw. Every effort of hers failed to find its target, often missing Sheik's skin by a hair's breadth

With each eluding step he made, Sheik examined his opponent for any opening in her attacks. But with every slash she made with one sword, the other blade was ready to defend her from anything Sheik might try. The Gerudo was indeed not playing games; if she had the chance, she'd slice him into pieces without a word or thought

And while Sheik couldn't afford to divert any of his attention elsewhere, he knew that the Gerudo's orders were at this moment being carried out by the necromancers. Recalling the Gerudo's threats, he remembered he had under an hour to somehow get rid of this girl and interrupt the necromancers' ceremony. If only she had some kind of weakness, some opening in her attacks

There

A muffled yet lurid grunt replaced the Gerudo's screeches as Sheik planted his knee directly in her chest just above her stomach, sending a violent shock throughout her upper body. The girl had tried to prevent the Sheikah's counterattack, but he had managed to obstruct her blades with his daggers, pinning them out of the way before she could swing them rather than blocking them in mid-attack. The Gerudo had become overaggressive in her assault, and now she paid for that belligerence with a solid kick below her bosom

If the necromancers were paying attention to the fight between the two youths, they made no indication of it with their chilling screeches. The girl collapsed to the ground on her back, her mouth gaping and her eyes wide in genuine surprise. Still, as a hardened Gerudo, she wasted no time in trying to return to her feet and face the boy that had sent her sprawling once again

But Sheik wasted no time either. As the Gerudo attempted to stand up, he sent another powerful kick into her stomach, sending her arms flailing into the air with her weapons. Using this momentary distraction to his advantage, the Sheikah slapped both blades out of the girl's hands and far out of her reach. He kept his knee firmly implanted on the Gerudo's stomach as he quickly contorted his body in the most useful position he could. Within a matter of seconds, his other foot pinned one of the girl's wrists to the ground, while his left hand firmly gripped the Gerudo's remaining wrist

And with her legs unable to do anything to help her, Sheik was free to use his right hand to press the fine edge of one of his knives against the Gerudo's throat

"I don't play games, either," Sheik grinned from behind his collar, unable to help firing off one final quip

The Gerudo didn't react to the retort; she remained motionless, glaring at her captor with eyes that rivaled those of her Iron Knuckle armor's. She showed no fear or remorse, just spite for someone she considered one of her king's most dangerous enemies. Sheik knew he couldn't allow her to live – if the positions were reversed, he'd be dead by now. He had to kill her, just as he had killed many other Gerudo during this heinous war, and he flexed his fingers against the hilt of his dagger as he prepared to carry out the deed

But he couldn't. Sheik couldn't kill her

As the two of them lay there in the cemetery, eyeing each other with varying sentiments in their eyes, Sheik's mind tried to sort out the reason why he couldn't kill this particular Gerudo. Yes, her beauty made her appear harmless compared to other Gerudo he had slain, but their recent skirmish more than disproved her innocence in that regard. So why couldn't he gather up his courage and slit her throat, a cruel act to be sure but one that had to be done to ensure his survival and the survival of the resistance against Ganondorf? Why

Maybe it was her eyes

He couldn't put his finger on it, but something about the Gerudo's eyes didn't look right to him. Yes, the vitriol and hatred she had against him were clear as day, but the emotion looked…artificial. Behind the abhorrence was a look as empty and hollow as the Iron Knuckles' gaze, if not more so. Something about these eyes did not feel genuine, a feeling that extended to Sheik's hesitation

Could it be killing this girl might be…a mistake…

Just then, a smile curled onto the Gerudo's lips. "You hesitated," she sneered hoarsely with the blade pressed tightly against her windpipe. "That'll be your final mistake, boy.

Sheik was about to ask something when he heard what she undoubtedly heard first: the sounds of approaching footsteps. He didn't even need to ponder whether they were the footsteps of necromancers before figuring out they were Moblins coming from Kakariko Village. Perhaps a necromancer had abandoned its post to warn them of the skirmish between the Gerudo and the Sheikah. Perhaps they had heard the ruckus and came to investigate

Whatever the reason, Sheik had to get out of here quickly – even he was no match for a regiment of Moblins. He glanced up to see how far away they were

…and was surprised by the Gerudo pinned beneath him. Twisting her body more than Sheik had considered, the girl managed to slip her legs underneath his chest and send a powerful kick against his ribs, removing him from above her person and sending him too far away to regain his position

Realizing he had made a mistake in leaving her alive, Sheik scrambled to his feet and started running. The Gerudo scuttled to retrieve her weapons and tried to prevent the youth from escaping, but the Sheikah had already gained a lot of ground by the time she had even one blade in her hands. Irritation covered her face as she watched one of her king's most wanted enemies heading toward the mountainous horizon, and she would've considered chasing after him had the sound of approaching footsteps not become unavoidable by now

Moments later, at least ten Moblin soldiers shuffled their way beside the Gerudo, saluting as one of them, a captain, stepped forward

"What's goin' on 'ere, eh? One of 'em necros came by the village just now, 'ollerin' and screamin' about someone givin' this place trouble…is everythin' all right?

The Gerudo turned to face the Moblin captain, giving it a look that would scare even the most battle-tested warrior. "Is everything okay? I was nearly killed by one of our great Lord Ganondorf's most hated enemies while you were too dimwitted to notice that the two Knuckles I left in the village were missing. Do you really think everything's okay, you thickheaded twit?

The Moblin captain tried to maintain his composure against the Gerudo's anger, knowing better than to further upset a subordinate of Ganondorf. "I…I apologize, m'lady. Where is the bloke now…?

"Running with his tail between his legs for the hills," the Gerudo snapped. "If you had gotten here sooner, you actually might've caught him.

The captain's attempt to sound more formal than a Moblin usually sounds did little to quell the girl's anger. Trying to show some semblance of confidence, he nodded as firmly as he could. "Yes, I understand. We'll organize a search party and sniff the bugger out…

The Moblin's words were cut off abruptly as a deadly crescent moon-shaped blade was thrust near his face, the weapon's tip placed dangerously close between his eyes. Sweat started beading down the captain's face as the Gerudo's fierce gaze dared him to move and incite her anger further

"You? Sniff him out? Don't mock my intelligence," she growled. "Now listen, you brainless oaf. You and your little 'party' here are going to guard this cemetery. You will not move from this place until the necromancers have completed the ceremony. If you so much as let anyone else leave a footprint in this graveyard's soil, I will disembowel you and strangle your filthy neck with your own entrails. Do you understand, or do I need to remove something?

The Moblin resisted the urge to back away from the weapon pressed close to his face and muttered a frightened acknowledgement. "U-u-understood, m'lady.

The Gerudo eyed the captain for a moment before nodding herself and lowering her blade to her side. "Then get to it!

Snapping to attention, the Moblin captain spun around and faced his men, who appeared just as apprehensive as he did. "Right! You 'eard the Lady Nabooru! Surroun' an' protec' 'his place o' else! Get to it!

The Moblins reacted by saluting their captain before spreading out across the graveyard, weapons in hand. The necromancers paid no attention to them as they continued their preparations for the ritual, the ruthless threat given to them earlier still enough to silence their wild shrieks

As she watched the Moblins fan out, Nabooru still couldn't help spit to the ground in disgust

_"Gods damn it to Hael…I almost had him. If I had gotten to my weapon sooner, that damned Sheikah would be dead by now. Still…"_ She glanced in the direction where Sheik had headed, the hilly terrain of the distant Death Mountain having already swallowed any visible trace of the outlaw. _"…it's interesting that he was here at all. How did that boy learn about the ceremony so quickly? Was he in Kakariko Village when we arrived?" _

Bits of teeth flashed inside her mouth as she grinned. _"If that's the case, then Lord Ganondorf's plan will be that much more satisfying. Should he come back here, reinforcements or no, he'll have more to contend with than me._

Maintaining her grin, Nabooru started heading back to her empty Iron Knuckle armor, hoping the smell of burnt bomb power had dispersed by now. Even if it hadn't, the odor had to be better than the stench left inside the armor Sheik had been using, the armor now crudely decorated by what was left of a former Gerudo soldier……

* * *

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Sheik muttered that phrase over and over as he raced across the increasingly rocky terrain, keeping his gaze straight. Not once did he look back, mostly because he couldn't cope with his failure. If only he hadn't tried to distract the Iron Knuckle to get a clean shot, if only he had used a bomb with a shorter fuse, if only he had slit that Gerudo's throat when he had the chance…there were far too many ifs for him to accept this disappointment

And no doubt the graveyard will be better guarded, making it more difficult for him to get inside there and stop the ceremony. Which was the last thing he needed

Stopping to take a break next to a small hill of boulders, Sheik used the moment to consider his next plan of action. It didn't take him long to figure out he didn't have one. Another setback he didn't need

_"At least Malon's safe," _he sighed, grasping for a silver lining. _"She's far enough away from the village that she won't get caught in the ceremony's fringe. I only hope the magic isn't powerful enough to affect the people of Kakariko Village…I can't do anything for them now, not with those Moblins crawling everywhere." _

He brushed some moisture from his brow for a minute before he did something he rarely did out in the open: he removed his collar from his face so he could breathe a bit more easily. He looked up at the sky, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, drawing in as much as he could inside his lungs. He then exhaled with a sharp hiss

…and collapsed to the ground, his back propped up against the nearest boulder. Though the temperature outside was rather warm, Sheik started to shiver quite violently. He hugged himself with his arms and curled up into a ball in an attempt to get warm. As he did so, he started whispering a silent prayer upon his lips

"Link…where are you? You've got to get back here…now…"

* * *

…wait a minute…is this real? Is this really an update on this left-for-dead fic?

Yes, readers, it is. Welcome to the updated-after-ten-months Legend of Zelda fic that many of you have been waiting for.

So, I bet you're all wondering the same thing: what took so damn long? Before I start listing my excuses, I will say right now that I accept any and all responsibility for the lack of updates in this fic. There are reasons for why recent chapters have not appeared, but ultimately it is up to me to update this fic, and I have ignored that action for the last ten months. So, if you wish to berate me for not giving this chapter sooner, I completely understand and will accept any reasonable criticism.

With that said, let's get going on why I haven't been updating recently.

The biggest I have to offer is simple: classes. Now, some of you are wondering, "But didn't I stop updating during the spring semester of this year? Yes, but here's the expanded answer. That spring was my last semester as an undergraduate, and thus I had to start looking for graduate schools. Naturally, that took up a lot of my time as I had to get letters of recommendation filled out, formed sent in, and money spent so I could have a career as a graduate student. This process also took up my time during the summer – my priorities shifted during that time, because I wouldn't have been able to sleep at night if I had missed an application deadline because I was focused more on writing this fic.

And now, I am actually a graduate. Specifically, I am a graduate student working at a university on a project involving rocket ship control optimization. I am also a teacher's assistant for two professors. So as you can imagine, a lot of my time recently is devoted to classes.

Of course, it's impossible for me to solely devote my time to classes. So why haven't I been writing in my spare time? Simply put, my work ethic is terrible. Every time I get an opportunity to work on this fic, I almost always find an excuse to put it off. This is my fault, and something I've been trying to fix but have been unsuccessful so far. It absolutely disgusting of me to do that, and I accept full responsibility for it.

There was also another reason for the delay: this chapter you just read (or skipped so as to read this Author's Note)? I don't like it that much as a standalone chapter. In fact, if people complain that this chapter is terrible, I will not be surprised. I honestly wanted to write two chapters before posting this one so that your patience would be rewarded, but the long absence of an update behooved me to post this already. I am prepared for people not to like this chapter, not only because I like to criticize myself, but also because it is very possible it's not good.

If that's the case, then why didn't I keep you all up to speed on my progress (or lack thereof)? Because I'm not the kind of person who likes to write more author's notes than chapters. I'd much rather update with a chapter than nothing at all, because I want this fic to be about the story, not about how me. Also, I believe has a policy that chapters cannot be only author's notes, which somewhat makes updating like that impossible.

And that ends the number of excuses I can come up with. I'm not asking you to pity me or thank me for this current chapter, because I've done a miserable job with this fic over the past couple years. The fact that people still ask me about it shows how much people like it, and I've let a lot of people down with not being responsible.

I really want to change my work ethic, and that must start with being responsible. To do so, I'm considering making myself accountable to you, the readers. If you want, I can create a blog (such easy things to make these days) where I update my progress with the fic's chapter. This will force me to keep you all up to speed and chew me out whenever I get complacent. If this is an idea you'd like me to try, please let me know through the following email:

arxane (at) gmail (dot) com

Of course, I will only do this if there are enough people asking me to do it. But if this is want I need to do in order to get off my ass and get things moving again, I will do it. You all deserve better than what you've gotten from me, and I will do what I can. A very special thanks to everyone who has stayed committed to this fic, and my sincerest apologies once again for my lack of updates.

Until next time, have a good one.


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